Judge says woman accusing Jay-Z, Sean “Diddy” Combs of raping her at age 13 can proceed anonymously

NEW YORK (AP) – An Alabama woman who says she was raped at age 13 by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs can remain anonymous in her lawsuit against the rap moguls for now, a judge ruled Thursday.

In her written order, Judge Analisa Torres also scolded the lawyer representing Jay-Z for what she called his hostile motions and “inflammatory language” toward the plaintiff’s lawyer, calling them inappropriate.

The Manhattan attorney said the woman can proceed anonymously at this early stage of the proceedings but could be asked to reveal her identity at a later date if the case proceeds. This would enable defense lawyers to gather the facts necessary to prepare for trial. Torres also mentioned “considerable interest” from the public.

Combs remains in a New York prison awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. He is also threatened by the wave sexual assault trialsmany of which were filed by the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who says his firm represents more than 150 people, both men and women, who allege sexual abuse and exploitation by Combs.

The lawsuit alleges that multiple people were subjected to violence at parties in New York, California and Florida after consuming drug-laced drinks.

Combs’ lawyers have dismissed Buzbee’s lawsuits as “a shameless publicity stunt designed to extract money from celebrities who fear that lies about them will be spread, just as lies were spread about Mr. Combs.” Jay-Z said in a statement that Buzbee was trying to blackmail him to settle the Alabama woman’s allegations.

Buzbee wrote in an email that his company does not comment on court decisions.

In her lawsuit, the woman who claims she was raped at age 13 identifies herself as “Jane Doe.” She said she was living in Rochester in 2000 when she went to New York and befriended a limo driver who took her to the MTV Music Awards after-party, where she claims she was eventually attacked by Jay- Z and Combs. .

Alex Spiro, Jay-Z’s lawyer, asked a judge to release the artist from the woman’s lawsuit and requested a hearing in the case the day after the December 18 written submissions.

Quoting from an interview the plaintiff gave to NBC-TV, Spiro wrote that the broadcast revealed “glaring inconsistencies and downright impossibilities” in the plaintiff’s story. First, the woman said she traveled from Rochester for five hours to watch the music awards ceremony on the jumbotron before the VMAs, even though permits and photos show there was no jumbotron at the event.

Spiro also noted that the woman’s father stated that he did not recall driving from Rochester to New York to pick up his daughter, as she claimed.

The woman admitted to inconsistencies in her story.

Torres wrote in her order Thursday that Spiro, who has been on the case for less than three weeks, presented a “litany of letters and motions designed to impugn the character of the plaintiff’s lawyer, many of which explained the purported ‘urgency’ of this case.” thing.”

Referring to Jay-Z by his legal name, the judge added: “Counsel Carter’s relentless filing of fighting motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, wastes judicial resources, and is a tactic that is unlikely to benefit his client. The Court will not expedite the judicial process just because a lawyer requests it.”

He was left a message seeking comment from Spiro on Thursday.