At the request of the plaintiff, a Manhattan judge dismissed a lawsuit Thursday that accused Bob Dylan of sexually abusing her when she was 12 years old, reports say.
The plaintiff, identified under the alias J.C., asked the judge to dismiss the case “with prejudice” after Dylan’s lawyers accused the woman of destroying evidence of the alleged abuse, which took place in 1965, according to Billboard.
Bob Dylan Abuse Accuser Drops Case Following Allegations Evidence Was Destroyed https://t.co/EJyTQeNOB0
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) July 29, 2022
Dylan’s defense attorneys accused J.C. of deleting specific emails and text messages that were relevant to the case, the outlet added. The plaintiff’s failure to produce said messages reportedly prompted the judge to threaten J.C. with sanctions. (RELATED: Bob Dylan Being Sued For Allegedly Sexually Assaulting A 12-Year-Old Girl In 1965)
The judge reportedly told the lawyers representing J.C., “For the love of god, produce these materials” while issuing the sanctions warning, according to Billboard. “You understand the consequences if you don’t,” the judge reportedly added.
Those consequences were said to be monetary, according to the outlet.
J.C. fired her entire legal team a few days later, Rolling Stone reported.
Dylan’s council then sent a letter to the judge saying J.C. had still failed to produce dozens of emails supposedly addressed to the defense, despite the fact that Dylan’s council was certain the emails existed, Billboard reported.
The anonymous woman accused Dylan of feeding her drugs and taking advantage of his rock-star status in order to sexually abuse her on several occasions when she was a minor, according to Billboard. J.C. stated the alleged abuse took place at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City from April to May of 1965.