By
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A woman who previously said Steven Tyler had an illicit sexual relationship with her when she was a teenager is now suing the Aerosmith frontman for sexual assault, sexual touching without consent and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Julia Misley under a 2019 California law that gave adult victims of child sexual assault a three-year period to file lawsuits for decades-old instances of assault.
Saturday is the deadline to file such claims.
Misley, 65, formerly known as Julia Holcomb, said in a statement that she
wanted to take "a new opportunity to take legal action against those who abused me in my youth
. "
The Associated Press does not name sexual assault victims unless they publicly identify themselves.
American singer-songwriter Steven Tyler of Aerosmith performs during the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles.ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
While the lawsuit does not name Tyler, Misley did identify him by name in the statement, issued through the law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates.
She has also recounted her experiences with Tyler in previous interviews.
Tyler had discussed a relationship with a teenage girl in two books, published in 2011 and 1997. In the acknowledgments section of his memoir
Of Him Does the noise in my head bother you?
of her mentions "Julia Halcomb", which Misley has said is a reference to her.
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Representatives for Tyler did not immediately return requests for comment Friday.
Rolling Stone was the first to report on the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleges that
Tyler “used his role, status, and power as a well-known musician and rock star to access, groom, manipulate, exploit, and sexually abuse”
Misley over a period of three years.
Some of the abuse occurred in Los Angeles County, according to the lawsuit.
As a result, he has suffered serious emotional damage and financial loss, according to the indictment.
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The lawsuit says Misley met Tyler in 1973 at one of his shows in Portland, Oregon, and was later invited to Tyler's hotel room, where she says he told her she was 16 years old.
Tyler would have been 25 or 26 at the time.
She says that she engaged in "various acts of criminal sexual conduct" against Misley.
He engaged in sexual acts with her after numerous other shows, and
in 1974 became her legal guardian so she could travel to him with shows
, the lawsuit alleges.
The lawsuit alleges that Misley became pregnant in 1975 as a result of having sex with Tyler, and that he
then forced her to have an abortion.
Steven Tyler during a concert in May 1976. Fin Costello / Redferns
Tyler further harmed Misley by
publishing memoirs detailing parts of their relationship without her knowledge or authorization
, the lawsuit alleges.
Doing so subjected Misley to public attention and scrutiny, which re-traumatized her and made it difficult for her to recover, it says.
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In Tyler's 2011 memoir, he mentions meeting an unnamed 16-year-old "bride-to-be."
He wrote that he almost “married a teenager” and
got his parents to sign custody so he wouldn't be arrested when she went on tour with him
out of state.
"By including Claimant's name in the acknowledgments, he left readers and the public in no doubt as to Claimant's identity," the indictment states, adding that he was confronted with a photo of his own face on the cover of a tabloid in a grocery store after the book was published.
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Tyler's relationship with a teenage girl is also referenced by multiple people in
Walk This Way
, a 1997 Aerosmith "autobiography" in oral history format.
The teenager is given the pseudonym "Diana Hall" and, at one point, she is described as pregnant.
Tyler said he was thinking of marrying her, referring to her miscarriages, calling it a "complicated situation."
The lawsuit seeks monetary compensation of an unspecified amount.