Women claim music executive drugged, assaulted them in his lavish Joshua Tree home
Music executive sued: Full press conference
Two lawsuits were filed in the Superior Court of California in the County of San Bernardino against Scott Leonard, alleging he sexually assaulted them in his iconic Kellogg Doolittle home in Joshua Tree. Both assaults remain under investigation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department after a crippling ransom attack by hackers in Russia derailed the inquiry.
JOSHUA TREE, Calif. - Two women have filed lawsuits against a music executive, alleging he drugged and sexually assaulted them in his famous Joshua Tree home.
Jamie-Lee Dimes and Courtney Barriger have filed suit against Scott Leonard, who owns the Kellogg Doolittle Residence in Joshua Tree, alleging similar experiences at the home over the last three years, claiming that Leonard spiked their drinks and sexually assaulted them.
Dimes claimed that in 2022, Leonard used his influence to lure her to his home under the guise of offering her advice on her music career. Dimes claimed that after that conversation at the home, Leonard raped her. A year earlier, Barriger claimed that she was also invited to the house, and, while there, she alleged Leonard drugged and touched her inappropriately.
Leonard has not been charged in either case. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department is still investigating both cases. According to the Los Angeles Times, both women had to resubmit their statements to deputies this year, because of issues stemming from a 2023 cyberattack that has made it difficult to access reports from the last four years.
Nick Rowley, an attorney representing both Dimes and Barriger said, "We filed these lawsuits to preserve the statute of limitations, and to conduct our own discovery and investigation."
Rowley called Leonard "a predatory sicko with exaggerated credentials," citing that same LA Times article, which allegedly debunked some of Leonard's career accomplishments, including co-managing Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk.
"This is what this man is doing out there in the desert. He's luring in young women who have the hopes of a promising career, telling them that he's more than what he actually is," Rowley said in a press conference Wednesday. "… It's happened twice that we know of, almost identical circumstances, and we're going to prosecute him, and we're going to hold him liable."
Rowley added that he hopes these cases will convince any other potential victims to come forward.
The LA Times sent a list of questions about the women’s claims to Leonard’s attorneys. They declined to comment. FOX 11 has also made an effort to get in touch with Leonard's attorney but has been unable to identify who his representation is in this case.