Woman sues Mike Tyson for $5M, accuses him of 'violently' raping her inside a limo in early 1990s
ALBANY, NEW YORK: Boxing legend Mike Tyson has been sued by a woman who has allegedly accused him of 'violently' raping her inside a limo in Albany in the early 90s. Seeking $5 million in damages according to the lawsuit filed this month, the anonymous plaintiff alleged him of raping her in the vehicle after the two met at a popular nightclub and stated that over the years, the incident has caused her “physical, psychological, and emotional injury.”
The complainant has not provided an exact date of the alleged incident but stated that it took place in the early 90s, according to her affidavit filed in Albany. The period of the alleged attack is around the same time Desiree Washington, an 18-year-old beauty pageant also accused Tyson of raping her in Indianapolis. On February 10, 1992, the 56-year-old former heavyweight champion was convicted of raping Washington and served three years behind the bars. He maintained his innocence throughout the case.
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Alleged rape case involving Mike Tyson in the 1990s
In the alleged victim's affidavit, the woman stated that she got into Tyson's limo after they met at a local nightclub then named 'Septembers.' The boxer took her into the car after convincing her that they will pick up her friend and offered to take the two of them to a party. Tyson then quickly began touching her and attempted to kiss her, according to the victim's claim. “I told him no several times and asked him to stop, but he continued to attack me. He then pulled my pants off and violently raped me,” the woman said, according to Daily Mail.
The court document does not specify whether the limo was in motion or parked during the alleged rape and whether the boxer's driver was present inside the limo at the time. The alleged victim wishes to remain anonymous as she stated that revealing her identity “would certainly pose a risk to me of further mental harm, harassment, ridicule or personal embarrassment.”
Talking about her life after the alleged incident, she said, "I have developed lifelong problems, including but not limited to issues with sex, and with being touched as a result of the rape. I have been unable to maintain and/or develop healthy relationships with men or anyone in general. I have experienced extreme emotional suffering including but not limited to nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks."
The $5 million lawsuit filed against the boxer comes after the New York state's Adult Survivors Act was adopted recently. This Act gives a one-year window to victims of sexual assault over abuses that took place years or decades ago.
In a separate legal filing, the alleged victim's attorney Darren Seilback stated that his office confirmed the plaintiff's allegations against Tyson is "highly credible" after they conducted a thorough investigation and decided to take up the case.
Tyson's controversial life outside the ring
Ruling the combat sport and its championship from 1987 to 1990 made Tyson one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He had a successful career in his field. However, his personal life has been surrounded by controversies and he had his share of struggles with addiction.
The preface of award-winning photographer Lori Grinker's pictorial book 'Mike Tyson' contained her accusations against the boxing legend as she claimed that he allegedly grabbed her breast. "Mike could be very sweet and gentle when he was feeling it, and not very sweet or gentle when he wasn't. He once tried to grab my breast, and when I pushed him away, he got angry and threw my light meter in the snow. He had a somewhat spoiled side and, being the champ, grew accustomed to getting his way," she wrote about Tyson. However, he claimed that his sexual relationship with Grinker, his former photographer, was consensual.
In the divorce documents of Tyson and actress Robin Givens, his first ex-wife stated that their short marriage in the late 1980s was full of “unprovoked rages of violence and destruction.” In 2002, another divorce paper was filed by Tyson's second wife Monica Turner to end their six-year marriage as she accused the boxer of adultery, according to New York Post.
Shortly after Tyson's longtime girlfriend Lakiha "Kiki" Spicer's release from prison over a fraud conviction, the two tied the knot in a private ceremony and the couple had two children. The boxer also has five children from his previous relationships.