A
woman
is
accusing
Jermaine
Jackson,
founding
Jackson
5
member,
of
“egregious
and
violent
sexual
assault”
in
1988
and
she’s
claiming
that
Berry
Gordy
allegedly
covered
it
up.
Source:
Isa
Foltin/Emma
McIntyre
/
Getty
Rita
Barrett
filed
a
lawsuit
in
Los
Angeles
on
Wednesday,
accusing
Jackson
of
sexually
assaulting
her
with
“force
and
violence.”
According
to
Rolling
Stone,
the
suit
names
Jackson,
Jackson
Music
Productions,
and
Work
Records
as
defendants.
Barrett
is
suing
for
unspecified
damages
for
sexual
assault,
battery,
sexual
battery,
and
negligence.
Rita
Barrett’s
Account
Of
The
Alleged
Home
Invasion
And
Sexual
Assault
Barrett
said
she
met
Jackson
through
her
husband
Ben’s
relationship
with
Berry
Gordy
while
working
as
a
music
contractor.
She
accused
Michael
Jackson’s
big
brother
of
showing
up
to
her
home
uninvited
in
1988
to
attack
her.
Barrett
reportedly
“feared
for
her
life”
until
Jackson
left.
“Defendant
Jackson
forced
himself
into
Plaintiff’s
home,
and
with
force
and
violence
sexually
assaulted
Plaintiff,”
the
lawsuit
states.
“During
the
assault,
Plaintiff,
a
woman
of
faith,
prayed
to
God
for
help.
During
the
assault,
Plaintiff
feared
for
her
life.
After
the
assault
and
when
Defendant
Jackson
was
satiated,
he
left
the
residence.”
For
those
wondering
why
Barrett
didn’t
come
forward
in
1988,
she
claims
she
did.
See
what
Rita
Barrett
says
Berry
Gordy
did
when
she
reported
the
alleged
assault
to
him
after
the
flip.
Rita
Barrett’s
Lawsuit
Accuses
Berry
Gordy
Of
Covering
Up
Alleged
Jermaine
Jackson
Assault
In
1988
Source:
L.
Cohen
/
Getty
Rita
Barrett
isn’t
suing
Motown
Records
founder
Berry
Gordy.
However,
she
accused
him
of
helping
Jermaine
Jackson
get
away
with
the
alleged
rape.
According
to
the
filing,
Barrett
went
to
Gordy
directly
with
her
accusations
about
Jackson.
She
claims
her
family
friend
covered
it
up
to
protect
his
profits.
Gordy
“was
uniquely
situated
to
both
report
Defendant
Jackson’s
acts
and
to
aid
plaintiff
during
her
time
of
trauma”,
according
to
the
lawsuit
per
Rolling
Stone.
“Instead,
Mr.
Gordy
withheld
and
concealed
the
acts,
further
perpetuating
the
coverup
and
allowing
Mr.
Gordy,
Defendant
Jackson,
and
others
in
the
business
relationship
to
continue
to
reap
profits
derived
from
Mr.
Jackson’s
work
and
reputation
for
years
to
come.”
Although
the
alleged
home
invasion
and
sexual
assault
took
place
35
years
ago,
she
can
pursue
justice
under
California’s
AB2777.
Like
New
York’s
Adult
Survivor’s
Act,
AB2777
waives
the
statute
of
limitations
for
civil
lawsuits
about
sexual
misconduct.
These
statutes
allowed
alleged
victims
to
recently
come
forward
against
seemingly
untouchable
people
like
Diddy,
L.A.
Reid,
and
Vin
Diesel.
Until
then,
alleged
victims
like
Barrett
suffered
“in
silence
and
shame
for
decades.”
“Rita
Barrett
suffered
an
egregious
and
violent
sexual
assault,”
said
Jeff
Anderson,
Barrett’s
attorney.
“This
is
about
her
power
and
the
declaration
of
it
when
she
learned
something
could
be
done
under
the
law,
and
she
found
the
strength
and
support
to
find
us
and
is
now
standing
up
for
herself
and
others.”
Jermaine
Jackson
and
Berry
Gordy
have
not
yet
publicly
responded
to
the
lawsuit
or
allegations.
