A member of the Jackson 5 has been named in a sexual assault lawsuit. Jermaine Jackson, whose younger brother was music superstar Michael Jackson, was sued Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by Rita Barrett, who says the singer attacked her in 1988. The suit claims sexual battery, battery, sexual assault, and negligence, USA Today reports. Barrett says that Berry Gordy, who founded the Motown record label, knew of the assaults and concealed them, "further perpetuating the coverup." Representatives for Jackson and Gordy did not immediately comment on the accusations.
The lawsuit says that around spring 1988, Jackson "with force and violence sexually assaulted" Barrett after forcing his way into her home. She "feared for her life," the filing says. She was married to Ben Barrett, who was a friend and business partner of Gordy's. The case was filed under California's Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, which allows for such suits beyond the statute of limitations in certain circumstances. The deadline for filing is Dec. 31, per NBC News. Barrett seeks unspecified general damages and a jury trial. (More Jermaine Jackson stories.)
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