Country music artist Garth Brooks has responded to the sexual assault allegations in a lawsuit filed against him in California Superior Court on Thursday, October 3. Brooks, who is being accused of sexual assault and rape by an unnamed woman, has denied all allegations.
“I have been hassled to no end with threats, lies, and tragic tales of what my future would be if I did not write a check for many millions of dollars,” said Brooks in a statement. “It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face.”
In response, Brooks, 62, filed a lawsuit against the woman, referred to as “Jane Roe,” in a federal court in Mississippi on September 13, 2024. Brooks claims that Roe was attempting to defame his character and sent him a letter in July 2024 stating that she was sexually assaulted and that he was trying to kill her, according to the lawsuit. In August, Brooks said he received another letter from Roe, who said she would not go public if he paid her millions of dollars.
“Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money,” said Brooks in his statement. “In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another. We filed suit against this person nearly a month ago to speak out against extortion and defamation of character. We filed it anonymously for the sake of families on both sides.”
Brooks continued, “I want to play music tonight. I want to continue our good deeds going forward. It breaks my heart these wonderful things are in question now.”
On Thursday, Roe, a former for Brooks and his wife Trish Yearwood alleged that Brooks repeatedly harassed throughout their working relationship, and raped her when they worked together in 2019. The woman said she was first hired to do Yearwood’s makeup in 1999 and later began working with Brooks in 2017. When she experienced a financial setback in 2019, she alleged that Brooks offered her more work, but took advantage of her situation, and sexually assaulted her.
In the lawsuit, Roe claimed that Brooks exposed his genitals and buttocks to her, sent her explicit text messages, talked openly about sexual fantasies, changed clothing in front of her, and groped her while she did his makeup when she worked with him from 2017 through 2020.
“Brooks seized what he saw as an opportunity to subject a female employee to a side of Brooks that he conceals from the public,” reads the lawsuit. “This side of Brooks believes he is entitled to sexual gratification when he wants it, and using a female employee to get it, is fair game.”
Additionally, the woman alleged that Brooks raped her in a Los Angeles hotel in May of 2019 while he was preparing for a Grammys tribute for Sam Moore. Roe also stated that Brooks attempted to rape her again in October 2019 before he had to leave for another engagement. She also claimed that in 2020, Brooks erased all of the text messages he had sent to her. The woman said she discontinued working for Brooks in May of 2021 and moved to Mississippi.
“With cold disregard for Ms. Roe, when Brooks was finished, it was business as usual,” reads the lawsuit. “Ms. Roe worked quickly to style his hair and do his make-up for the event so he was on time.”
In his countersuit, Brooks is also requesting a trial, along with punitive and monetary damages, and attorney fees. “I trust the system, I do not fear the truth,” said Brooks in his statement, “and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”
This story is developing and will be updated.
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