Jenna Houston joined Jane Doe #1 on the sexual assault case against Bassnectar. Rachel Ramsbottom and Alexis Bowling became the first woman included in the case, with both plaintiffs outlining their experiences with Bassnectar alleging sexual coercion which began while they were underage.
Houston first spoke with Bassnectar (born Lorin Ashton) after posting song lyrics to Twitter and receiving a direct message from the DJ/producer. Houston, who was 16 at the time, reportedly encountered Bassnectar in her home state of Pennsylvania, at the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia. According to the complaint. “Jenna was told to meet Bassnectar in his hotel room. Jenna, who was sixteen at the time, went to see Bassnectar in his hotel suite. Bassnectar began having sex with Jenna almost as soon as she entered the bed. Bassnectar did not use a condom during their performance. Bassnectar was 34 years old at the time… After they had sex, Bassnectar gave Jenna money.”
Jane Doe #1 was still a juvenile at the time of her and Bassnectar’s encounter, according to the complaint, and was having mental health issues. “Jane Doe #1 struggled with her mental health, as Bassnectar was well aware. Jane Doe #1’s parents were very supportive of her when she was in high school, and they were rightly worried about her safety. For Bassnectar, this became a challenge. Bassnectar assisted Jane Doe #1 in writing a letter to her psychiatrist regarding how she “feels trapped by her parents” in an effort to get her parents to back down. Bassnectar selfishly prioritized his sexual fantasies for Jane Doe #1’s mental wellbeing and as Jane Doe #1’s mental health began to deteriorate.”
When the case was first brought, Bassnectar replied with a statement calling the charges “outrageous claims” that “were clearly designed for the media, rather than the courts.” Kim Hodde and Mitchell Schuster, the producer’s lawyers, also termed the recent lawsuit “meritless….This case is nothing more than a cynical attempt to profit from a vital social movement against sexual exploitation. Fabricated arguments like this do a terrible disservice to real victims, whom Lorin and the whole Bassnectar team staunchly defend… We are certain that Lorin can be completely exonerated until these charges are tried under oath in a trial, rather than through the court of popular opinion… We will follow any legal avenue available to keep these vultures responsible for the harm they have done to Lorin’s existence and reputation.”
In July of 2020, Bassnectar declared his retirement from music after accusations of sexual harassment and bullying surfaced on his Instagram handle, @evidenceagainstbassnectar. Although all of the original accusations were made anonymously, Ramsbottom and Bowling believed that by bringing a complaint under their own names, people would be inspired to speak out.
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Author: Luke Traina
Photo: Ultra 5280
