Gene Simmons. Photo courtesy of Newsweek.
Summary: An anonymous journalist is suing Gene Simmons for sexual battery.
Gene Simmons is rocking back at a woman who alleged he had made “several aggressive, unwanted sexual advances” towards her. According to Variety, the Kiss bassist responded to “Jane Doe’s” lawsuit on Sunday, denying her claims.
Doe’s lawsuit was filed on Friday, and the plaintiff said that during an interview in November, Simmons had come on to her even though she showed “active and clear discouragement.”
Doe is suing Simmons, 68, as well as the restaurant Rock & Brews, where the interview took place and which is co-owned by Simmons.
In his rebuttal, which was published on social media, Simmons said he “did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way.”
“Friends, I intend to defend myself against any alleged charges you may have been reading about in the media,” Simmons said. “For the record, I did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way. I am conferring with my lawyers with the aim of vigorously countering these allegations. And, I look forward to my day in court where the evidence will prove my innocence.”
The harm according to the lawsuit was that Simmons “reached over and grabbed [Doe’s] hand and, forcefully, placed it on his knee.” Doe said that she rebuked his advance and that he had also made dirty comments to her. Fed up, the interviewer ended the meeting early, and Simmons allegedly grabbed her butt.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Willie W. Williams, told the Register that she wanted to send a message to Simmons that his behavior was not acceptable.
“My client is embarrassed and humiliated by the incident with Mr. Simmons,” attorney Williams told the Register. “She filed suit because she wanted to make a strong statement that this behavior is unacceptable and she wants to see an end to this type of behavior.”
Simmons is well-known for his womanizing ways. The rock star with a legendary long tongue has claimed that he has bedded almost 5,000 women before marrying his wife Shannon Tweed in 2011.
It is noted that Jane Doe is not the only female journalist who has complained about Simmons. The day after Doe’s lawsuit was filed, USA Today profiled Kathy McCabe from Australia’s Daily Telegraph. She said that she had walked out of an interview with Simmons in the 1990s because he wouldn’t stop making inappropriate sexual comments about Australians.
“I love coming to Australia because all the women have big (breasts) and big (behinds),” Simmons had said to McCabe.
USA Today reported that Simmons has yet to respond to McCabe’s allegation.
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