A woman who claims Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her in 2000, when she was 13, does not have to reveal her identity, a judge decided on Thursday, December 26.
The woman, identified in court as Jane Doe, alleges she was raped after being taken to an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty 24 years ago. She initially filed a lawsuit against Combs in October and later added Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) to the complaint in December... Continue reading here ▶
Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, argued that the lawsuit should be dismissed unless the woman revealed her identity. However, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres denied the motion, criticizing Spiro’s approach.
“Filing motions filled with combative language and personal attacks wastes judicial resources and does not help the client,” Judge Torres wrote. She also pointed out that Spiro failed to give Jane Doe the required five days to respond to his motion, calling this behavior “unacceptable.”
Jay-Z’s attorney has not responded to requests for comment.
Tony Buzbee, the woman’s attorney, criticized the legal efforts against his client, stating, “The desperate attempts to attack me as counsel for victims are failing.”
Spiro previously argued that Jay-Z has a right to know the identity of the accuser, claiming the allegations were damaging his reputation and appeared to be a publicity stunt.
The accuser, now 38, acknowledged in a December 13 interview with NBC News that her memories of the incident have some inconsistencies. However, she continues to stand by her claims.
“You should always stand up for yourself and not let someone else’s actions control your life,” she said. “I hope my actions inspire others to come forward.”
A representative for Combs has not provided a comment.
