Music industry vet Jimmy Iovine is being sued by a Jane Doe plaintiff, who alleges multiple instances of sexual abuse and a specific incident that took place in 2007 while Iovine was chief executive of Interscope Records.
A summons against Jimmy Iovine is the latest in a string of sexual abuse lawsuits filed during the last few weeks. The complaint against the Interscope Records co-founder reveals that the woman is seeking substantial damages, and contains allegations that she “suffered as a result of being sexually abused, forcibly touched, and subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of anti-discrimination laws in or around August 2007.”
Iovine will have to respond to the summons in 20 days, or 30 if the summons isn’t served to him in person, according to court paperwork.
A spokesperson for Iovine offered the following statement: “We are quite shocked and baffled by this alleged claim. This inquiry is the first we’ve heard of this matter. No one has ever made a claim like this against Jimmy Iovine, nor have we been contacted or made aware of any complaint by anyone, including this unknown Plaintiff, prior to now.”
Of the many complaints filed just this month (as the Adult Survivor’s Act deadline expired), Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose was also served on Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting former Penthouse model Sheila Kennedy.
Kennedy’s filing refers to an incident that allegedly took place in a New York City hotel room in 1989. Kennedy says that Rose, now 61, “knocked her to the floor,” dragged her by the hair, restrained her hands, and proceeded to sexually assault her “while he was in a sexual, volatile rage.”
The complaint further states Kennedy has suffered “severe emotional, physical, financial and psychological distress from the assault.” Other disturbing details in the filing narrate, “Kennedy did not consent and felt overpowered. She understood that the safest thing to do was to lie in bed and wait for Rose to finish assaulting her.”
Axl Rose’s attorney, Alan S. Gutman, responded with a statement to CNN on Wednesday saying, “Simply put, this incident never happened.”
“Notably, these fictional claims were filed the day before the New York State filing deadline expires. Though he doesn’t deny the possibility of a fan photo taken in passing, Mr. Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or speaking to the Plaintiff and has never heard about these fictional allegations prior to today.”
Unfortunately, as the deadline for New York’s ruling neared expiry, Iovine and Axl are only two in a swarm of music industry professionals and Hollywood celebrities named in sexual assault lawsuits.
Last week, rapper record-producer and actor Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was accused by ex-partner Casandra Ventura — known professionally as Cassie — of violent behavior, disturbed demands, and sexual assault.
Within a few days of the filing, Diddy settled the rape and assault lawsuit. However, his attorney Ben Brafman emphasized that the decision to settle ‘is in no way an admission of wrongdoing’ and doesn’t ‘in any way undermine his’ client’s ‘flat-out denial of the claims.’
Others accused during the wave of sexual assault and harassment lawsuits include claims against Cuba Gooding Jr, Jamie Foxx, Russell Brand, Jason Derulo, Broadway legend William Ivey Long, Antonio Reid (L.A. Reid), and Grammy’s ex-CEO Neil Portnow. Last week, Comedian Bill Cosby was also accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in the 1980s.
The New York Adult Survivors Act allowed survivors of assault to come forward with allegations and damages for incidents that were legally time-barred. The deadline expired at midnight on November 23rd.
State senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins said on passing the act, “It takes time to come forward, particularly when faced with the trauma that accompanies disclosures. With the Adult Survivors Act, we are saying that we believe you and that you deserve accountability.”
