Lawsuit Alleging Bob Dylan Sexually Abused 12-Year-Old Girl in 1965

They say that justice delayed is justice denied; yet, sometimes the wheels of justice turn so slowly they need a push such as the New York Child Victims Act. A lawsuit claiming Bob Dylan sexually abused a 12-year-old girl in 1965 is among the many filed since the legislation was passed in 2019. The plaintiff brought the suit against Dylan on August 13, 2021, a day before the extended window period elapsed. Of course, his representatives have denied anything of such a nature ever happening, so let’s enlighten you on the details.

J.C. Files Lawsuit

According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the plaintiff alleged that the musician between April and May 1965 sexually defiled her. At the time of the abuse, Dylan would have been around 25 and the woman only identified as J.C. claimed that he befriended her to establish an emotional connection. The rock star then proceeded to supply the girl with drugs and alcohol while defiling her at his apartment in Chelsea Hotel, New York. He also threatened her with physical violence, which could be why the girl remained mum. However, she has decided to sue the rock star claiming that she suffers from emotional and psychological damage inflicted on her 58 years ago. J.C. further stated that she has continued to suffer humiliation, anguish, severe mental distress, embarrassment and economic losses from the predatory and illegal acts which Dylan intentionally did to her without her consent.

The Abuse “Impossible” to Happen

However, according to BBC, Dylan denies the abuse ever occurred, and the spokesperson said the accusation would be vigorously defended. The rock star is already gaining support from the public; his biographer Clinton Heylin said he was doubtful the abuse occurred. As per Heylin, when the alleged assault occurred, Dylan was touring England but was in Los Angeles for two weeks and spent a day later in Woodstock. The biographer added that although the tour lasted ten days, the musician took a flight to London on April 26 and returned to New York on June 3, 1965, making it impossible for such a thing to happen. Besides, Heylin said that even if Dylan traveled to New York, it would not have been for more than a couple of days. Heylin clarified that whenever Dylan was not touring, he spent most of the time in Woodstock and even while in New York, he did not stay at his apartment; instead, he slept over at his manager’s house. To further make the claims sound ridiculous, the biographer said between April and May, when J.C alleges the abuse took place, Dylan had a film crew running around him in preparation for the documentary “Don’t Look Back.” It seems that Heylin is determined to ensure that Dylan remains clean in the public’s eyes because he continued to say that the musician never interacted with underage women. The biographer revealed that although Dylan had an eye for women, he was usually in the company of adult ladies. So convinced of Dylan’s innocence is Heylin that he called Dylan’s manager, offering to be an expert witness should the case go to trial. His insight into the musician’s timeline has influenced the public seeing that J.C.’s lawyer, Peter Gleason, has been receiving calls from Dylan’s fans asking him to review the timeline. However, according to HuffPost, the attorney stands by the plaintiff’s words.

Should You Be on Dylan’s Side?

It can be hard to determine who is telling the truth until you are faced with more evidence. Therefore even if Heylin provides a timeline to prove the musician could not have committed the heinous acts, we should be clear-headed to look at more evidence. For instance, according to Daily Mail, Dana Gillespie said that among her many rock star lovers was Dylan. She said she lost her virginity at 13, and by the time she turned 17, she had slept with Dylan, David Bowie, Jimmy Page and Roman Polanski. Like J.C., Gillespie said that Dylan had an evil way with her by establishing an emotional connection and grooming her using his rock star status. Funny enough, Gillespie also claimed to have met Dylan at his New York apartment in April 1965, just like J.C. She was 16 at the time. Although the 12-year-old was much innocent, Gillespie seemed to have already had her way with men and enjoyed the attention. According to Spectator, she first met Dylan during a meet and greet ceremony at the Savoy, UK. She claimed that the instant attraction was so strong that Dylan, who had never seen her before, told the security guard Gillespie was with him. Although Heylin tries to paint the picture of a level-headed man trying to settle into family life, he fails to mention that when Dylan’s wife was pregnant, he was cheating on her with several women. He had been having an affair with Joan Baez, so who is to say that his sexual appetite had grown to include much younger girls.

He is A Known Liar

Besides, even as much as he tries to deny the allegations, the singer has a reputation for lying. According to Rolling Stone, he was prone to making up stories in the mid-60s. He claimed to have been a prostitute when he first arrived in New York and would make at least $100 per night doing anything the client wanted. In 1969, the musician said touring took such a toll on him that he was on drugs. However, in 1984, he said he had never been hooked to any drug. Another lie is that he dropped out of school to be with the carnival, yet in another interview published by Teach Rock, he said he graduated high school and was in the carnival during summers and some winters. The bottom line is you can’t trust whatever Dylan says, so Heylin’s testimony may not hold any ground.