"Jermaine Jackson, a Jackson 5 co-founder and older brother of Michael Jackson, has been ordered to pay Rita Barrett $6.5 million in damages after failing to respond to a rape lawsuit she filed in 2023, TMZ reports and court records confirm. Barrett alleged in the lawsuit that Jackson broke into her residence and raped her in 1988. Her lawyers failed to track Jackson down, but eventually received court approval to serve him legal notice in The Los Angeles Times."
"Last month, having received no response from Jackson, Barrett's lawyers filed a 95-page document arguing for a default judgment in the case, which was granted on May 14. The judge also ordered Jackson to pay Barrett legal costs of $7,131.84. Barrett said in the filing that she had known Jackson for several years before the alleged assault, through her work as a musician's contractor."
"The suit also alleged that Motown founder Berry Gordy-who was not named as a defendant-helped cover up the rape after Barrett told him what had happened the following day. Barrett was able to pursue the civil lawsuit, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court, under California's Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which temporarily waives the statute of limitations on certain sexual misconduct claims. Despite failing to respond to Barrett's lawsuit, Jackson attended the biopic premiere in Hollywood last month."
Rita Barrett filed a rape lawsuit in 2023 alleging Jermaine Jackson broke into her residence and raped her in 1988. Jackson did not respond to the lawsuit, and Barrett’s lawyers later obtained court approval to serve him legal notice through The Los Angeles Times. After no response, Barrett’s lawyers submitted a 95-page request for a default judgment, which a judge granted on May 14. The judge ordered Jackson to pay $6.5 million in damages and $7,131.84 in legal costs. Barrett also alleged that Motown founder Berry Gordy helped cover up the assault after she told him the next day. The civil case proceeded under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which temporarily waives certain statute-of-limitations limits.
#default-judgment #sexual-assault-lawsuit #statute-of-limitations-waiver #california-civil-litigation #rita-barrett
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