Billy Ray Cyrus, Firerose accuse each other of abuse amid contentious divorce
Billy Ray Cyrus and his estranged wife Firerose are accusing each other of alleged abuse following their divorce after only seven months of marriage.
In a Monday court filing in Tennessee's Williamson County Chancery Court, obtained by USA TODAY Tuesday, Cyrus responded to Firerose's June 14 counter-complaint by claiming the marriage was "induced by fraud."
In the case, Firerose, 36, is referred to by the name Johanna Rosie Hodges.
The singer, 62, claims Firerose's "allegations of abuse were only made to sensationalize her false complaints by using the word 'abuse.'"
Cyrus adds that while he "would acknowledge that he was certainly vocal, frustrated and angry with the Defendant (Firerose) in May 2024, it is the Plaintiff (Cyrus) who, in fact, has been abused." He claims he was "not only verbally and emotionally" abused by Firerose "but also physically abused" by her.
According to People and Entertainment Tonight, Firerose claimed in her counter-complaint earlier this month that she'd experienced verbal, emotional and psychological abuse from Cyrus.
"Wife was subjected to Husband’s persistent drug use accompanied with the consumption of marijuana which made Husband unpredictable and volatile towards Wife," the document reportedly read.
Reps for Cyrus declined to comment. USA TODAY has reached out to Firerose's attorneys for comment.
Billy Ray Cyrus claims Firerose was 'hiding' information 'to induce marriage'
On May 23, Cyrus, who is Miley Cyrus' father, filed to divorce Firerose. In his petition, Cyrus cited irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the primary reasons, according to People magazine and Entertainment Tonight.
In his Monday filing, the "Achy Breaky Heart" singer claimed to have left their home after discovering in May that Hodges was not his wife's maiden name. He alleges the Australian musician "had lied" about her name "to induce marriage" and that there are "additional things in her background she is hiding from him."
In her counter-complaint, according to People and ET, Firerose alleged Cyrus had promised to pay for the procedure and filed his divorce petition a day before her planned double mastectomy on May 24, which caused her to delay the preventive procedure.
She said that in 2020, she found out she was a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation.
Cyrus responded that he did not know about this aspect of her health history until after they were married and asserted that while she had a doctor's appointment scheduled for May 24, her surgery was not until June 6. He denied offering to pay for uncovered expenses related to the procedure, alleging Firerose said there would be no out-of-pocket costs.
Throwback to the wedding: Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose had an 'ethereal celebration'
He also says Firerose threatened that if he tried to divorce her she would "tell everyone that you did it because of the double mastectomy and your career will be over."
In April 2022, ex-wife Tish Cyrus-Purcell filed to divorce Billy Ray Cyrus, citing irreconcilable differences.
They share children Braison, Noah and Miley Cyrus as well as Trace and Brandi Cyrus, Tish's children from a prior relationship. Billy Ray Cyrus also has a 32-year-old son, Christopher Cody, with ex-girlfriend Kristin Luckey.
Contributing: Edward Segarra
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billy Ray Cyrus, Firerose divorce: Singers accuse each other of abuse
