A girl has sued Michael Jackson’s older brother Jermaine, accusing him of sexually assaulting her in 1988.
The go well with in opposition to The Jackson 5 singer was filed in California beneath the state’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which permits civil fits in sexual assault instances after the statute of limitations has expired if a number of events are legally accountable or if there was a cover-up.
The deadline for fits to be filed beneath the act is 31 December.
The Jackson Five: Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie. Pic: Everett/Shutterstock
Rita Butler Barrett stated within the go well with she knew Jackson by her husband’s relationship with Berry Gordy, founding father of Motown Records, which represented acts together with The Jackson 5, The Supremes and Marvin Gaye.
She alleges that Jackson compelled himself into her house “with force and violence sexually assaulted” her within the spring of 1988.
Barrett’s grievance stated she feared for her life throughout the assault and that Jackson left after the assault.
She reported the assault to Gordy the next day, however he and others labored to cowl up the assault as an alternative of reporting it, the grievance alleged.
“Because of his relationships with both Jackson and [Barrett’s] family, Gordy was uniquely situated to both report Jackson’s acts and to aid [Barrett] during her time of trauma,” the grievance stated.
“Instead, Gordy withheld and concealed the acts, further perpetuating the coverup and allowing Gordy, Jackson, and others in the business relationship to continue to reap profits derived from Jackson’s work and reputation for years to come,” the grievance stated.
Berry Gordy, the founding father of Motown Records, in 2002
Barrett filed the grievance, which alleged sexual battery, assault and negligence, in opposition to Jackson and his companies Jermaine L Jackson Music Productions Inc. and Work Records.
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She stated that to today she suffers “great emotional distress”, concern, anxiousness, humiliation and different bodily and emotional accidents because of the alleged assault.
The Jackson Five in 1975 with Jermaine on the far proper
The go well with seeks normal damages to be decided at trial.
A related act in New York, which allowed historic complaints to be submitted till late November, noticed lawsuits in opposition to family names together with Axl Rose, Jamie Foxx and Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Sky News has contacted Jermaine Jackson for remark.
Content Source: information.sky.com