Garth Brooks issued a statement on Thursday after being accused by an anonymous “Jane Roe” plaintiff of sexual assault when she was working for him as a hair and makeup artist.
“For the last two months, 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,” the country singer said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “It has been like having a loaded gun waved in my face.”
On Thursday, news broke of Roe’s lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, in which the woman accused Brooks of sexual assault and battery.
The woman stated that she was hired as a hair and makeup artist for Brooks’ wife, Trisha Yearwood, in 1999, and that she began working for Brooks in 2017. Roe claimed that the first alleged battery occurred during a styling appointment at Brooks’ home and that after he showered, Brooks approached her naked, grabbed her hands, and “forced them onto his erect penis.” The woman alleges that Brooks said he “wanted her to perform oral sex on him,” and that she did not engage, but continued to work for him because she was financially dependent on the job. She also claimed that Brooks groped her and sent her explicit text messages.
In the 27-page complaint, the woman claimed that a second incident took place when she traveled with Brooks to Los Angeles for a Grammy tribute to singer Sam Moore. She accused Brooks of trapping her in a hotel room where he allegedly “grabbed her hands and pulled her” onto a bed and raped her.
The Jane Roe is suing for sexual assault, battery, and gender violence under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act.
Last month, prior to Roe filing her suit, Brooks denied her allegations in a preemptive complaint filed in federal court in Mississippi. That complaint was brought anonymously with the plaintiff described only as a “celebrity and public figure who resides in Tennessee.”
In his statement Thursday, Brooks said, “Hush money, no matter how much or how little, is still hush money. In my mind, that means I am admitting to behavior I am incapable of—ugly acts no human should ever do to another.”
He continued: “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, who is set to perform in Las Vegas tonight, concluded, “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. I trust the system, I do not fear the truth, and I am not the man they have painted me to be.”
Following publication of this article, Roe’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement, “I cannot get into settlement discussions, but the suggestion made by Brooks that he was unwilling to pay millions is simply not true. It seems as though Sean Combs and Garth Brooks are using the same public relations team by attacking legitimate victims. We are very confident in our case and over time the public will see his true character rather than his highly curated persona.”
This post was updated on Oct. 4 at 3:15 p.m. ET to reflect a statement from Roe’s attorney.