JAY-Z and his legal team moved to uncover the accuser’s identity and noted inconsistencies in the initial story.
Jay-Z and Diddy attend 2019 Roc Nation THE BRUNCH on February 9, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Roc Nation
A judge has ruled that the Jane Doe victim accusing Hip-Hop moguls Sean “Diddy” Combs and Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter of rape is allowed to remain anonymous. According to ABC News on Thursday (Dec. 26), U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ruled that although Jane Doe can keep her identity private for now, she may change her stance at a later date.
In her decision, Judge Torres explained how the alleged victim is “particularly vulnerable to the possible harms of disclosure,” due to her diagnosis of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a seizure disorder associated with the stress of her sexual assault.
Judge Torres also noted that the victim remaining anonymous “may cause prejudice to Defendants, making it more difficult for them to collect the facts necessary to mount a defense” and elaborated, “Plaintiff is advised that, because the balance of these factors will certainly shift as this case proceeds, especially if and when the parties engage in discovery in earnest, the Court intends to revisit this decision at a future date.”
Jay-Z is seen prior to a game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on November 24, 2024 in Landover, Maryland.
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The news of the lawsuit first became public earlier this month, with the victim claiming to have been 13 at the time of the incident. Tony Buzbee originally filed the suit as a part of the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act in the Southern District of New York in October, where it only included Combs. Carter was added on at a later date.
“It’s obvious Mr. Carter didn’t rape anyone,” exclaimed Carter’s lawyer Alex Spiro at a press conference at the Roc Nation headquarters after the accuser did an interview with NBC News.
Spiro also asserted, “Mr. Carter has nothing to do with Mr. Combs’ case, or Mr. Combs,” continuing, “They knew each other professionally for a number of years. Just like in all professions, people know each other. At a music awards, they support each other. You go to the NBA All-Star game, they support each other. That’s just how professions work. There is no closer association between any of them. That’s also a matter of fiction. That’s all that there is, he doesn’t know anything about the charges or allegations against [Combs], he has nothing to do with that case. And there’s nothing more to say.”
Jay-Z attends Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona.
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The Brooklyn rapper and his lawyer have maintained his innocence throughout the entire ordeal. Even moving to request the case be dismissed.
“This incident didn’t happen,” shared the Reasonable Doubt rapper in a statement. “And yet [Buzbee] filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True Justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon.”
According to ABC News, Judge Torres criticized some of the moved made by Carter and Spiro asserting, “Carter’s lawyer’s relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client. The Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it.”
Despite her inconsistencies, the Jane Doe remains adamant in her claim.
