Metal Anarchy

According to Rolling Stone, Heather Taylor has decided to refile her sexual assault lawsuit against Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. The previously dismissed case was brought forward again as part of California’s AB 250, which allows survivors of sexual assault to revive cases between January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027 despite the statute of limitations.

Taylor filed the lawsuit after accusing Lee of sexually assaulting her during a helicopter ride in 2003. Late pilot David Martz invited her on the flight and she didn’t know the musician was going to be there.

Once on board she was “trapped” as the two men allegedly engaged in alcohol, cocaine, and marijuana abuse in the cockpit. She claims they also called her “prudish” when she refused to partake. She went on to say they “cajoled” her into joining them in the cockpit and that’s when the assault took place.

Lee allegedly put her onto his lap and started groping and kissing her. She says he then put his hand down her pants and penetrated her with his fingers. Taylor also claimed Lee pushed her head towards his genitals in an effort to force her into oral sex.

Taylor says Martz laughed off the incident and Lee acted unfazed when he let her go. When the chopper landed, her and Martz allegedly rode back in silence. After that, she silently lived with trauma for years.

As for Martz, he ended up dying in a single-engine plane crash in 2015. The pilot had a troubled history that included multiple license suspensions. Among his controversies was a 2009 incident in which he had a porn star perform oral sex on him in the air and a 2006 incident in which he landed on a public road to pick Lee up for a Nine Inch Nails concert.

When Taylor filed her original complaint, it ended up getting provisionally dismissed with an option to amend. She then chose to withdraw the case until AB 250 passed. She said the following:

“If anyone thought my prior dismissal was a retreat, they vastly miscalculated my stamina. I dismissed my own case to await this legislation. Now that I have the law in my favor, I’m seeking justice.”

Her lawyers, Jeffrey H. Reeves, Daniel L. Weiss, and Lindley G. Round, also commented:

“Ms. Taylor’s allegations are anything but false and bogus. As a result of having been sexually assaulted by Mr. Lee, Ms. Taylor has suffered severe and lasting emotional, physical, and psychological distress. The trauma she endured has affected her interpersonal relationships, limited her ability to maintain employment, and devastated her mental health.”

Taylor added:

“When his counsel said it was a win for them, that was the most irritating part. Refiling my case is a huge win for me.”

Taylor’s renewed lawsuit accuses Lee of sexual battery, gender violence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. She is currently seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. She also wants a trial by jury.