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Russell Simmons requests dismissal of rape lawsuit
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 18 April 2018
Music industry veteran Russell Simmons is requesting that a lawsuit accusing him of rape be dismissed, on the grounds that it exceeds the so called statute of limitations. He also calls the claims within it “a work of pure fiction”.
Various accusations of rape and sexual harassment have been made against Simmons in recent months, as a number of women have come forward following initial allegations made by model Keri Claussen Khalighi and screenwriter Jenny Lumet in November last year. Filmmaker Jennifer Jarosik then sued him in January and police in New York have also launched an investigation into various accusations.
This latest chapter in the story relates to a $10 million lawsuit filed in LA last month. The unnamed woman behind it alleges that she was raped by Simmons after meeting him at a concert in 1988.
Simmons’ lawyers say that the claim is outside the two year statute of limitations for an alleged assault, stating in a new legal filing: “Plaintiff cannot assert claims for ‘forcible rape’, intentional infliction of emotional distress or negligent infliction of emotional distress for an incident that purportedly took place 30 years ago”.
In a series of statements as more women have come forward with claims against him, Simmons has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.