The woman accusing Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her when she was 13 can proceed anonymously (“at least for now”) in her lawsuit against the rappers, a judge ruled Thursday.
New York Judge Analisa Torres also condemned the legal team representing Jay-Z for the “relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks [on accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee],” according to a court order obtained by Variety. Judge Torres called the complaints “inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client [Jay-Z].”
Jane Doe, who filed her lawsuit in October, will remain anonymous at this early stage of the litigation. She could still be required by the court to reveal her identity — that’s if the case progresses. Judge Torres added that the court would “not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it.”
Combs’ lawyers have dismissed the accuser’s lawyer, Tony Buzbee, and his lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts, designed to extract payments from celebrities who fear having lies spread about them, just as lies have been spread about Mr. Combs.” Jay-Z has said in a statement that Buzbee is trying to blackmail him to settle the Jane Doe’s allegations.
Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Jay-Z, recently asked the judge to dismiss the entertainer from the woman’s lawsuit. He cited a report from NBC News that revealed the accuser had admitted to some “inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her allegations. His team has also issued public statements referring to Buzbee as a “1-800 lawyer” who is “in the pursuit of money and fame.”
Representatives for Carter did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
Jane Doe claims she was living in Rochester in 2000 when she made her way to New York City and befriended a limousine driver who drove her to an after-party for the MTV Music Awards, where she says she was raped by Jay-Z and Combs.
Combs has been held in a Brooklyn jail since September. He will remain there until his trial is scheduled to begin in May.
