Bob Dylan has filed a new response to the August 2021 lawsuit alleging that the musician groomed and sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl in 1965.
Yesterday (January 6) in Manhattan state court, Dylan's legal team fired back at the "false, malicious, reckless and defamatory," accusation, calling it a "brazen shakedown" and discrediting the plaintiff — identified as J.C. — as a "psychic" who also claims to have been "abducted by aliens."
The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you believe you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct and are looking for support, consult the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime to find resources in your area.
"This case – based on plaintiff's alleged interactions with Bob Dylan more than 56 years ago — is a brazen shakedown masquerading as a lawsuit," the new answer filed on Dylan's behalf began [via Rolling Stone]. "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.
"According to her own website, plaintiff is a psychic who specializes in 'channelling' the deceased loved ones of grieving families — for a fee," the statement continued. "It alleges the accuser had not only claimed she had been abducted by aliens, she also purportedly claims that she speaks to cats, dogs and other animals — alive and dead — as well as insects and plants."
Peter Gelason, one of J.C.'s lawyers, defended his client and her work as a professional psychic, telling Rolling Stone:
Neither my client or her counsel are going to be bullied. Some people refer to Bob Dylan as a prophet. People have labels. More than half of Americans believe in psychic phenomena. If you're going to attack somebody for their beliefs, you're encroaching upon very dangerous territory. This is what this country is based on: freedom of beliefs. It shouldn't divert our attention from the allegations. This case is about the facts.
After both Dylan historians and supporters argued that the musician wasn't even in New York during that timeframe, the plaintiff amended her complaint by changing the time period to "the spring" of the same year.
She claims that she has "suffered and continues to suffer from emotional and physical injury, including, but not limited to, serious and severe mental distress, anguish, humiliation and embarrassment, as well as economic losses," as a result of being abused by the singer-songwriter nearly 57 years ago.
Dylan and his lawyers made it clear in this latest response that they would not be willing to pay a nuisance settlement to make the case go away.
"Mr. Dylan may have seemed like an easy mark for the lawyers who filed and hoped to profit off of this fraudulent lawsuit," the document reads. "They likely assumed he would not be up for the fight and would instead pay extortion to avoid the burden, publicity and expense of defending himself. They could not have been more wrong. Mr. Dylan seeks and will achieve justice, vindication and full accountability."
Yesterday (January 6) in Manhattan state court, Dylan's legal team fired back at the "false, malicious, reckless and defamatory," accusation, calling it a "brazen shakedown" and discrediting the plaintiff — identified as J.C. — as a "psychic" who also claims to have been "abducted by aliens."
The following article contains potentially triggering material relating to sexual assault and violence. If you believe you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct and are looking for support, consult the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime to find resources in your area.
"This case – based on plaintiff's alleged interactions with Bob Dylan more than 56 years ago — is a brazen shakedown masquerading as a lawsuit," the new answer filed on Dylan's behalf began [via Rolling Stone]. "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.
"According to her own website, plaintiff is a psychic who specializes in 'channelling' the deceased loved ones of grieving families — for a fee," the statement continued. "It alleges the accuser had not only claimed she had been abducted by aliens, she also purportedly claims that she speaks to cats, dogs and other animals — alive and dead — as well as insects and plants."
Peter Gelason, one of J.C.'s lawyers, defended his client and her work as a professional psychic, telling Rolling Stone:
Neither my client or her counsel are going to be bullied. Some people refer to Bob Dylan as a prophet. People have labels. More than half of Americans believe in psychic phenomena. If you're going to attack somebody for their beliefs, you're encroaching upon very dangerous territory. This is what this country is based on: freedom of beliefs. It shouldn't divert our attention from the allegations. This case is about the facts.
Initially, the lawsuit claimed that the abuse occurred between April and May of 1965 at Manhattan's Chelsea Hotel, Dylan having allegedly "exploited his status as a musician by grooming J.C. to gain her trust and obtain control over her as part of his plan to sexually molest and abuse J.C."
After both Dylan historians and supporters argued that the musician wasn't even in New York during that timeframe, the plaintiff amended her complaint by changing the time period to "the spring" of the same year.
She claims that she has "suffered and continues to suffer from emotional and physical injury, including, but not limited to, serious and severe mental distress, anguish, humiliation and embarrassment, as well as economic losses," as a result of being abused by the singer-songwriter nearly 57 years ago.
Dylan and his lawyers made it clear in this latest response that they would not be willing to pay a nuisance settlement to make the case go away.
"Mr. Dylan may have seemed like an easy mark for the lawyers who filed and hoped to profit off of this fraudulent lawsuit," the document reads. "They likely assumed he would not be up for the fight and would instead pay extortion to avoid the burden, publicity and expense of defending himself. They could not have been more wrong. Mr. Dylan seeks and will achieve justice, vindication and full accountability."