Rachel Ramsbottom, Alexis Bowling, and Jenna Houston have dismissed their lawsuit against Bassnectar after filing it nearly four years ago.
A sexual abuse lawsuit filed against Bassnectar and two of his companies in April 2021 was dismissed by plaintiffs Rachel Ramsbottom, Alexis Bowling, and Jenna Houston today, February 18, according to US District Court filings in Tennessee.
The complaint alleged that Bassnectar (real name Lorin Ashton) groomed and coerced the plaintiffs into having sex with him and sending him explicit photos while they were underage. It also claimed that he paid them amounts ranging from $300-1,600, which would have meant that the deeds of which they accused him amounted to human trafficking. Initially, only Ramsbottom and Bowling were named as plaintiffs, but Houston and an anonymous Jane Doe joined the following month.
Importantly, the lawsuit has been dismissed “with prejudice,” meaning that the case cannot be reopened as part of a private agreement reached by both sides.
“This legal process has been long and difficult, with all parties already having endured a tremendous amount of strain on their personal and professional lives,” reads a joint statement issued by the firms representing both sides of the case. “As such, they have amicably decided to resolve this matter and move on in peace. Plaintiffs wish Lorin Ashton and the Bassnectar Community a bright future and Lorin Ashton wishes the Plaintiffs a bright future.”
Ashton told Billboard, “I am relieved to be able to put this behind me once and for all. To be clear, I did not engage in any of the wrongdoing of which I was accused in this lawsuit. I have never abused or assaulted anyone in any way, shape or form. I have also never been charged with any crimes. This process has been long and exhausting, and I am excited to get back to doing what I love most: making music and art for the world to enjoy.”
The news follows a December motion to dismiss filed by Ashton alleging that the plaintiffs had lied to him about their ages. At the time, a judge partly rejected the motion, meaning that the case would have gone to trial this month.
The original lawsuit was filed against Ashton, who has performed as Bassnectar since 2002, after he had stepped away from the public spotlight in 2020 amid allegations of sexual abuse published by the Instagram account @evidenceagainstbassnectar. The controversy affected him beyond the civil case, leading to canceled events in Atlanta and Las Vegas last year alone.
If you or anyone you know has experienced sexual abuse at a festival or anywhere else, here are some resources for support:
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) runs the National Sexual Assault Hotline to offer support to victims and their families. Their services are free and confidential: 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) (Available 24 hours a day by phone and by online chat.)
Relief After Violent Encounter (RAVE) is an organization that can help you find counseling and therapy after a violent encounter. RAVE also has a domestic and sexual violence Emergency Response Team which is deployed through law enforcement to provide emergency crisis intervention to victims immediately after an assault.
