A federal judge in New York has dismissed a case stemming from an alleged 1975 incident in which Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler is accused of sexual assault against a teenage girl. The lawsuit was filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act, a New York City law designed to aid sex abuse victims in recovering compensation and holding perpetrators accountable.
The judge ruled that the case did not qualify for the two-year window provided by the law because the plaintiff did not allege conduct presenting a serious risk of physical injury. The defense successfully argued that two state laws, the Child Victims Act and the Adult Survivors Act, pre-empted the filing under VGMVPA.
Steven Tyler's attorney expressed gratitude for the ruling, emphasizing that the plaintiff showed a lack of diligence by not suing under the CVA. The plaintiff's lawyers, on the other hand, plan to ask the Court to reinstate the lawsuit, citing procedural issues with the motion for dismissal.
The allegations made by the plaintiff claim that Tyler assaulted her in 1975 after attending a fashion event in Manhattan. She described being forced into a phone booth and assaulted by Tyler while members of his entourage laughed. The plaintiff also alleged a second assault by Tyler at the Warwick Hotel.
The plaintiff now has until March 13 to amend her complaint in response to the judge's decision. The impact of this ruling on future cases brought under the same statute in New York remains uncertain.
