Entertainment
Bob Dylan sex abuse lawsuit ‘withdrawn’ by accuser: ‘This case is over’-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro
‘It is outrageous that it was ever brought in the first place,’ the singer’s lawyer said.
‘It is outrageous that it was ever brought in the first place,’ the singer’s lawyer said (Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)
A sex abuse lawsuit levelled at Bob Dylan has been dismissed, with the singer’s lawyer saying: ‘It is outrageous that it was ever brought in the first place.’
Last August, a lawsuit was filed alleging that Dylan, 81, allegedly groomed and sexually abused a 12-year-old girl in 1965.
The musician was accused of giving the girl ‘drugs and alcohol before sexually abusing her at his Chelsea Hotel apartment’, with the plaintiff only identified in the Manhattan Supreme Court papers as ‘J.C.’
Almost a year later, the case has been ‘withdrawn’ by the accuser, lawyers for Dylan revealed.
In a statement obtained by Rolling Stone, Dylan’s lawyer Orin Snyder said: ‘This case is over. It is outrageous that it was ever brought in the first place. We are pleased that the plaintiff has dropped this lawyer-driven sham and that the case has been dismissed with prejudice.’
The musician’s lawyers also wrote: ‘This case – based on plaintiff’s alleged interactions with Bob Dylan more than 56 years ago – is a brazen shakedown masquerading as a lawsuit.
Dylan’s lawyers said the lawsuit was ‘filed in bad faith’ (Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI)
‘It was filed in bad faith for the improper purpose of extracting a huge payout on the threat of negative publicity. The allegation is false, malicious, reckless, and defamatory. Mr. Dylan will not be extorted.’
Days before the lawsuit was dismissed, it was claimed that the plaintiff fired two of her lawyers ahead of important deadlines in the case.
In the original lawsuit, it was claimed that the Blowin’ In The Wind singer used his star status to groom, gain the trust of and control the accused ‘‘as part of his plan to sexually molest and abuse’ her, court papers stated.
A representative for Dylan said at the time that the lawsuit was filed: ‘The 56-year-old claim is untrue and will be vigorously defended.’
According to Billboard, before the lawsuit was withdrawn, Dylan’s lead attorney Snyder and the musician’s legal team claimed to the judge that the plaintiff had not produced ‘dozens of critical emails we know exist’.
The attorneys alleged that the evidence ‘strongly suggests Plaintiff has destroyed the evidence directly relevant to the central factual allegations in this litigation’.
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