NEW YORK (AP) — An Alabama woman who claims she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs when she was 13 can remain anonymous for now in her lawsuit against the rap mogul. A judge ruled Thursday that he can.
In a written order, Judge Annalisa Torres condemned the attorneys representing Jay-Z as inappropriate for what she described as combative allegations and “inflammatory language” against the plaintiffs’ attorneys. denounced.
The Manhattan legal scholar said the woman could proceed anonymously in the early stages of the case, but could be asked to identify herself later as the case progresses. This allows defense attorneys to gather the facts necessary to prepare for trial. Torres also noted the “tremendous interest” from the public.
Mr. Combs remains incarcerated in New York, awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He also faces a series of sexual assault lawsuits, many brought by the plaintiff’s attorney, Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, whose office claims Combs’ sexual It says it represents more than 150 men and women who allege abuse and sexual exploitation.
The lawsuit alleges that many people were abused after receiving drug-laced drinks at parties in New York, California and Florida.
Mr. Combs’ lawyer called Mr. Buzbee’s lawsuit “a shameless publicity stunt aimed at extracting rewards from celebrities who fear that lies will be spread about them in the same way that lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.” Rejected. Jay-Z said in a statement that Buzbee was trying to blackmail him into settling an Alabama woman’s complaint.
Buzbee said in an email that his company does not comment on court decisions.
In the lawsuit, the woman who claims to have been raped at age 13 identifies herself as “Jane Doe.” In 2000, while living in Rochester, she headed to New York City and befriended a limousine driver, who took her to an MTV Music Awards afterparty, but ended up with Jay. -He said he was attacked by Z and Combs. .
Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, asked the judge to remove Jay-Z from the woman’s lawsuit, requesting a hearing the day after making the written request on Dec. 18.
Spiro cited an interview the plaintiff gave on NBC television, writing that the broadcast revealed the “obvious inconsistencies and utter impossibility” of the plaintiff’s story. First, this woman drove five hours from Rochester to watch the music awards show on the Jumbotron outside the VMAs, even though permits and photos show there was no Jumbotron at the event. He said he had moved.
Spiro also noted that the woman’s father said he did not remember driving from Rochester to pick up his daughter from New York City, as the woman claimed.
The woman admitted that there were inconsistencies in her story.
Torres said in Thursday’s order that Spiro, who has been on the case for less than three weeks, “has submitted a series of letters and motions seeking to impugn the character of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, many of which It explains the ‘urgency’ of the issue.” case. “
The judge referred to Jay-Z by his legal last name and said, “Carter’s lawyers’ persistent submission of combative motions, including inflammatory language and attacks on humanity, was inappropriate and a waste of judicial resources.” “This is a tactic that is unlikely to benefit the client.” Courts are not willing to speed up judicial proceedings simply because a lawyer requests it. ”
A message seeking comment was left Thursday for Spiro.
Copyright 2024 Associated Press. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
