Judge Rules Jay-Z, Diddy Accuser Can Remain Anonymous For Now
Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs find themselves facing accusations from a now 38-year-old who alleges both men raped her when she was only 13. Both men deny the claims.
The woman, now residing in Alabama, has chosen to remain anonymous and is referred to as "Jane Doe" in legal documents. Through her representative, the woman explained that she refrained from coming forward previously because—given the social status of the accused—she thought no one would believe her.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, denies the allegations and claims that this lawsuit is nothing more than a pursuit of financial gain and fame. Sean Combs also rejected the accusations against him, claiming, through his lawyers, that Jane Doe's lawsuit is motivated by an attempt to exploit the two celebrities. Jay-Z, in particular, has expressed a desire for the court to reveal the identity of the woman, who he claims is engaged in a "blackmail attempt."
Accuser Can Remain Anonymous For Now
On December 26, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres said that the woman could remain anonymous, at least for now. Judge Torres was responding to a motion by Carter's attorney, celebrity lawyer Alex Spiro, of Quinn Emmanuel, who filed a motion requesting the woman's identity be revealed.
While Judge Torres denied the motion, as the case moves forward the woman may not be able to maintain anonymity throughout the case, especially if it goes to trial.
Judge Torres also had cautionary words for Spiro, who has a reputation as a combative attorney who has previously been reprimanded for hostile behavior toward opposing counsel. Judge Torres told Spiro to stop the "relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks." An ad hominem attack is an argument that criticizes the individual, rather than making substantive arguments regarding the claims.
The Allegations, Explained
The following are the claims made in the lawsuit. The plaintiff alleges that the incident took place 24 years ago, when she was only 13 years old. She alleges that she snuck out of her home in Rochester, New York, with the intent of attending the MTV Video Music Awards. However, Doe was unable to secure a ticket to enter the event.
Unable to enter the Awards, she alleges to have stayed outside of the venue and watched the event live on a large screen, alongside other fans. It was then, Doe states, that a limousine driver approached her, introduced himself as an individual associated with Combs, and offered entry to an exclusive after-party.
Nondisclosure Agreement
Jane Doe got into the vehicle and the driver took her to a large residence, where she was met by two men who, upon arrival, asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Given her age and maturity level, the plaintiff signed the paper, excited about mingling with celebrities and taking part in the after-party.
She recalls meeting several celebrities at the after-party, including Fred Durst and Benji Madden. Upon inquiry, Madden's representatives say that could not have happened because he was on tour at the time.
The evening progressed and Jane Doe was offered drinks, which she realized were not regular drinks because she immediately felt sick and looked for an empty room where she could lie down and rest.
Accusations of Assault
It was then that the Plaintiff alleges she was assaulted. First by Jay-Z, and then by Combs. She mentioned the name of a third person who was present in the room—an unnamed woman—who observed as the assault took place. In her own words, she describes the harrowing moment when Jay-Z allegedly restrained her and demanded that she stop resisting.
She says that following the traumatic assault, she managed to get away and successfully escaped the after-party, running into a gas station, where she went in and in her distress, asked the attendant if she could use the phone to call her father for a ride home.
Blurry Memories
After she revealed this information, all parties named were interviewed and inconsistencies were found in her accounts of meeting certain celebrities and even details surrounding her father's recollection of picking her up that night at the gas station, where she was allegedly in distress after being raped by the two men.
Jay-Z firmly denies the allegations and ever meeting the woman, who according to him is after him for money and fame, presumably because Sean "Diddy" Combs is currently facing hundreds of charges, including charges involving sexual assault. He stated that he is confident his innocence will be proven in a forthcoming legal resolution.
The plaintiff asked the court to remain anonymous and stated, at one point, that she wanted to negotiate with Jay-Z and his attorneys in mediation. She said that initially she did not want to make the matter public or go to trial. Jay-Z, however, believes this is an attempt to extort him and Combs, and asked the court to reveal the identity of the woman and expects to fight the allegations in court.
Lawsuit Amended to Include Jay-Z
Initially, the lawsuit, which was filed by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee in New York, only included Sean "Diddy" Combs. Later, the lawsuit was amended by the plaintiff to include Jay-Z as a defendant, marking a significant escalation in the legal proceedings. While the accusations against Sean "Diddy" Combs may not come as a surprise because of the criminal charges he currently faces, Jay-Z did not have any criminal or civil cases pending.
On December 30, Spiro requested permission to file a motion to dismiss the case on procedural grounds. While the judge granted the right to file, the court has not yet ruled on the motion. Both parties will have the opportunity to argue whether the case can move forward, and a decision on the motion is not expected until March.
Related Resources
- What's Going on in the Case Against Sean "Diddy" Combs? (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
- Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuits (FindLaw's Learn About the Law)
- The Legal Aftermath of Liam Payne's Mysterious Death in Argentina (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
