All Time Low have responded to last year’s allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against them with a libel lawsuit leveled at two accusers, whom the pop-punk band claims they do not know.
The group’s suit will “utilize discovery including subpoenas to uncover the identities of those that defamed them,” it says.
Last October, it was revealed that a woman accused All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat of sexually assaulting her when she was underage. Weeks prior, another woman posted a TikTok video alleging that a famous pop-punk band invited her onto their tour bus when she was 13. She did not state who the artist was but left multiple comments hinting at the act she was referencing.
At that time, All Time Low responded with a statement from all four band members saying they would seek “legal recourse as we take these allegations very seriously. … We stand with victims and always wish to amplify the voices and stories of those who have suffered abuse and trauma.”
Now, in All Time Low’s legal complaint, obtained by Rolling Stone this week, the band claims the accusers’ anonymity has left them “no choice but to mobilize and utilize the civil court system to identify the culprits, prove that the defamatory statements are false, and seek justice.”
The nine-page suit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court continues, “The purpose of the lawsuit is to establish the unambiguous truth and quash these malicious lies so that they won’t be repeated in the future.”
All Time Low’s complaint refers to the first accuser as Jane Doe 1, the second as Jane Doe 2. The band claims that a concertgoer has already disproven Doe 1’s story. And they say Doe 2’s accusation was “completely fabricated” with malicious intent.
The suit adds, “Regrettably, this is the only course remaining to properly restore their reputations and repair the damage to their business. [The band] will then donate any proceeds derived from this litigation to charities that support victims of sexual abuse.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, help is available. Please visit RAINN (the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) online or call them at 800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673).
