Joan Jett And Cherie Currie Deny Witnessing Rape Of Ex-Runaways Bandmate Jackie Fuchs

Former Runaways Joan Jett and Cherie Currie are denying the allegation that the two stood by and watched as their manager, Kim Fowley, raped bandmate Jackie Fuchs.

Jackie Fuchs (also known as Jackie Fox), former bassist for the Runaways, alleged in a Huffington Post article last week that after having been given Quaaludes by a stranger, Runaways manager Kim Fowley raped her in front of her former bandmates and other party-goers back in 1975. Fuchs insists Joan Jett and Cherie Currie both witnessed the event, but her former bandmates are denying the allegations.

On July 10, Joan Jett issued a statement denying she would stand by and allow a rape to occur.

“Anyone who truly knows me understands that if I was aware of a friend or bandmate being violated, I would not stand by while it happened. For a group of young teenagers thrust into ’70s rock stardom there were relationships that were bizarre, but I was not aware of this incident. Obviously Jackie’s story is extremely upsetting and although we haven’t spoken in decades, I wish her peace and healing.”

Former Runaway Cherie Currie, who issued her own statement on July 11 via Facebook, is also denying Jackie Fuchs’ allegation that she stood by and did nothing as her bandmate was drugged and raped. Unlike Joan Jett, Cherie admits being present during the alleged rape. However, Currie maintains Jackie Fuchs was not raped, according to Consequence of Sound.

“I have been accused of a crime. Of looking into the dead yet pleading eyes of a girl, unable to move while she was brutally raped and doing nothing. I have never been one to deny my mistakes in life and I wouldn’t start now. If I were guilty, I would admit it. There are so many excuses I could make being only one month into my sixteenth year at the time that people would understand but I am innocent. When I return from Sweden I will seek a qualified polygraph examiner to put to rest any and all allegations. I will prove I am telling the truth. I will not allow anyone to throw me under the bus and accuse me of such a foul act. I will fight for myself.”

Jackie Fuchs’ allegations comes just months after Kim Fowley’s death. Fowley, best known for his role as the Runaways’ manager, passed away in January 2015 after a long battle with bladder cancer, as the Inquisitr previously reported.

[Image by Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images]