There's been an update in the sexual assault lawsuit against Garth Brooks.
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Why Is Garth Brooks Being Sued?
A former hairdresser for Brooks accused the star of sexual assault on several occasions. The case was filed in California by a woman identified as Jane Roe.
Brooks filed a civil lawsuit in Mississippi several days before her in an attempt to obtain an injunction, or a court order to block her lawsuit. He accused her of attempting to extort him for money.
However, Brooks used pseudonyms for his complaint, while his accuser revealed his name, making her allegations against the singer public.
Brooks went on to amend the suit, naming his accuser as retaliation.
"Garth Brooks just revealed his true self. Out of spite and to punish, he publicly named a rape victim," said the accuser's lawyers in a statement. "With no legal justification, Brooks outed her because he thinks the laws don't apply to him. On behalf of our client, we will be moving for maximum sanctions against him immediately."
Last September, Judge Henry Wingate denied Brooks' accuser's motion, or formal request, to proceed under a pseudonym as Jane Roe. He also denied her request for court-ordered penalties, called sanctions, stating she had already been identified.
"Ms. Roe was more concerned with airing Mr. Doe's identity to the public than preserving her own confidentiality," the judge said.
Roe then filed an appeal with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Brooks asked the court to expedite the appeal, meaning he asked for a faster decision.
What Happened This Week?
This week, as reported by Whiskey Riff, the court panel denied Brooks' motion to expedite proceedings. This means the case will still take some time to advance toward trial.
This issue has nothing to do with the actual sexual assault case against Brooks, which has been pending for nearly 20 months. This only has to do with his accuser protecting her identity.
Jane Roe's lawyers now have to file a brief on the issue by May 20. It will then take at least two months for all the filings to be made before the court decides to hold an oral argument and possibly issue their ruling.
This development may affect Brooks' case against his accuser. Potential witnesses' memories may fade, and a key witness, publicist Nancy Seltzer, has died.
