In the wake of New York’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA) deadline, Jamie Foxx finds himself entangled in sexual assault allegations, becoming the latest celebrity to face legal action. The ASA, which provided a one-year window for survivors to come forward, regardless of when the assault occurred, saw a flurry of lawsuits before its expiration on Friday, November 24.
The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, accuses Foxx, whose real name is Eric Marlon Bishop, of assaulting her at the Catch restaurant rooftop in New York City in August 2015, according to court documents seen by The Independent. The lawsuit also names the restaurant, its employees, and Catch Hospitality Group co-founder Mark Birnbaum as defendants. Seeking compensatory and punitive damages, the plaintiff is pursuing a trial by jury.
The suit details that on the night of the alleged incident, the woman and a friend were sitting next to Foxx and Birnbaum. The plaintiff asked Foxx for a selfie, to which he allegedly responded, “Sure baby, anything for you.” Subsequently, Foxx reportedly complimented the plaintiff, making remarks such as “Wow, you have that supermodel body” and “You smell so good.” The plaintiff claims that Foxx then guided her to a secluded area where the alleged sexual assault occurred.
According to the lawsuit, a security guard, also listed as a defendant, witnessed the incident but did not intervene. The plaintiff has suffered severe emotional distress, anxiety, humiliation, embarrassment, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other physical and emotional damage, the documents state. The legal action also implicates Catch NYC and Mark Birnbaum, alleging that they enabled the assault and failed to adequately supervise their employees. The Independent reached out to Catch Hospitality Group for comment.
This lawsuit against Jamie Foxx is part of a broader trend of high-profile cases filed under the ASA, temporarily waiving the statute of limitations on sexual misconduct claims for civil suits. Another lawsuit filed the same week accuses Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose of sexual assault in 1989, which he denies. Both cases emerged within the one-year period provided by ASA, marking a significant development in survivors’ ability to seek justice for past incidents of sexual assault.
Written by
Derek Chan – Editor
