Shangela accused of multiple sexual assaults in report following dismissal of rape lawsuit
The drag star called the allegations "false and unsupported by any evidence or reliable witness testimony."
Mark Von Holden/Variety/Getty
ShangelaShangela is accused of multiple sexual assaults in a new report following the recent dismissal of a rape lawsuit filed against the drag star.
The RuPaul's Drag Race alum, Dancing With the Stars finalist, and former We're Here host — legally known by the name Darius Jeremy "DJ" Pierce — is accused of sexually assaulting or attempting to sexually assault five people who claim they were too inebriated to provide consent, in a new report by Rolling Stone. Pierce has denied all allegations.
The incidents allegedly occurred in Louisiana, Texas, California, and the U.K. between the periods of 2012 and 2018, when the accusers were between the ages of 18 and 23, according to the outlet. All five reportedly claimed that Pierce, who goes by she/her when in drag and he/him outside of his drag persona, drank with them from night until morning, with one allegedly vomiting on a hotel bed before they were assaulted by Pierce.
Pierce maintained his innocence while confirming that he met with four of the accusers on the dates in question, adding that he does not remember the fifth accuser. Through his attorney Andrew Brettler, Pierce told the outlet the allegations were “false and unsupported by any evidence or reliable witness testimony" and adamantly denied engaging in nonconsensual sex. He also claimed there were “significant problems” with the accusers’ accounts.
Brettler declined to comment further when reached by EW on Monday.
One of the accusers, a 27-year-old identified only by his first name, Helmer, told Rolling Stone that they filed police reports against Pierce after they read articles by the Los Angeles Times that "indicated Pierce was suspected of conducting similar sex crimes with other victims.”
Pierce was accused last year of rape by Daniel McGarrigle, a former assistant on HBO's Emmy-winning docuseries We're Here. McGarrigle accused Pierce of sexual assault, gender violence, false imprisonment, negligence, and sexual harassment, among other offenses. Pierce denied the "totally untrue allegations" at the time, and a judge dismissed the lawsuit last week with prejudice.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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