A judge decided to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a former child model that accused rock n’ roll singer Steven Tyler of sexual assault in New York City back in the seventies while she was still a minor.
Former model Jeanne Bellino filed the now-dismissed suit in November 2023, outlining claims from 1975 that Tyler allegedly “stuck his tongue down her throat, and put his hands upon her body, her breasts, her buttocks and her genitals” in a New York phone booth and dry-humped her when she was still 17 years old, Ultimate Classic Rock (UCR) reported. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District Court of New York tossed the suit out Wednesday, asserting that Tyler’s alleged conduct did not legally hold up since his alleged behaviors failed to pose a “serious risk of physical injury,” according to the outlet.
In the suit, Bellino argued that the alleged incidents caused her “great pain of mind and body” as well as “severe and permanent emotional distress,” UCR continued. (RELATED: Drummer Got So Furious At Former Bandmate He Allegedly Threw Molotov Cocktail Into His Living Room, Police Say)
The mainstream music man Tyler denied all of the allegations as they were initially presented.
“We agree with the judge’s reasoning, and are grateful for this result on behalf of our client,” attorney David Long-Daniels, a member of Tyler’s legal counsel, told Bravewords.com.
The suit was first filed at the same time as the passing of New York City’s Victim of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, which is a city law passed in 2023 “which extended the statute of limitations for certain alleged sexual assaults,” UCR reported.
Bellino has until March 13 to amend her accusations, TMZ noted. (RELATED: ‘Come On Motherf*cker:’ Sammy Hagar Invites Arch Nemesis David Lee Roth To Join In On Upcoming Tour)
Steven Tyler at Madison Square Garden in New York, 1975. Photo by Richard E. Aaron. pic.twitter.com/Dj14us1Wjm
— Classic Rock In Pics (@crockpics) February 21, 2024
In 1975, Aerosmith released their third record, titled “Toys in the Attic.” More recently, the band postponed their farewell tour dubbed “Peace Out” until “sometime in 2024” on account of a vocal injury suffered by the lead singer, according to CBS News.