Stephanie G. Mathis Jermaine Jackson is one of Michael Jackson’s older brothers and the founding member of The Jackson 5. He was accused of sexual abuse in a civil lawsuit filed in California on Wednesday.
Rita Barrett, in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, accuses Mr. Jackson of sexual abuse and sexual battery. She also claims that he committed sexual assault, harassing her, and raping her in 1988 at the home she shared with him. In court documents, Ms. Barrett claims that Mr. Jackson forcefully entered her Los Angeles home and assaulted her, causing “severe psychological, emotional and physical injury,” including humiliation and shame.
In the lawsuit, Mr. Jackson is listed as a defendant, along with Jermaine L. Jackson Music Productions and Work Records, an enterprise Mr. Jackson founded. Mr. Jackson was not available for comment.
In her court filing, Ms. Barrett says that she was in contact with Mr. Jackson as a musician contractor and member of a union representing musicians. According to the complaint, she also knew Mr. Jackson through Berry Gordy, who founded Motown Records and had a business and personal relationship with Ms. Barrett’s husband. Mr. Gordy was not available for comment.
Ms. Barrett claims in her lawsuit that she informed Mr. Gordy of what had happened the next day. However, he “withheld the information and covered up the act, perpetuating the coverup, and allowing Mr. Gordy and defendant Jackson, as well as others involved in the business relationship, to continue reaping profits from Mr. Jackson’s work and reputation, for many years to come.”
Michael Pellegrino said that the lawsuit would force the Artists Management Agency to part ways with Mr. Jackson. The agency has been representing the musician since 2014.
In an email sent to The Times, Mr. Pellegrino said: “We have zero tolerance policy regarding “these matters.” “We wish him the best, but we have to “e” l comfortable about whom we represent. Unfortunately, at this time, we must consider our other clients who do not feel comfortable regarding the current allegations.”
Jeff Anderson, an attorney for Ms. Bar” ett said that her client filed the lawsuit after learning that California’s Sexual Abuse and Coverup ACalifornia’sy Act allowed certCoverupal abuse allegations to be revived, which would have otherwise been barred by the statute of limitations.
“The first thing she and we wanted by beginning this case was for it to become known that Jermaine had committed a very grave crime,” Mr. Anderson continued.
