Dave Mustaine on “horrifying” climate after David Ellefson’s denial of wrongdoing in sexual encounters with a teenager

nme.com:

Megadeth‘s Dave Mustaine has reflected on the “horrifying” climate that pervaded following news that David Ellefson had sexual encounters with a teenager.Ellefson, who was falsely accused of grooming an underage girl in 2021 and subsequently sacked from the thrash metal band, played bass in the group from its inception in 1983 through to 2002, and again from 2010 until 2021.He had denied any wrongdoing at the time, saying that explicit text messages were between consenting adults and that the woman was not underage when the encounters happened.

The musician later admitted to “four to five masturbating encounters” online with a young woman, which he filed in a police report.Scottsdale Police Department in Arizona, which is responding to Ellefson’s request to pursue charges against person who leaked videos of him masturbating over video call with the woman, confirmed last year (via Rolling Stone) that his sexual partner was not underage at the time (at 19 years of age).The police report seen by Rolling Stone went on to say that the woman had shared the video with friends, “but wasn’t sure how it got leaked out to others”.It added: “She was remorseful and agreed to send out a social media statement on her Instagram account that she had been a willing consenting adult during their mutual virtual sexual encounter.”Despite not being charged for any criminal wrongdoing, Ellefson was fired from the band when the allegations emerged and has remained out of the group ever since.Now, in a recent radio interview with Rock 100.5 The KATT broadcasted at Rocklahoma festival in Pryor, Oklahoma, singer and guitarist Mustaine spoke about what it’s been like to play live again with a former Megadeth bassist, James LoMenzo, after 11 years.