KISS co-founder and bassist Gene Simmons has settled a lawsuit alleging sexual battery, gender violence, battery and assault against a female radio and television broadcaster.
Billboard reports court filings indicate Simmons and the plaintiff, identified as "Jane Doe," announced to Los Angeles County Supreme Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy on July 2 their case had been settled.
The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed; another hearing is set for August 10 to dismiss the case.
The December 2017 suit alleges the 68-year-old rocker made unwarranted sexual advances during a November 1 interview at the San Manuel Casino location of a new Rock & Brews restaurant with co-owners Simmons and bandmate Paul Stanley.
The San Bernardino Sun previously reported that - according to the lawsuit – during an interview which occurred on a couch in a designated “green room,” Simmons reached over and grabbed the woman’s hand and “forcefully placed it on his knee and held it on his knee.” The lawsuit states the woman immediately removed her hand from Simmons’ knee, but he continued his “unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances” by reaching for the woman’s hand again.
“Defendant Simmons turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos, which made plaintiff Jane Doe extremely uncomfortable,” according to the lawsuit, noting that Simmons grabbed the woman’s hand again, made a cooing sound and said she “must use lotion” before making another sexual innuendo. He then “forcibly flicked/struck” the woman in the middle of her throat, then provided an “incoherent explanation” for doing it after noticing the woman’s shock, according to the lawsuit.
Following the interview, the woman posed with Simmons for a promotional photograph. That’s when Simmons “reached toward Plaintiff Doe’s buttocks and touched it,” according to the lawsuit. “Again, Plaintiff Doe kept her composure and discreetly moved away,” the lawsuit states. “They took the pictures, but Plaintiff Doe declined the invitation to ‘stay around.'”
KISS – who haven’t performed since last fall – are currently playing a handful of dates this month across Europe.
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Search KISS at hennemusic
