Clinton Heylin, a Bob Dylan biographer, has been drawn into the public debate over the accusation that his subject sexually assaulted a twelve-year-old girl. The woman, identified as J.C, filed a lawsuit alleging that Dylan gave her drugs and alcohol and sexually assaulted her in his New York apartment over a six-week period that began in April 1965. Heylin expressed skepticism about the claim in an interview with the HuffPost.

Heylin has written 11 books about Dylan. The most recent, The Double Life of Bob Dylan: A Restless, Hungry Feeling (1941–1966), includes the period during which the assaults allegedly occurred. “Dylan was touring England during that time, and was in Los Angeles for two of those weeks, plus a day or two at Woodstock,” Heylin said. “The tour was 10 days, but Bob flew into London on April 26 and arrived back in New York on June 3.” If Dylan had been in New York in mid-April, it was only for a day or two, Heylin added.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Daniel Isaacs, dismissed Heylin’s argument. Isaacs told The New York Post, “Looking at the [tour] schedule—it’s not inconsistent with our client’s claims. There are dates that he wasn’t touring for several weeks in April and this will all come out at that appropriate time. The claims were vetted before the case was filed and we did our research.” Through a spokesperson, Dylan denied the allegations.