Attorney Jeff Anderson Responds: Tyler Continues to Harm by Statutory Rape & Continued Profiteering from Publication
“Steven Tyler is a serial predator…I have evidence that she [Julia Misley] is not the only one.” – Jeff Anderson
(Los Angeles, CA): Steven Tyler’s lawyers have filed an anti-SLAPP motion to strike portions of Julia Misley’s (Holcomb) lawsuit in which she accuses Tyler of sexual assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Tyler’s lawyers are seeking a portion of the lawsuit relating to intentional infliction of emotional distress be stricken on the basis that his statements, memoirs, etc., are “public and protected speech” and a “matter of public interest.” Tyler said his memoirs serve as “a vessel to share his own experiences from his “newsworthy life.” In Tyler’s declaration, he says, “I was not the sole author of either book, but contributed to both. I never intended anything that was said in either of those books to cause Julia Misley any emotional distress.”
“Out of all the crimes laid out in the lawsuit…sexual assault, grooming, coerced guardianship and more…he goes after the infliction of emotional distress,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “To me, this signifies that Steven Tyler is backed in a corner.”
In April 2023, Steven Tyler’s legal team filed a response to Misley’s lawsuit, claiming that the teenager “consented” to the sexual abuse because Tyler was her legal guardian at the time. With each new legal filing, Steven Tyler continues to rub salt into the wounds of the survivor. Not only does this re-traumatize the survivor, it’s also a desperate attempt to scare and stifle the voices of other survivors and witnesses.
Below is our response to Steven Tyler’s continued legal maneuvers:
- This is a feeble and foolish attempt to silence and hurt Julia Misley further.
- Steven Tyler’s hubris as a powerful celebrity hurt her as a teenager when he statutorily raped her.
- Tyler hurt Misley when he tricked her mother into guardianship.
- Tyler hurt Misley even further when he coerced her into the abortion of their baby.
- Tyler inflicted additional harm and trauma when he chose to make millions on the publication of HER story without her permission. To this day, continuously, every time it is read, she is hurt further by his words and by his actions and his hubris.
“Steven Tyler also signed an affidavit saying that he didn’t intend to harm her, and he auctioned his memoir for millions of dollars. That assertion is absurd. That is like putting a stake in her heart and saying he didn’t intend for her to bleed out.” – Jeff Anderson
Steven Tyler also claims that he didn’t use Misley’s name in his memoir, therefore, he was not the one to “out” her and could not have caused her harm. Variations of her story have been told in multiple books by multiple people, often with inaccurate information. They always used a pseudonym when talking about Misley, with no identifying information. It wasn’t until Steven Tyler wrote a sensational chapter in his memoir and included her name in the acknowledgments that she was outed publicly without her consent.
In addition to denying any intentions to cause Misley emotional distress, Tyler’s attorneys are also claiming that the statute of limitations bars her from being able to take legal action. Not only is this inaccurate, but it is also a dangerous falsehood to spread to the public. Survivors already have enough apprehension about coming forward; the last thing they need is false information telling them that they cannot seek justice. “This is an effort to throw the case out on the statute of limitations,” said Anderson. “That position is frivolous as the conduct and harm done by Tyler’s profiteering, which occurs every day and every time anybody buys or reads his sordid and salacious memoir.”
“This isn’t about sex. This is about power. For Julia Misley, it’s about the power to have the truth known. It’s time for Steven Tyler to get the message that he no longer has the power because he doesn’t hold the truth. Julia Misley does. She’s not afraid of him and she’s not afraid of the truth. It’s time for reckoning.” – Jeff Anderson
We hope Tyler’s legal team realizes that desperate legal maneuvers will backfire and only serve to unnecessarily retraumatize survivors. We hope survivors are not scared into silence by the actions of Tyler or other powerful celebrities. We will continue to fight every day to shed light on the truth.
“Julia Misley stands strong and stands in her truth and for other survivors overpowered by serial predators such as Steven Tyler. I call him a serial predator not just because of what he did to her as a teenager, but because I have evidence that she is not the only one.” – Jeff Anderson
We applaud Julia Misley for her courage to give voice to her truth and stand with survivors for protecting others from predators like Steven Tyler. We will continue to stand with her and all survivors.