Aerosmith's Steven Tyler scores win as judge dismisses sexual assault lawsuit
Singer sued by Jeanne Bellino for sexual assault in November
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
A judge dismissed a sexual assault lawsuit brought against musician Steven Tyler on Wednesday.
Jeanne Bellino sued the Aerosmith frontman in New York court alleging the rock star groped her in a phone booth without her consent when she was 17 years old in 1975. U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan ruled Bellino had waited too long to file her lawsuit against Tyler, Fox News Digital can confirm.
Kaplan noted that Tyler's conduct didn't amount to "serious risk of physical injury," which would have allowed Bellino to sue using the two-year window given by the Gender Motivated Violence Act, the judge wrote. Bellino has until March 13 to amend her complaint.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
"We agree with the judge's reasoning, and are grateful for this result on behalf of our client," Tyler's lawyer, David Long-Daniels, said in a statement to Reuters.
AEROSMITH'S STEVEN TYLER ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT BY FORMER TEEN MODEL
Bellino said she met the Aerosmith singer and the band through a friend after traveling to the city for a fashion show, according to the original complaint obtained by Fox News Digital. Bellino had just signed with a modeling agency at the time. Bellino, the friend, Tyler and other bandmates were walking together down 6th Avenue when the alleged groping began.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
"As they walked, [Bellino] commented about a song lyric to Tyler," the complaint states. "Tyler became visibly irritated by [Bellino’s] question, then suddenly Tyler grabbed [Bellino] by the hand and forced her into a phone booth."
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
"While holding her captive, Tyler stuck his tongue down her throat, and put his hands upon her body, her breasts, her buttocks, and her genitals, moving and removing clothing and pinning her against the wall of the phone booth," according to the complaint. "As Tyler was mauling and groping [Bellino] he was humping her pretending to have sex with [Bellino.] Others stood by outside the phone booth laughing and as passersby watched and witnessed, nobody in the entourage intervened."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
"Tyler's penis was erect and it was evident to her as he rubbed it against her that he was not wearing underwear and wearing thin pants," the complaint continues. "[Bellino] fought back and struggled to be free but Tyler restrained her."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Tyler "vehemently" denied the allegations, according to Reuters.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Representatives for Tyler did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Tyler has also been sued for sexual assault in California court by Julia Misley. The woman said she met Tyler when she was 16 and that he "coerced and persuaded Plaintiff into believing this was a 'romantic love affair.'"
In his response to Misley's lawsuit, Tyler said that he and Misley – who was known as Julia Holcomb – had a consensual sexual relationship despite the woman being 16 years old at the time. The musician also said that he has immunity due to being the legal guardian of Misley at the time of the relationship.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}