Jermaine Jackson Ordered to Pay $6.5 Million in Rape Lawsuit Default Judgment

Note: This article contains descriptions of alleged sexual assault.

Jermaine Jackson, a Jackson 5 co-founder and brother of Michael Jackson, has been ordered to pay Rita Barrett $6.5 million in damages. This follows his failure to respond to a rape lawsuit she filed in 2023, as reported by TMZ and confirmed by court records.

Barrett's lawsuit alleges that Jackson broke into her residence and raped her in 1988. Despite initial difficulties in locating Jackson, her lawyers eventually served him legal notice via The Los Angeles Times. After receiving no response, Barrett’s legal team filed a comprehensive 95-page document arguing for a default judgment, which was granted on May 14. The judge also mandated that Jackson cover Barrett’s legal costs, amounting to $7,131.84.

Barrett stated that she had known Jackson for several years prior to the alleged assault through her work as a musician’s contractor. The lawsuit further alleges that Motown founder Berry Gordy—though not named as a defendant—assisted in covering up the rape after Barrett reported the incident the following day.

Under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover Up Accountability Act, Barrett was able to pursue this civil lawsuit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, as the act temporarily lifts the statute of limitations on specific sexual misconduct claims. It's noteworthy that despite not responding to Barrett’s lawsuit, Jackson was present at the Michael biopic premiere in Hollywood last month. Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for both Barrett and Jackson for comments.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, we encourage you to reach out for support:

RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)

Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741

Jermaine Jackson Ordered to Pay $6.5 Million in Rape Lawsuit Default Judgment

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