Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose is denying accusations made in a lawsuit filed by former model Sheila Kennedy, who claims she was sexually assaulted by the rocker back in 1989.
“Simply put, this incident never happened,” read a statement issued by Rose’s attorney Alan Gutman. “Notably, these fictional claims were filed the day before the New York State filing deadline expires,” he adds, referring to the New York Adult Survivors Act, which allows adult survivors of sexual abuse to sue their abusers. The deadline to file cases is Friday, November 24.
“Though he doesn’t deny the possibility of a fan photo taken in passing, Mr. Rose has no recollection of ever meeting or speaking to the Plaintiff, and has never heard about these fictional allegations prior to today,” the statement continues. “Mr. Rose is confident this case will be resolved in his favor.”
Kennedy filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 22, accusing the rocker of sexually assaulting her in his hotel room after they met at a New York nightclub. She is seeking unspecified damages.
“We expect that Sheila Kennedy’s decision to file this suit will be an important turning point for the music industry. Her account is unfortunately all too typical of a culture of violence and sexual misconduct that has been allowed to exist in plain sight for decades,” read a statement from Dr. Ann Olivarius of McAllister Olivarius Law, the firm representing Kennedy. “It’s not just individual musicians stepping out of line, but an industrial system of enabling them and then covering up their misconduct and crimes, silencing survivors and normalizing sexual assault. We hope Sheila’s bravery helps other victims find their voice.”
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