ETOWAH COUNTY, Ala. — A judge dismissed former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore’s defamation lawsuit against Beverly Nelson, who accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was 16 years old in 1977.
Nelson alleged Moore, then the Etowah County district attorney, offered her a ride after work at the restaurant where she was employed but instead drove to a secluded area behind the building. She said Moore groped her, put his hand on her breast, and tried to force her head onto his crotch. Nelson said she struggled and pleaded for him to stop while Moore locked the car door and threatened her with his position, saying no one would believe her if she spoke out.
The accuser also presented a high school yearbook Moore signed around the time of the alleged assault, with a Christmas message addressed to her. Moore’s attorneys challenged the authenticity of the signature and the added inscription.
The Etowah County Circuit Court granted Nelson’s motion for summary judgment, concluding Moore failed to present sufficient admissible evidence to prove his claim of defamation, which requires showing actual malice from a public figure. The decision marks another legal setback for Moore, whose past allegations have drawn widespread attention and controversy.
No new comments have been made by Moore or Nelson following the ruling.