Judge Scolds Jay-Z's Lawyer for Attacking Accuser

Jane Doe, who alleges she was raped at 13, can remain anonymous for now, judge rules
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 27, 2024 8:50 AM CST
Judge Scolds Jay-Z's Lawyer for Attacking Accuser
Rap moguls Sean "Diddy" Combs, left, and Jay-Z attend the NBA All-Star basketball game, Feb. 15, 2015, in New York.   (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)

The Alabama woman who accuses Sean "Diddy" Combs and Jay-Z of sexually assaulting her in 2000 when she was 13 can remain anonymous for now, a judge ruled Thursday. The "Jane Doe," who sued Combs in October and later amended her complaint to name Jay-Z as well, alleges she was raped at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty, though Jay-Z's lawyer, Alex Spiro, has described the claim as "provably, demonstrably false." He requested the lawsuit be dismissed unless the 38-year-old accuser revealed her identity. US District Judge Analisa Torres denied the motion Thursday, calling out Spiro for "inappropriate" behavior, per People.

The 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 judge wrote, adding "the Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it." Spiro had argued Jay-Z "deserves to know the identity of the person who is effectively accusing him—in sensationalized, publicity-hunting fashion—of criminal conduct, demanding massive financial compensation, and tarnishing a reputation earned over decades." Torres noted the woman may be required to reveal her identity at a later date, to allow defense lawyers to prepare for trial, if the case proceeds, per the CBC. (More Jay-Z stories.)

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