The lawsuit against Bassnectar, whose real name is Lorin Ashton, has now been amended to include allegations from two new plaintiffs, Jenna Houston and Jane Doe #1. Rachel Ramsbottom and Alexis Bowling had originally been the first women included in the lawsuit, with both victims detailing their relationships and alleged sexual coercion with Bassnectar, beginning when they were minors.
The lawsuit details Houston first began speaking with Bassnectar after she had posted song lyrics to Twitter, with the producer direct messaging her. Houston, who was 16 at the time, had allegedly met Bassnectar in her home state of Pennsylvania, with the two of them meeting at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia. The lawsuit reads,
“Bassnectar instructed Jenna to meet him in his hotel room. Jenna, who was sixteen at the time, when to Bassnectar’s hotel room and met Bassnectar. Almost as soon as she walked into the room, Bassnectar started having sex with Jenna. Bassnectar did not use a condom. Bassnectar was thirty-four years old… Bassnectar provided Jenna with cash after they had sex.”
The lawsuit alleges that Jane Doe #1 had also been a minor at the time of her and Bassnectar’s meeting, and was struggling with her mental health.
“As Bassnectar was aware, Jane Doe #1 struggled with her mental heath. Her parents became very protective of Jane Doe #1 while she was in high school and were understandably concerned about Jane Doe #1’s well-being. This became problematic for Bassnectar. In an attempt to find a way to have her parents back off, Bassnectar helped Jane Doe #1 craft a letter to her therapist about how she ‘feels trapped by her parents.’ Even as Jane Doe #1 continued to deteriorate, Bassnectar selfishly prioritized his sexual desires over Jane Doe #1’s mental health.”
Bassnectar responded to the initial allegations when the lawsuit had first been filed, a statement calling the allegations “outrageous claims” that “were clearly designed for the media, rather than for the courts.” The producer’s attorneys, Kim Hodde and Mitchell Schuster, have called the new complaint “meritless.”
“This litigation is nothing more than a shameless attempt to profit off of the important social movement against sexual exploitation. Fabricated claims like these are an appalling disservice to actual victims, whom Lorin and the entire Bassnectar team unwaveringly support … We have every confidence that once these claims are actually tested under oath in a courtroom – rather than through the court of public opinion – Lorin will be fully exonerated … We will pursue every appropriate remedy to hold these opportunists accountable for the damage they have caused to Lorin’s life and reputation.”
Bassnectar announced last July that he was stepping away from his career, following allegations of sexual abuse and coercion first surfacing via Instagram account, @evidenceagainstbassnectar. While many of the initial allegations had been anonymous, Ramsbottom and Bowling had hoped that by filing a lawsuit with their real names, others would find the courage to come forward.
H/T: Rolling Stone
Featured image: Tim Mosenfelder
