Jimmy Allen Found Liable for Sexual Assault
Country music artist Jimmy Allen was deemed liable for sexual assault and various other claims on Monday, following his noncompliance with court orders in a civil lawsuit.
He has denied allegations of assaulting a woman in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2022 and secretly recording the incident. His failure to meet several court deadlines resulted in losing the chance to defend himself. Tennessee US District Judge Areta Trugger ruled against him by default for battery, assault, invasion of privacy, and intentional emotional distress.
The trial was initially set for the summer of 2025, but Allen’s repeated noncompliance led to an earlier ruling, according to reports. Throughout the lawsuit, he switched lawyers multiple times, missed deadlines to present evidence, and skipped depositions. In March, he was ordered to pay nearly $6,000 to cancel a last-minute mediation session. However, by June, it appeared that no fees had been secured.
“There is no alternative sanction for the decision that this court has not yet attempted,” said plaintiffs’ lawyer Elizabeth Fegan in a letter to the court. “It’s hard to believe that a similar order would suddenly lead to compliance from the defendant.”
Allen’s legal team did not respond to requests regarding the default decisions and instead asked the judge to dismiss the trial and grant their motion.
Judge Truger remarked on Allen’s inability to meet court-ordered deadlines, stating, “For these reasons, the plaintiff’s sanctions and the motion for a ruling against defendants Jimmy Allen and Addin’s father Touring Co. are warranted.” The touring company, which had hired Allen’s bodyguard Charles Heard, was implicated after Heard was accused of assisting the artist in going after the victim. Truger indicated that the plaintiff’s attorney could pursue financial damages from both Allen and the touring company.
This lawsuit is one of two civil sexual assault cases filed against Allen in 2023. His music career was gaining momentum with several No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay charts when the allegations surfaced, along with issues involving his label, BBR Music Group, and his management team.
Interestingly, Allen released his first new single in two years on August 6, followed by another on August 12. He also announced a 14-city tour that is set to kick off in Dallas on September 5 and will continue until November 29.
