Renowned US actor, Jamie Foxx and Guns N’ Roses frontman, Axl Rose have found themselves entangled in sexual assault allegations, as lawsuits were filed against them on Wednesday in New York.
These legal actions were submitted just before the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Actress and model, Sheila Kennedy accuses Axl Rose of sexually assaulting her in 1989, claiming she “did not consent and felt overpowered.”
The legal filing is made under the New York Adult Survivors Act, a law designed to allow sexual assault cases that occurred too long ago to be litigated.
In the case against Jamie Foxx, the accuser, identified as Jane Doe, alleges that Foxx, “intentionally and without consent used force to offensively touch her, by groping her breasts and genitals at a Manhattan rooftop bar in 2015.
Similar to the Rose case, this filing is also presented under the New York Adult Survivors Act.
Both lawsuits call for jury trials, seeking punitive damages. The complaint against Axl Rose alleges forced anal sex, with Kennedy’s lawyers stating that she feared physical harm if she resisted, and claims that Rose abused his celebrity status and power to manipulate, control, and violently assault Kennedy.
Axl Rose, the 61-year-old lead singer of Guns N’ Roses, has yet to make any public comments regarding the allegations. The incident is said to have occurred in a New York hotel room after the two met in a nightclub.
In the Jamie Foxx case, the accuser claimed she would be permanently affected by the injuries and emotional distress resulting from the alleged assault.
Foxx, a versatile entertainer who has excelled in acting, comedy, and music, including winning an Academy Award for his role in “Ray,” now faces a challenging legal battle.
The lawsuits come on the heels of a recent rape complaint filed under the Adult Survivors Act against rapper Sean Combs by R&B singer Cassie.
Despite the initial legal action, the parties involved announced an agreement to resolve the case, with settlement terms undisclosed.