BUFFALO, N.Y. — (WARNING: Some of the details are disturbing)
An unidentified woman has filed a lawsuit against the estate of Rick James, claiming the late singer raped her when she was a teenager.
The lawsuit, filed under the Child Victims Act, alledges James raped her in 1979, while she was staying in a group home on Richmond Avenue in Buffalo. She was 15-years old at the time.
The victim states in the lawsuit, James was at the group home visiting one of the group home parents. She said she was introduced to him after dinner. She claimed she did not know who he was.
The victim says after dinner, she went to her bedroom and changed into her nightgown and laid down on the bed to read a book. She claims James came into the room and laid down on top of her.
She claims, "He grabbed my hair and pushed my head into the pillow. I tried to fight him off, but he told me to "shut up and quit moving or I'll cut you". He violently ripped off my underwear and proceeded to violent rape me and ejaculate inside of me. He then threatened me that if I told anyone, he would know where to find me."
The woman says she has suffered "physical, psychological and emotional injury" due to the rape. She is seeking $50 million in the lawsuit.
James' real name is James Ambrose Johnson Jr. He died in 2004 in Los Angeles. He is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo.
2 On Your Side is reaching out to a representative of James' estate to get a response to the lawsuit.
You can read the lawsuit here