Rick James Estate Sued By Woman Who Claims He Raped Her

Bruce Haring
·2 min read

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A woman who claims singer/songwriter Rick James raped her at a group home in 1979 is suing his estate.

The woman, who was not identified in court papers, said James raped her at a group home in Buffalo. The lawsuit was filed on Thursday against the James Ambrose Johnson Jr. 1999 Trust, which is run by the singer’s estate. The lawsuit was filed under the Child Victims Act, a New York state law that created a one-year window that extended the statute of limitations for abuse survivors.

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In the lawsuit, the woman claimed James was visiting the group home to see some adults. After dinner, she claims he came into her room and raped her.

“He grabbed my hair and pushed my head into the pillow,” she said in the suit. “I tried to fight him off, but he told me to ‘shut up and quit moving or I’ll cut you.’”

As a result, the woman claimed she suffered “physical, psychological and emotional injury” from the alleged assault.

James was a Buffalo native, and was convicted in 1993 of assaulting two women. He served more than two years in prison.

He died at his Los Angeles home on Aug. 6, 2004.

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