An Alabama woman who says she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean (Diddy) Combs when she was 13 can remain anonymous in her lawsuit against the rap moguls, a judge ruled Thursday.
In her written order, Judge Analisa Torres also reprimanded the attorney representing Jay-Z for his combative motions and “inflammatory language” against the plaintiff’s attorney, which she described as inappropriate.
The Manhattan judge said the woman could proceed anonymously at this early stage of the litigation but may have to reveal her identity at a later date if the case continues. This would allow defense attorneys to gather the facts necessary to prepare for trial. Torres also cited “significant interest” from the public.
Combs remains jailed in New York awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He is also facing a wave of sexual assault lawsuits, many of which were filed by the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who says his firm represents over 150 people, both men and women, who Accusing Combs of sexual abuse and exploitation.
The lawsuits allege that many people were abused after receiving drug-laced drinks at parties in New York, California and Florida.
An amended lawsuit filed Sunday in federal court alleges that rap mogul Jay-Z, along with Sean (Diddy) Combs, raped a 13-year-old girl during a party in 2000. Jay-Z denies the claim.
Combs’ lawyers have dismissed Buzbee’s lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts designed to extort payments from celebrities who fear lies are being spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.”
Jay-Z said in a statement that Buzbee was trying to blackmail him to resolve the Alabama woman’s allegations.
Buzbee said in an email that his firm does not comment on court rulings.
In her lawsuit, the woman who says she was raped when she was 13 years old identifies herself as Jane Doe. She said she was living in Rochester in 2000 when she made her way to New York City and befriended a limo driver who drove her to an MTV Music Awards afterparty, where she said she eventually met Jay -Z and Combs were attacked.
Alex Spiro, an attorney for Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, asked the judge to dismiss the entertainer from the woman’s lawsuit and requested a hearing on the case for the day after he filed his motions on Dec. 18 submitted in writing.
Citing an interview the plaintiff conducted on NBC-TV, Spiro wrote that the show revealed “glaring inconsistencies and utter impossibilities” in the plaintiff’s story. He noted that the woman said she had traveled five hours from Rochester to watch the music awards show on a jumbotron outside the event, even though permits and pictures show no jumbotron was present.
Spiro also noted that the woman’s father said he did not remember driving from Rochester to pick up his daughter in New York City, as she claimed.
The woman acknowledged inconsistencies in her story.
Torres wrote in her order Thursday that Spiro, who has been on the case for less than three weeks, has filed a “litany of letters and motions attempting to impugn the character of plaintiff’s counsel, with many of them the alleged ‘urgency’ of …” present this case.”
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Referring to Jay-Z by his legal last name, the judge said, “Carter’s attorney’s relentless filing of motions to fight containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources and a tactic that is inimical to his client.” “The court will not expedite the legal process just because the lawyer requests it.”
A message seeking comment from Spiro was left Thursday.
Support is available for anyone who has been sexually abused. This gives you access to crisis hotlines and local support services Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911.
