A New York judge has ruled that a woman who accused Jay-Z of raping her alongside Diddy, when she was 13 years old can remain anonymous for the time being. This decision comes after the rapper’s legal team filed a motion demanding the woman reveal her identity or face dismissal of her lawsuit. The judge, however, determined that the woman had provided sufficient evidence to justify her anonymity, citing potential harm and the sensitive nature of the allegations.
Court slams Jay Z’s lawyer for ‘inflammatory language’
In a new filing on Thursday, U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres reprimanded rapper Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, for being overly aggressive and trying to “rush” the legal process. She schooled him for repeatedly asking the court to reject the alleged victim’s request to remain anonymous and to dismiss the damaging lawsuit against Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter. This includes filing aggressive motions with “inflammatory language and personal attacks” against the plaintiff’s attorney.
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“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,” Judge Analisa Torres said Thursday, according to court documents obtained by NY Post.
Torres pointed out that Spiro, who has been working on the case for less than three weeks, has filed many letters and motions aimed at attacking the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee. Earlier Jay Z accused the lawyer of blackmailing and trying to settle the case outside the court.
In response, Buzbee, while generally refraining from commenting on court decisions, told CBS that the defense’s attempts to attack him personally are ultimately ineffective. “The coordinated and desperate efforts to attack me as counsel for alleged victims are falling flat.”
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Jay Z and Diddy’s accuser can remain anonymous
Judge Analisa Torres stated that the woman can remain anonymous during the early stages of the case. However, she may be required to disclose her identity later on if the case moves forward, to allow defense attorneys to gather the necessary information for trial. The judge also acknowledged the significant public interest in the case.
“The Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it,” the judge added. “Here, the weight of the factors tips in favor of allowing Plaintiff to remain anonymous, at least for this stage of the litigation.”
The woman, who previously filed as Jane Doe in the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, recently added Jay-Z to her lawsuit in her December refiling. She claims that Jay-Z assaulted her during a VMAs afterparty when she was just 13 years old. The complaint also alleges that she was drugged after being taken to a ‘white building’ by a limo driver, where the disturbing incident occurred.
In court filings, the woman states she was drugged and then assaulted by both Combs and Jay-Z at a party, with an unnamed “female celebrity” reportedly present. Jay-Z for his part has denied the allegations and criticised the plaintiff’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, for unethical practices.
Buzbee is handling multiple lawsuits against Diddy, who is currently held in a Brooklyn jail on charges related to sex trafficking, racketeering, and sexual assault. Diddy’s lawyers have criticized Buzbee for engaging in “shameless publicity stunts” aimed at extracting payments from celebrities “who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.”
