Russell Simmons Hit With Rape Lawsuit From Former Def Jam Govt

A former Def Jam worker sued Russell Simmons for sexual battery/assault, false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional misery and gender-motivated violence on Tuesday (February 13). The girl, recognized as Jane Doe, accused the Def Jam founding father of raping her within the ‘90s.

Jane Doe, a movie producer, was a senior-level music government at Def Jam. She claimed her profession was derailed by Simmons, who “revealed his true colours,” when he sexually assaulted her.

“Sooner or later, Ms. Doe was required to go to Mr. Simmons’s residence, positioned in Manhattan, New York, within the Southern District of New York, the place he usually held conferences, to have him assessment a brand new video for approval,” her lawyer wrote. “Initially, Mr. Simmons started to ‘wrestle’ with Ms. Doe in an try to look playful. The scenario escalated into aggression and Mr. Simmons pinned Ms. Doe down on a mattress. Ms. Doe repeatedly informed Mr. Simmons to get off of her, however he refused. Mr. Simmons proceeded to rape her.”

Jane Doe’s lawyer mentioned she went again to the workplace after she was raped. She was “without end modified” by the assault, which led to her departure from the document label.

“For weeks she informed nobody about what occurred,” her lawyer defined. “She skilled extreme dissociation, melancholy and anxiousness. She now not went to the Def Jam places of work commonly to work and got here up with causes to work from her close by residence. A short while later, Ms. Doe gave discover, left Def Jam and left New York altogether to maneuver to California the place her household was residing. Due to Mr. Simmons, Ms. Doe gave up her high-powered, dream job working a thriving division she had constructed and a big wage. The pleasure she had for her position in serving to transition a marginalized music style to some of the fashionable and profitable on the planet, was gone.”

Jane Doe stop her job at Def Jam in 1997. The incident haunted her for years as her future interactions with male employers turned “fraught with pressure.” She suffered panic assaults and struggled with an consuming dysfunction.

The lawsuit famous Jane Doe encountered Simmons in social settings through the years. She did her finest to take care of her composure when she was round him. However final yr, she bumped into him at a yoga class and had a surprising interplay.

“In or round March 2023, Ms. Doe went to a crowded yoga class in Los Angeles and inadvertently parked her yoga mat subsequent to Mr. Simmons after not talking with him for a number of years,” her lawyer wrote. “Mr. Simmons mentioned her identify and Ms. Doe seemed up in shock to see him, asking him, ‘Is it okay if I observe right here?’ Mr. Simmons leaned in direction of her and whispered, ‘In fact. What, do you suppose I’m gonna attempt to f### you?’ Ms. Doe was horrified. She realized not solely was he unapologetic in direction of her personally, he didn’t admire that the assault was incorrect.”

Jane Doe sought damages for lack of employment, lack of enterprise alternatives, lack of wages and accidents suffered from Simmons’ assault. The lawsuit added to the checklist of allegations towards Simmons, who’s been accused of sexual harassment and assault by greater than 20 girls.