Rock legend Steven Tyler, the lead singer of Aerosmith, is facing a lawsuit accusing him of s**ually assaulting a teenage model back in the mid-1970s.
The complaint, which was filed on Thursday in New York, alleges that Tyler used his fame and influence to commit the assault on Jeanne Bellino when she was approximately 17 years old.
This is the second time in the past year that the 75-year-old musician has been accused of assaulting a teenager during the height of Aerosmith’s success.
Representatives for Tyler have not yet responded to requests for comment.
According to Bellino’s complaint, she worked for a children’s modeling agency in the mid-’70s and would often share rides with a fellow model to travel from Queens to Manhattan for gigs.
After a modeling event, her friend arranged for them to meet Aerosmith in Manhattan, where they encountered Tyler and his entourage on 6th Avenue.
During a press conference held by her legal team, Bellino provided a video statement describing the alleged assault.
She said, “I was assaulted by Steven Tyler in broad daylight in a phone booth.
He seemed angry because, just before he assaulted me, I laughed at his lyrics.
I didn’t mean any harm, but it appeared to upset him.”
“He forcefully kissed me, stuck his tongue down my throat, and groped me,” Bellino continued.
“His friends watched, as did my friend and bystanders.
I struggled, but nobody intervened or tried to stop him.”
According to Bellino’s complaint, Tyler, who would have been in his late 20s at the time, touched her body inappropriately, removing her clothing and pinning her against the phone booth wall.
Bellino expressed her shock and mortification, stating, “That was my first s**ual experience with a man.”
Unable to find a means of transportation or the money to go home, Bellino went to the Warwick Hotel with Tyler, his entourage, and her friend.
It was there that she claims Tyler assaulted her again.
She only managed to escape with the help of the hotel’s doorman, who assisted her in getting a cab after Tyler went to his room.
In her video statement, Bellino revealed that the incident had a profound impact on her, causing her to stop eating and faint, resulting in a hospital visit.
Last year, Tyler faced similar allegations from Julia Misley, who claimed he assaulted her as a teenager in the 1970s.
Tyler has denied those accusations.
During the press conference, Bellino’s lawyer, Jeff Anderson, mentioned that his client was inspired to come forward after reading about Misley’s case.
“This lawsuit is not just about Steven Tyler’s predatory behavior that started in the early ’70s but also about the industry that has protected him,” Anderson stated.
“The entertainment and music industry, his bandmates, managers, agents, and the top executives at recording companies have all made conscious choices to shield predators like Steven Tyler.”
