Garth Brooks demands sexual assault lawsuit moved to federal court
Garth Brooks has demanded that his sexual assault case be transferred to federal court.
November 8, 2024, updated 7:28 PM ET
Garth Brooks is demanding that his sexual assault case be transferred to federal court, despite being warned that his actions pose a high risk.
RadarOnline.com can reveal that the 62-year-old country superstar filed documents on November 1 to have his complaint against his accuser, who initially filed an anonymous ‘Jane Roe’, moved from California Superior Court to federal court .
Article continues below advertisement
Brooks officially submitted the request on November 1.
Article continues below advertisement
According to court documents, Brooks’ attorneys requested the transfer because his accuser was asking for damages in excess of $75,000, which would put the amount within the range that could be covered by federal courts.
Brooks, who has strongly denied the woman’s allegations, previously claimed he was the “victim of a shakedown” and accused the accuser of “blackmailing” him in legal documents.
Article continues below advertisement
Brooks called his accuser controversial in the lawsuit.
Article continues below advertisement
Legal expert Tre Lovell explained that Brooks may also be eligible to have the lawsuit moved to federal court because he is from Tennessee, while Roe is from Mississippi.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, he said: “Los Angeles is more of a minority working-class jury group.
“In federal court you have a broader jury pool, and a broader jury pool would help Garth in this case as well, I think.”
RadarOnline revealed last month that Harvey Weinstein’s former lawyer warned Brooks against going on the attack against his sexual abuse accuser.
Article continues below advertisement
Brooks and his wife Trisha Yearwood have been married for almost twenty years.
Article continues below advertisement
Attorney Duncan Levin called the country singer’s decision to sue his accuser and share her name a “bold move” that carries “significant risks.”
Levin told Fox News: “On the one hand, filing a defamation suit indicates that Brooks is taking an aggressive stance to protect his reputation.
“This can sometimes work to the advantage of public figures who believe they are being falsely accused, as it forces the accuser to provide evidence to support their claims.
“However, naming the accuser can be counterproductive, especially if the accusation is credible or if the accuser receives sympathy from the public.
Article continues below advertisement
Brooks has been warned that sharing the accuser’s name carries significant “risk.”
MORE ABOUT:
Garth Brooks
DAILY. BREAK. CELEBRITY NEWS. EVERYTHING FOR FREE.
Article continues below advertisement
“It could also be seen as an attempt to intimidate or deter other potential accusers from coming forward, which would attract criticism.
“Legally, Brooks will have to prove that the allegations are false and have caused him reputational damage, a high bar in defamation cases.”
Brooks was previously so upset that his name was released by Roe’s lawyers resubmitted its original complaint listed with her full name last month.
Article continues below advertisement
Brooks says he’s a “shakedown victim.”
Article continues below advertisement
The singer had filed an anonymous preemptive countersuit in federal court in Mississippi in September, although his accuser ultimately filed her lawsuit on October 3 in California.
In his filing, he said the lawsuit was filed after he received a “letter of formal notice” from Roe’s attorney.
In her lawsuit, the anonymous woman accused Brooks of fostering a sexually hostile workplace prior to the alleged rape in 2019.
Article continues below advertisement
She claimed he “took advantage” of the financial problems she was facing around 2019 by calling her for sexual favors.
Roe accused Brooks of once coming out of a shower naked “with an erection” that he forced her to touch.
He allegedly took her hand and told her he was fantasizing about the moment and wanted her to perform a sexual act on him.
In a filing from early October, she included screenshots of a sexually explicit text message conversation she allegedly had with Brooks.
Article continues below advertisement
She claimed things escalated in May 2019, when he asked her to travel with him to Los Angeles for a Grammy Awards tribute to Sam Moore.
Roe claimed he booked a one-bedroom hotel suite and refused to give her her own room.
She accused Brooks of brutally raping her during the trip, before sending her explicit text messages and encouraging her to sext him in return.
The woman also claimed he bragged about having “fucked multiple women in every corner of a hotel room,” “white, black, brown or whatever… on every surface.”
Brooks denies the claims.
