American DJ Bassnectar aka Lorin Gabriel Ashton's dismissal plea against the s*xual assualt lawsuit was denied by a US district court judge on December 5, 2024. The DJ met with a lawsuit in April 2021 by two individuals Rachel Ramsbottom and Alexis Bowling.
Ramsbottom alleged that she met the DJ online in 2012. Although she had initially lied to him about her age saying she was 18, she later clarified to Ashton that she was 17. In her lawsuit, she mentioned that the two went to a hotel in Memphis where they had physical intercourse after which the DJ paid her.
Bowling shared a similar story as Ramsbottom but said Ashton became aware that she lied about her age after she was turned away from a show. As a result, Bowling reached out to Bassnectar to ask whether he could do anything about it after which the DJ asked him to meet him.
They met at a hotel in Kentucky where the two had a physical relationship after which he allegedly handed her $1600 in an envelope. Besides the two women, a third plaintiff named Jenna Houston became a part of the lawsuit in May 2021.
She claimed to interact with Bassnectar online when she was 16. According to her narrative, Ashton invited her to Philadelphia at a hotel where he proceeded to have s*xual relations with her which allegedly continued over later occasions.
U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger dismissed certain allegations in the case. She determined that Ramsbottom did not provide evidence of receiving payments after turning 18, which excluded claims of s*x trafficking involving Ashton during her adulthood.
Additionally, the judge rejected allegations that Ashton employed force, fraud, or coercion against any of the women or knowingly participated in a venture engaging in s*x trafficking.
The judge dismissed Bassnectar’s dismissal plea and allowed the case to go to a trial
Bassnectar denied the allegations and filed a dismissal motion against the lawsuit in November 2024 citing that the three women had lied about their ages which made him believe that they were 18 years of age at the time when the incidents happened. Ashton also mentioned that he had never persuaded the women to have physical intercourse with him and he never paid them.
However, Bassnectar’s dismissal plea was rejected and the judge allowed the case to go to a trial. The judge also said that the jury would decide whether the DJ’s claims were valid.
Similarly, it is up to the jury to decide whether the money paid to Rachel Ramsbottom was payback for se*ual favours or not. As per reports, the trial will take place in February 2025.
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Bassnectar’s lawyers expressed approval of the recent ruling, emphasizing the dismissal of multiple claims as significant. They noted that while some claims were allowed to proceed, the evidence supporting them appeared weak. The attorneys stated confidence in achieving Ashton’s full exoneration at trial.
M. Stewart Ryan, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, stated that his clients were pleased with the court's decision to allow the case to proceed to a jury trial. He emphasized that Rachel, Alexis, and Jenna were eager to present their case in court as they continue their pursuit of justice.
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