Steven Tyler is facing a lawsuit in Los Angeles accusing the Aerosmith frontman of "sexual assault, coercion of an abortion and involuntary infamy in the 1970s when (the plaintiff) was a minor and he was in his mid-20's." Julia Misley, formerly known as Julia Holcomb, filed the suit on December 27th under the California Child Victims Act, "which allows survivors of childhood sexual abuse to file civil cases." The three-year "lookback" window for the cases ended this past December 31st.
In a statement she said, quote, "I want this action to expose an industry that protects celebrity offenders, to cleanse and hold accountable an industry that both exploited and allowed me to be exploited for years, along with so many other naïve and vulnerable kids and adults."
CNN reported, "The lawsuit alleges that (in 1973) Tyler, now 74, took Misley to his hotel room and 'performed various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon her that night. . . Tyler purchased a plane ticket for Misley to join him in Seattle for the band’s next show. The lawsuit alleges Misley was also abused after that show. . . According to the lawsuit, in 1974, Tyler convinced Misley’s mother to 'sign over the guardianship of her daughter to him.' Tyler made promises to the mother that he would enroll her in school, help support her and help provide her with better medical care than her mother could provide, according to the lawsuit. . . Defendant Doe 1 did not meaningfully follow through on these promises and instead continued to travel with, assault and provide alcohol and drugs to plaintiff."
In addition to the alleged assault, Misley's lawsuit claims that Tyler has "intentionally publicized the acts he perpetrated" in multiple publications that detailed the assaults, including Tyler's 2011 memoir, Does The Noise In My Head Bother You?, in which he wrote about being so enamored with an underage lover he 'almost took a teen bride,' whom the singer does not specifically name."
In the book, Tyler wrote: "I went and slept at her parents’ house for a couple of nights and her parents fell in love with me, signed papers over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state. I took her on tour with me."
In her statement, Misley claimed, "The publications re-traumatized her and her family" adding, "I am grateful for this new opportunity to take action and be heard." Steven Tyler has yet to publicly comment on the lawsuit.
