An Alabama woman, who claims that she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs when she was 13 years old, has been granted permission by a judge to proceed with her lawsuit against the rap moguls while remaining anonymous, at least for the time being.
Judge Analisa Torres issued a written order in which she criticized Jay-Z’s lawyer for their confrontational motions and the use of “inflammatory language” towards the plaintiff’s lawyer. The judge deemed these actions as inappropriate.
The judge in Manhattan ruled that the woman can maintain her anonymity during the initial stages of the legal proceedings. However, there may be a requirement for her to disclose her identity at a later point if the case moves forward. This would enable the defense lawyers to gather the necessary information for trial preparation. Additionally, the judge acknowledged the significant public interest in the case.
Sean Combs, also known as P. Diddy, is currently in custody in New York as he awaits a criminal trial for federal sex trafficking charges. At the same time, he is also dealing with numerous lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault. These lawsuits have been filed by Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who represents over 150 individuals, both men and women, who claim to have been victims of sexual abuse and exploitation by Combs.
Numerous individuals have come forward, filing lawsuits in New York, California, and Florida, claiming that they were subjected to abuse at parties where they were given drinks laced with drugs.
Combs’ legal team has categorically rejected Buzbee’s lawsuits, deeming them as nothing more than “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at extorting money from celebrities who are wary of false accusations being spread about them, similar to the untruths that have been associated with Mr. Combs. Jay-Z, in a written statement, has accused Buzbee of attempting to blackmail him into resolving the claims made by the woman from Alabama.
According to Buzbee, his firm does not provide comments on court rulings, as stated in an email.
In her lawsuit, the woman, who goes by the pseudonym “Jane Doe,” alleges that she was raped at the age of 13. She claims that in 2000, while living in Rochester, she traveled to New York City and became acquainted with a limousine driver who took her to an after-party for the MTV Music Awards. It was at this event that she alleges Jay-Z and Combs assaulted her.
Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, made a request to the judge to dismiss his client from the woman’s lawsuit. Additionally, he also requested a hearing on the case, which was scheduled for the day after he submitted his written requests on December 18th.
In an interview with NBC-TV, the plaintiff’s account was scrutinized by Spiro, who pointed out “glaring inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her story. One such inconsistency was the woman’s claim of traveling for five hours from Rochester to watch the music awards show on a jumbotron outside the VMA, despite evidence showing that there was no jumbotron present at the event, as confirmed by permits and pictures.
According to Spiro, the woman’s father has stated that he does not remember driving from Rochester to pick up his daughter in New York City, as she claims he did.
The woman has confessed that there are inconsistencies in her story.
In her recent order, Judge Torres criticized Attorney Spiro for submitting numerous letters and motions aimed at attacking the character of the plaintiff’s lawyer. These documents, which were filed within a short timeframe of less than three weeks, primarily focused on emphasizing the alleged urgency of the case.
The judge, referring to Jay-Z by his legal last name, criticized Carter’s lawyer for consistently filing aggressive motions that contain inflammatory language and personal attacks. The judge deemed this behavior inappropriate, a misuse of the court’s time and resources, and an unlikely strategy to benefit his client. The Court made it clear that they will not expedite the judicial process simply based on the demands of counsel.
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