Jermaine Jackson ordered to pay $6.5 million after ignoring rape lawsuit for over two years

Default judgment, no defense

A Los Angeles judge has ordered Jermaine Jackson to pay $6.5 million following allegations that he raped a session musician coordinator in her Encino home in 1988. According to Billboard, Judge Elaine W. Mandel issued the ruling on May 14 after Jackson ignored the civil claims for more than two years, never retaining a lawyer or appearing in court to contest them.

The plaintiff, Rita Butler Barrett, filed her suit in 2023 under California's Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, a law that created a one-year window for victims to bring claims that would otherwise have exceeded the statute of limitations. Barrett alleged that Jackson showed up unannounced at her home in the spring of 1988, forced his way inside, and violently raped her.

The cover-up allegation

To qualify for the lookback window, the law required plaintiffs to include some allegation of a cover-up. Barrett invoked this provision by claiming she reported the assault to Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, who she alleged ignored the incident to protect Jackson's commercial value to the label. A representative for Motown did not immediately return a request for comment.

Court filings also included a declaration from a singer-songwriter who toured with Jackson in 1990, claiming he attempted to assault her in her hotel room and later threatened her into silence.

What comes next

Barrett's attorneys had sought exactly $6.5 million in damages for what they described as significant and ongoing emotional distress. The judge granted the full amount. Jackson never responded to that motion either.

Jermaine Jackson is a member of The Jackson 5 and had solo hits including "Daddy's Home," "Let's Get Serious," and "Do What You Do" on the Billboard Hot 100. Following the filing of the lawsuit, he was reportedly dropped by his longtime representatives at Artists Management Agency. He has remained publicly active in recent months, promoting the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, which stars his son Jaafar Jackson in the lead role.