Jimmie Allen's legal team has countersued two women who accused him of sexual assault. According to Billboard, Allen's countersuit claims "that one of [the alleged victims] defamed him and that the other illegally swiped his cellphone."
The alleged defamation is linked to the May 11 article by Variety which broke the news and quoted a "Jane Doe" accuser who'd served as Allen's day-to-day manager. In a lawsuit filed by the Jane Doe plaintiff in a Tennessee district court on Thursday, May 11, the plaintiff alleges that Allen raped her and repeatedly sexually abused and harassed her during the 18-month period she served as his day-to-day manager.
"Throughout the Variety article, Jane Doe made several untruthful statements which painted Allen and Doe's consensual affair as nonconsensual sexual misconduct," Allen's lawyers wrote (as quoted by Billboard). "Allen's reputation and relationships within the entertainment industry have also been severely damaged as a result Jane Doe's statements in the Variety article."
The second lawsuit involves a woman who claims that Allen filmed their sexual encounter in a Las Vegas hotel room without consent. Per Billboard, "[Allen's] lawyers say that she had explicitly consented to the recording— and that she then unfairly took his phone with her when she left the hotel."
"By taking his camera phone without permission, Jane Doe 2 wrongfully exerted a distinct act of dominion over Allen's personal property," the country singer's lawyers wrote.
Per a statement to Billboard by the accusers' lead attorney, Elizabeth Fegan, Allen's responses were expected, and her team remains "eager to show the court abundant evidence" that would "prove that Jimmie Allen is a serial abuser and should be held accountable for his actions."
"It is becoming increasingly common for perpetrators to countersue their victims, claiming defamation," Fegan shared. "This is a concerning trend, one designed to convince victims that if they speak out, they will be the target of spurious litigation."
Since the allegations surfaced, Allen has been suspended or dropped by his record label, booking agency, publicist and management company. He also got removed from lineups for CMA Fest and other summer festivals.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
