Axl Rose Faces Disturbing Sexual Assault Allegations in Recent Lawsuit
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose faces disturbing sexual assault allegations from 1989 Accused of misconduct, this lawsuit brings attention to a dark chapter in the rockstar's past
Axl Rose has been accused of "violent" sexual assault, according to reports. Sheila Kennedy, a former Penthouse model, filed a lawsuit in New York's Supreme Court on Wednesday, November 22, alleging that the Guns N' Roses frontman, now 61, sexually assaulted her in 1989.
Court documents obtained by Us revealed that Kennedy accused Rose of "targeting" her during the height of his commercial fame. She claimed that after a February 1989 concert in New York City, he invited her to his hotel room where he allegedly provided cocaine, champagne, and alcohol to guests. According to the court documents, as Kennedy left Rose's bathroom, he waited for her outside the door, pushed her against the wall, and kissed her. Kennedy allegedly found Rose attractive and was open to sleeping with him if things progressed and if they found each other attractive.
Rose allegedly cleared the room, leaving himself, Kennedy, and two other models to engage in a sexual encounter. Kennedy stated that she felt uncomfortable when Rose began acting aggressively towards one of the other women.
The encounter quickly became not just uncomfortable but disturbing. According to Kennedy, it seemed that Rose was encouraging group sex, which she had not agreed to and was not interested in.
When Kennedy attempted to exit, the musician allegedly knocked her to the ground and dragged her back to the bed by her hair. He then allegedly tied her hands to the bedpost with pantyhose before engaging in non-consensual sexual activity with another woman. Kennedy accused the musician of rape, stating that he treated her as a possession solely for his sexual gratification and that she did not give consent to engage in sexual activity with him.
Kennedy also claimed that the assault resulted in long-term emotional, physical, psychological, and financial hardships, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She is suing the musician for assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and gender-based violence, and is seeking a trial by jury.
Rose has not publicly addressed the lawsuit or the accusations. We have reached out for comment.
According to a statement from Dr. Ann Olivarius, Chair of the Executive Committee at McAllister Olivarius, about her client Kennedy, "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. 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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Axl Rose in the 1980s. KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images
Rose has been the lead vocalist for Guns N' Roses since 1985. When he was 23, he was reportedly involved in a gang rape of his then-girlfriend, who was a 15-year-old minor, at the band's rehearsal space. The incident is documented in court filings. Rose was arrested for statutory rape at the time, but the charges were later dropped, and he was released.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
