A Los Angeles judge has granted Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler a significant legal victory in his ongoing court battle with former romantic partner Julia Misley, who accuses him of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s. With a trial scheduled for September 21, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia A. Young dismissed multiple claims Misley had brought against Tyler.
The judge ruled against Misley's attempt to exclude evidence related to her consent in the relationship with Tyler. She is also barred from discussing an alleged abortion during their time together and from making claims about alleged sexual assaults that occurred after she turned 18.
Tyler, 78, has consistently denied the accusations made by Misley, who states she was 16 years old when the singer allegedly groomed and sexually assaulted her.
The ruling permits Misley to present evidence that drugs and alcohol were consumed during incidents that occurred in California. However, she is not permitted to claim she was "forced" to stay with Tyler or that he was "required to provide [her with] an education, medical treatment, or food as her legal guardian."
Misley may introduce evidence related to Tyler having "held himself out to be her guardian," whether he "made promises to provide for her," or "how she felt about her circumstances" at the time. She is also prohibited from describing Tyler using terms such as "human trafficker," "sex slave owner," "Nazi," "one who engaged in war crimes," or equating the events with the Holocaust.
The judge ruled that Misley can describe the alleged interactions as "unlawful sexual intercourse" rather than "statutory rape." Furthermore, unless sufficient evidence is presented, she is barred from referring to Tyler as a "rapist" or a "criminal," though she can use the latter term in reference to conduct that violates the law.
These developments follow a previous ruling where the judge dismissed several claims against Tyler. Initially, most claims related to a three-year relationship were dismissed, with the exception of those pertaining to a single alleged incident in California in 1974, involving Tyler at a hotel hot tub.
Tyler's attorney, David Long-Daniels, stated in May that the court's decision was a "massive win," dismissing "99.9% of the claims." He noted that only one incident, occurring over 50 years ago, remains.
Earlier in April, a judge had dismissed a significant portion of the case, citing Massachusetts' statute of limitations, as Tyler resided there with Misley (then Julia Holcomb) during their relationship. Portions of the case were allowed to proceed under California's Child Victims Act as the relationship extended to other states during Aerosmith's tours.
Misley's 2022 lawsuit, filed in Southern California, alleged that Tyler "used his role, status, and power as a well-known musician and rock star" to take advantage of her sexually. The civil filing accused Tyler of sexual assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, stemming from events when she was a teenager.
Misley filed the lawsuit just before a December 31, 2022 deadline, which allowed her to fall under California's Child Victims Act. This legislation temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for reporting childhood sexual abuse crimes.
According to Misley's complaint, she met Tyler in 1973 at an Aerosmith concert when he was approximately 25 and she was 16. She claims Tyler persuaded her mother to grant him guardianship, making her "powerless to resist" him. Sources close to Tyler have contested this, asserting that their relationship was "consenting" and "loving."
Tyler, in his 2011 book, alluded to nearly taking a "teen bride," noting in his memoir that the girl was 16 and he was 26. He wrote that her parents gave him custody "so I wouldn't get arrested if I took her out of state."
Misley also alleged she became pregnant by Tyler in 1975 and was persuaded to have an abortion based on what she claims was faulty information about the unborn child's health. Following the abortion, she returned home, married, and embraced religion.
Misley's lawyer stated that the impending trial "reflects years of resilience and courage by Ms. Misley, driven by an unwavering pursuit of truth and justice," and expressed that "It is time for justice and for Tyler to be held accountable by a jury."