Axl Rose faces new lawsuit alleging sexual assault of former Penthouse model
Axl Rose, frontman of Guns N' Roses, faces a new lawsuit alleging sexual assault by a former Penthouse model The lawsuit was filed in New York on Wednesday
Rock band Guns N Roses lead singer Axl Rose is facing a lawsuit filed in New York on Wednesday, accusing him of sexually assaulting a Penthouse magazine model. The plaintiff, identified as model and actress Sheila Kennedy, claims that Rose violently assaulted her in 1989 after meeting at a New York City nightclub. Kennedy is suing Rose for battery, assault, gender-motivated violence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday with the New York State Supreme Court and was obtained by CNN.
Kennedy is suing for an unspecified amount.
During the height of his career, Rose allegedly used his celebrity status to manipulate and violently sexually assault Kennedy in a New York City hotel room. According to the complaint, he knocked her to the ground, dragged her by the hair, restrained her, and sexually assaulted her while in a volatile rage.
The complaint states that Kennedy felt overpowered and did not consent. She believed that the safest course of action was to remain in bed and wait for Rose to stop assaulting her. As a result, Kennedy has experienced significant emotional, physical, financial, and psychological distress.
CNN has contacted a spokesperson for Rose to provide a comment. "We believe that Sheila Kennedy's decision to file this lawsuit will mark a significant shift for the music industry," stated Dr. Ann Olivarius, chair of the executive committee at McAllister Olivarius, in a statement to CNN on Wednesday.
Unfortunately, her account is all too common in a culture of violence and sexual misconduct that has been allowed to exist openly for decades. It's not just individual musicians behaving badly, but an entire system enabling and covering up their misconduct and crimes, silencing survivors and making sexual assault seem normal. We hope Sheila's courage will help other victims speak out. Kennedy is an actress and model who was featured in adult magazine Penthouse in 1983 as their "Pet of the Year." She has previously detailed the accusations against Rose in her 2016 memoir "No One's Pet."
Rose, the lead singer of the popular heavy metal rock band Guns N Roses, was formed in the mid-1980s with founding members Slash, Duff McKagen, Izzy Stradlin, and Steven Adler. Guns N Roses, known for hits such as "Sweet Child O Mine" and "Paradise City," has been nominated for three Grammys.
Kennedy's lawsuit was filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which became effective in late November 2022. This act allows adult survivors of sexual abuse to sue their abusers in New York, even if the statute of limitations on their claims had expired.
Adult survivors of sexual assault have a one-year window to file lawsuits against their perpetrators, as mandated by the law which will expire on November 24. Please note that this story has been refreshed with more details.
