A lawsuit accusing Aerosmith's Steven Tyler of sexually assaulting a teenage girl decades ago has been dismissed by U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan. The judge ruled that the plaintiff, a former teenage model, waited too long to bring the case to light and it did not qualify under the New York City law that allows abuse victims to speak up about decades-old claims. The judge stated that the alleged actions did not present a serious risk of physical injury, which is a requirement for such cases.
Following the judge's decision, the plaintiff filed a response claiming she was not properly served with Tyler's motion, and requested that the motion and order be stricken. Tyler's attorney expressed agreement with the court's reasoning and gratitude for the outcome.
The lawsuit was filed in November, with the plaintiff alleging that she suffered physical, psychological, and emotional injuries after Tyler groped, kissed, and simulated sex without her consent. The incident reportedly occurred when she was around 17 years old and met Tyler at a party in Manhattan.
The complaint detailed that Tyler forcibly kissed and touched the plaintiff in a phone booth, and later pinned her against a wall at a hotel, simulating sexual acts. The plaintiff claimed to have experienced severe emotional distress and physical injuries as a result of the encounter.
This lawsuit came after another accusation of sexual assault and battery against Tyler by a different individual. In that case, the accuser claimed to have had a sexual relationship with Tyler when she was a teen in the 1970s.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org for support.
