Internet split as Aerosmith's Steven Tyler argues abuse accuser Julia Holcomb can't sue him using his memoir as evidence
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, clapped back at a woman who is suing him for allegedly sexually abusing her 50 years ago when she was 16 by arguing that she cannot use his memoir as evidence in court. The rock musician allegedly once fostered a 16-year-old "groupie" and dated her for three years while serving as her guardian, as per his memoir, 'Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?'
Tyler claims Julia Holcomb should not be allowed to use his memoirs, in which he spoke about the relationship decades later, as grounds for a lawsuit accusing him of deliberately causing her great emotional pain, as reported by TMZ.
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Inside lawsuit filed by Julia Holcomb
Holcomb filed a lawsuit against Tyler in December 2022, accusing him of sexual violence, assault, and deliberate causing of emotional distress beginning when she was 16 years old in the 1970s. She alleged that he had sex with her for the first time when she was 16 and he was 25. He allegedly impregnated her when she was 17 and forced her to get an abortion. They were reportedly together for three years.
In new court documents obtained by TMZ, Tyler asserts that the alleged distress Holcomb felt was caused by a Star Magazine article rather than his memoir, which was published in 2011, and used an alias to express their relationship from Tyler's context.
Tyler's 2011 memoir, in which he claimed that he "almost took a teen bride," was cited in the adolescent sexual assault complaint filed in the lawsuit. In that book, Tyler also claimed that the girl's parents "signed a paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state." Additionally, Tyler stated that "she was sixteen, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn’t a hair on it."
When he penned about them having sex in the past in his memoirs, Tyler claims he did so on purpose to omit to mention Julia by name. He also claims that she has no issue using their relationship to gain notoriety. Tyler claims she waited 11 years to sue him after his memoir was published and he claims a two-year law of limitations on such claims prevents her from suing him for intentional infliction of emotional distress (IIED).
Tyler's attorneys contend that Holcomb's lawsuit qualifies as a "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation" (SLAPP) since it contains portions that are based on the memoir. In this case, Tyler's attorneys contend that Holcomb filed a SLAPP because the alleged conduct "arises out of statements made in Tyler's published memoirs." SLAPPs are typically brought by parties seeking to silence those speaking out against them. Such actions violate Tyler's freedom of speech, as per Rolling Stone.
Who is Julia Holcomb?
Julia Holcomb, the complainant, has already discussed the same topic in one of her blogs. According to Rolling Stone, the lawsuit refers to the Aerosmith frontman as "Defendant Doe" but does not specifically name him. Instead, it directly quotes Tyler's 2011 autobiography, 'Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?' to describe the relationship.
MEAWW earlier reported that Holcomb asserts that she first met Tyler in 1973, during an Aerosmith concert in Portland, Oregon, when she was 16 and he was 25. After asking Holcomb her age and driving her back to her room, he allegedly began to "perform various acts of criminal sexual conduct upon" her. He allegedly repeated the process after purchasing flight tickets for her to attend Aerosmith's upcoming Seattle performance. The timeline is consistent with Tyler's memoir, which states that "she was sixteen, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn’t a hair on it."
'Blatant cash grab'
The Internet is divided over Aerosmith being sued for a scenario that is 50 years old. One user wrote, "Avoiding personal responsibility, how trendy!" A second Twitter user alleged, "There’s evidence all over the internet and eyewitnesses. The custody handover from her parents, pregnancy, the abortion, and then trapping her in a fire trying to kill her and the baby."
Another one wrote, "Blatant cash grab. I hope she has to pay his attorney fees." A second one exclaimed, "For a relationship from over 50 yrs ago!" Another user brought in the legal point of view and commented, "Actually his lawyer is right. Statute of limitations has run out. Also the age of consent 50 years ago was probably 16. There are still some states it's 16 or younger. Not saying it still was a puke thing...just looking at it from a legal standpoint." "She tried to ruin his name," said another user.
There’s evidence all over the internet and eyewitnesses. The custody hand over from her parents, pregnancy, the abortion, and then trapping her in a fire trying to kill her and the baby.
— X (@starryworm) May 2, 2023
Blatant cash grab. I hope she has to pay his attorney fees.
— Whores & Headlocks (@Whorznheadlocks) May 2, 2023
Actually his lawyer is right. Statute of limitations has run out. Also the age of consent 50 years ago was probably 16. There are still some states its 16 or younger. Not saying it still was a puke thing...just looking at it from a legal standpoint.
— Holly K (@HollyK81384081) May 3, 2023
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.