Jermaine Jackson Ordered to Pay $6.5 Million in Default Judgment Over 1988 Rape Allegation

A Los Angeles County court entered a default judgment against Jermaine Jackson, ordering him to pay just over $6.5 million in damages, court costs and medical expenses. The judgment stems from a civil lawsuit filed by Rita Butler Barrett alleging that Jackson violently raped her at her Encino home in the spring of 1988. Jackson never filed an answer, prompting the court to rule by default.

TMZ

Barrett filed the complaint in December 2023 under California’s Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act. Because Jackson could not be located for service, the plaintiffs obtained court approval to serve notice via a legal advertisement in the *Los Angeles Times*. The default judgment reflects the statutory framework that allows plaintiffs to seek monetary relief when a defendant fails to respond to a verified claim.

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• Spring 1988 – Alleged assault occurs at Barrett’s Encino residence.

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• December 2023 – Barrett files suit invoking the Sexual Abuse and Cover-Up Accountability Act.

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• May 2026 – Court issues default judgment ordering payment of just over $6.5 million.

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• Total award: just over $6.5 million.

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• Components: compensatory damages, court costs, and medical expenses claimed by Barrett.

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• Service method: legal notice published in the *Los Angeles Times* after attempts to locate the defendant failed.

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The court’s order states that, in the absence of a response from Jackson, the plaintiff’s claim is deemed proven and the monetary award is enforceable. No statement from Jackson or his legal representatives was recorded in the filing.

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• Defendant’s position: Jackson has not issued a public comment, and no response was filed with the court.

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• Evidence details: The court documents do not disclose the evidentiary basis for the judgment beyond the plaintiff’s allegations.

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• Third-party verification: No independent corroboration of the 1988 incident is provided in the available sources.

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• “The amount also covers medical expenses Rita asserted she incurred.” — TMZ, Entertainment News

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• “Rita's lawyers say they were unable to track Jermaine down to serve the suit but ended up getting court approval to execute service via legal notice in the Los Angeles Times.” — TMZ, Entertainment News

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• “but says Jermaine abruptly stopped and left her residence, leaving her traumatized.” — Rita Butler Barrett (as reported by TMZ)

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• “violently” — Rita Butler Barrett (as reported by TMZ)

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The judgment obligates Jackson to satisfy the $6.5 million award. Failure to do so may trigger additional collection proceedings by the court. No appeal has been filed as of the May 15 2026 report.

TMZ