Kiss bassist Gene Simmons is being sued by a radio and television broadcaster who claims the rocker groped her and made “unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances” during a November 1 interview she conducted.
According to the lawsuit, the alleged incident occurred while the plaintiff, identified as “Jane Doe,” was interviewing Simmons and his Kiss bandmate Paul Stanley at their Rock & Brews restaurant at San Manuel Casino in Highland, California.
“Defendant Simmons turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos, which made plaintiff Doe extremely uncomfortable,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday.
Simmons, the suit claims, repeatedly grabbed the unnamed woman’s hand and “forcefully placed it on his knee and held it on his knee.” The suit also claims Simmons “reached toward Plaintiff Doe’s buttocks and touched it” while they were posing for a promotional photo.
Allegations included in the lawsuit include sexual battery, battery, assault, and gender violence.
“My client is embarrassed and humiliated by the incident with Mr. Simmons,” the unidentified plaintiff’s attorney, Willie W. Williams, told the San Bernardino Sun in an interview. “She filed suit because she wanted to make a strong statement that this behavior is unacceptable and she wants to see an end to this type of behavior.”
Simmons, for his part, said he intends to “vigorously” counter the allegations made against him.
“Friends, I intend to defend myself against any alleged charges you may have been reading about in the media. For the record, I did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way,” the Kiss co-founder said in a statement, Pitchfork reports. “I am conferring with my lawyers with the aim of vigorously countering these allegations. And, I look forward to my day in court where the evidence will prove my innocence.”
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson
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