After revealing the name of his anonymous sexual assault accuser in a defamation lawsuit earlier this month, country star Garth Brooks has now submitted photo evidence of the former employee who sued him for alleged rape and sexual assault.
As Rolling Stone reports, Brooks filed a motion opposing the efforts of "Jane Roe" — who worked for him as a hairstylist and makeup artist — to have the musician's amended complaint (wherein he revealed her identity) sealed or redacted earlier this week. According to his lawyers, the decision to name Roe came as a direct response to her own actions to publicize the case, in addition to the allegedly identifying descriptions used in her lawsuit.
Despite reportedly describing herself as a Mississippian in the document, the singer-songwriter's lawyers noted that Roe filed the suit in California. Their motion also mentioned a 2022 magazine profile on the hairstylist/makeup artist, which "touted her professional relationship" with Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood, as well as including a photo of the three of them that the accuser allegedly provided. This magazine spread and a poster advertising Roe's services were submitted as evidence in the objection.
Brooks has claimed that he wanted to use pseudonyms and redactions through the legal proceedings, but Roe "opposed" his motion for joint anonymity "in its entirety." As per his legal team, Roe "urged the Court that both parties to this case should proceed under their own names." The latest motion also cited a line from a previous filing from Roe's attorneys, which apparently stated that she was "willing to proceed using her name here if this Court believes that is necessary" to deny the motion for pseudonymity.
Brooks has denied the allegations. He also tried to preemptively fight Roe's lawsuit by filing a complaint of his own in Mississippi federal court, which is where the current proceedings regarding the accuser's identity are taking place.
"Garth Brooks just revealed his true self," Roe's legal team wrote after he amended that original complaint to include Roe's real name after she came forward with her suit on October 4. "Out of spite and to punish, he publicly named a rape victim. 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."
Addressing the lawsuit to his fans in a Facebook Live show after the fact, the artist said, "This thing is on. It's gonna happen. People are telling me it could be up to two years. So my suggestion is, we all take a deep breath, just kinda settle in and let's hold hands and take a trip together, because it is something that we cannot talk about. That's all we can say about it."