Garth Brooks accused of rape in new lawsuit
An unnamed hair and makeup artist says Garth Brooks raped her while she did his hair and makeup.
Garth Brooks is considering buying a house in Ireland with his wife, Trisha Yearwood, amid an accusation of sexual assault against him.
The country star, on his “Inside Studio G” Facebook Live show late last month, opened up about potential plans for buying a home in Europe, which Brooks, 62, attributed to his wife. The conversation was sparked by a video sent in from an Irish fan, referencing earlier comments he made about living in the country.
“Actually, the queen is pushing hard for the house in Ireland,” Brooks said. “I think this last time over there, she just fell head over heels in love with the country.”
The “Friends in Low Places” singer recalled playing two weekends of shows in Ireland, with Yearwood, 60, in tow. “Everyone was so sweet to her,” he said.
USA TODAY has reached out to Yearwood’s rep for comment.
The comments come after Brooks was accused of sexual assault and battery in October by a former hair and make-up artist, alleging he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019.
In the lawsuit, filed by a Jane Roe in California court and obtained by USA TODAY, she claimed she was first hired in 1999 as a hairstylist and makeup artist for Yearwood and that she continued to work for her “over the years.” In 2017, she started to do make-up and hair styling for Brooks. The alleged abuse began two years later.
Brooks has been married to Yearwood since 2005.
Roe recalled multiple instances of abuse, including one where she was at Brooks’ house to style his hair and do his make-up when he allegedly “walked out of the shower, naked, with an erection and pointing his penis at Ms. Roe.” He then proceeded to grab her hands “and forced them onto his erect penis,” the suit stated.
The lawsuit followed an attempt by Brooks to block the sexual assault claims from public view via a lawsuit he filed, as John Doe, on Sept. 13 in a Mississippi federal court, the same day the country singer announced the conclusion of his Las Vegas residency. The filing argued the sexual assault claims “would irreparably harm” his “reputation, family, career and livelihood.”
On Oct. 8, Brooks amended his case, identified himself as the John Doe and asked a judge to preemptively declare sexual misconduct allegations from the Jane Roe to be untrue and award him damages for emotional distress and defamation. In the complaint, Brooks also names the woman accusing him of sexual assault.
Roe’s lawyers – Douglas H. Wigdor, Jeanne M. Christensen and Hayley Baker – denounced Brooks for naming their client in his filing in a statement to USA TODAY at the time.
“Garth Brooks just revealed his true self,” the attorneys said. “With no legal justification, Brooks outed her because he thinks the laws don’t apply to him.”
Brooks, who has denied all of Roe’s allegations, called himself “the victim of a shakedown.”
Contributing: Jay Stahl, Pam Avila, KiMi Robinson