Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman.
Numerous high-profile sexual abuse lawsuits were filed in New York this week to prevent the expiration of a state law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on civil abuse and harassment claims, no matter how old.
The list of defendants includes New York City Mayor Eric Adams, music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and rock legend Axl Rose, all of whom could face a jury trial if the charges against them are not dismissed or settled.
The Adult Survivors Act, passed by New York lawmakers in the wake of the “Me Too” movement, went into effect on November 24, 2022 and expired on Thursday.
“The Adult Survivors Act has enabled thousands of survivors to obtain justice that was previously impossible for them,” said Susan Crumiller, whose firm has handled several ASA cases. “But the flood of last-minute cases shows how urgently we need a new window. A lot of people are just learning about the law.”
The first person sued under the law – former President Donald Trump – was found liable by a Manhattan jury in May for sexually abusing New Yorker author E. Jean Carroll in the 1990s and ordered to pay $5 million in damages -Dollar condemned, which shows how the law can be successfully used in court even with claims that are decades old.
Despite this early victory, most cases are still in their early stages. Here are some of the defendants in the lawsuits filed this week:
Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City
On Nov. 22, a woman filed a $5 million lawsuit alleging she was assaulted by the Democratic politician in 1993 when they both worked for the city of New York.
A two-page subpoena outlines the complaint in broad terms and states “sexual assault, assault and discrimination in the workplace.”
“The claims asserted herein are based on intentional and negligent acts and omissions resulting from physical, psychological and other injuries sustained as a result of conduct that would constitute a sexual offense,” the lawsuit states.
Adams denied the allegations.
“The mayor doesn’t know who this person is. If they ever met, he has no memory of it,” said a spokesman for Adams. “But he would never do anything to cause physical harm to another person and vigorously denies such claims.”
Andrew Cuomo, former governor of New York
A lawsuit filed Nov. 22 by Cuomo’s former executive assistant, Brittany Commisso, accuses the former governor of groping her breasts and buttocks. Commisso claims she suffered “significant personal harm and economic loss” as a result of the alleged abuse, as well as gender discrimination and retaliation.
“Defendant Cuomo’s ongoing sexual harassment included unwelcome sexual advances, sexualized comments about her appearance and personal matters, her relationships, her dating, her sex life and her marriage, the assignment of humiliating and degrading tasks, hugs, kisses, and sexual touching “buttocks” and forcible touching of the breast,” the lawsuit states.
Commisso, previously identified only as the “No. 1 executive assistant” in a damning attorney general report on Cuomo’s conduct, went public with her allegations more than two years ago in an interview with CBS News and the Albany Times Union. Cuomo has strenuously denied her allegations, as well as similar claims from other women.
“Ms. Commisso’s allegations are demonstrably false, which is why the Albany District Attorney dismissed the case two years ago after a thorough investigation,” a spokeswoman for Cuomo said in a statement. “Mrs Commisso’s blatant attempt to obtain money will fail.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs, music mogul
In a lawsuit filed on Thanksgiving Day, Combs is accused of drugging and raping a Syracuse University student during a date in 1991. Joi Dickerson-Neal’s complaint alleges she suffered “significant and lifelong injuries” as a result of the attack, which she says was videotaped by Combs and shown to other men.
“The sexual assault and public exposure left her with overwhelming feelings of humiliation, embarrassment, hurt, and constant concern about who saw the whole thing,” the complaint states.
Dickerson-Neal claims the alleged assault threw her life into disarray, forced her to seek medical help for depression and prevented her from finishing college as Combs rose to fame and fortune.
Another lawsuit against Combs under the Adult Survivors Act was filed the same day by an anonymous plaintiff. The court filing says the complaint has been “returned for correction” and is not yet available. The new complaints were filed about a week after Combs settled similar claims from a former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura.
A spokesman for Combs denied the allegations and described the Dickerson-Neal lawsuit as “an example of how a well-intentioned law can be turned on its head.”
The “32-year-old story is fabricated and not credible,” the spokesman said in a statement. “Mr. Combs never attacked her and she blames companies that don’t exist.”
Likewise, the Jane Doe allegations are “fabricated allegations that falsely allege misconduct from over 30 years ago and were filed at the last minute,” the spokesperson said.
Axl Rose
A lawsuit filed Nov. 22 by California actress and model Sheila Kennedy alleges she was assaulted by Rose in 1989, when the Guns N’ Roses singer “was at the height of his commercial success.” According to the complaint, Rose “used his fame, status and power as a celebrity and artist in the music industry to gain access to, manipulate, control and sexually violently assault Kennedy.”
The lawsuit details previous allegations of misconduct against Rose and criticizes his record label, Geffen Records, for celebrating Rose’s “bad boy” image despite these allegations.
The lawsuit also states that the cover of Guns N’ Roses’ album “Appetite for Destruction” features “a cartoon drawing of an abused young woman with her underwear pulled down around her legs.”
Alan Gutman, Rose’s attorney, released a statement Wednesday saying the incident “never happened” and described the claims as “fictitious.”
Terry Richardson, fashion photographer
A lawsuit filed by South African model Caron Bernstein alleges that Richardson forced her to perform oral sex in his studio in 2003 while they were working on a fragrance advertising campaign. He is said to have attacked her in the presence of several male agents, employees and models. According to the complaint, Richardson photographed himself attacking Bernstein and then published the photos without her consent in his 2006 book “Kibosh,” as well as at art shows and on the Internet.
A separate lawsuit filed by Spanish model Minerva Portillo accuses Richardson of two sexual assaults in 2004. Portillo, who was booked by Trump Model Management for a photo shoot at Richardson’s New York studio, claims she was attacked on several days in a similar manner to Bernstein.
According to the complaint, Richardson showed photos of the attack at a New York art exhibition called “Terry Richardson: Terryworld” and later published the photos in “Kibosh.” Portillo claims Richardson forced her to sign a press release that falsely claimed the photos “did not depict actual sexually explicit conduct.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)