The judge overseeing the case involving a woman who alleges she was raped by Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs when she was 13 has criticized the “inappropriate” behavior of Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro.
In a written ruling, Judge Analisa Torres condemned Spiro for his combative legal motions and “inflammatory language” directed at the plaintiff’s attorney, Tony Buzbee.
Spiro, who has been representing Jay-Z for about three weeks, had previously requested that the woman’s identity be revealed. Currently, she is identified only as “Jane Doe”, a legal term used to keep her anonymous.
The judge stated that while the plaintiff can proceed anonymously for now, she might be required to disclose her identity in the future.
Sean Combs remains in a Brooklyn jail, awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
.He is facing multiple sexual assault lawsuits, many of which were filed by Tony Buzbee, who claims his firm represents over 150 individuals—both men and women—accusing Combs of sexual abuse and exploitation. These lawsuits allege that many victims were abused at parties in New York, California, and Florida, after being given drugged drinks.
Combs’ lawyers have dismissed the lawsuits as “shameless publicity stunts” intended to extract settlements from celebrities who fear false accusations, similar to the alleged lies spread about Combs.
Jay-Z, whose real name is Sean Carter, has previously claimed that Buzbee was attempting to blackmail him into settling the plaintiff’s allegations. Buzbee, in response, said in an email that his firm does not comment on court rulings.
In the lawsuit, the woman claims that Jay-Z and Sean Combs raped her after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, when she was 13 years old. Both men strongly deny the accusations.
Jay-Z (Photo: Getty Images)
Spiro had previously requested that the judge dismiss Jay-Z from the lawsuit, citing an interview the plaintiff, which he claimed revealed “glaring inconsistencies and outright impossibilities” in her story. The woman acknowledged some inconsistencies in her testimony but maintained that her core allegations remained true.
Judge Torres, in her ruling on Thursday, stated that Spiro had submitted numerous letters and motions in an attempt to undermine the plaintiff’s attorney. She noted that these motions often focused on the alleged “urgency” of the case.
The judge also wrote, “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.” She made it clear that the court would not rush the judicial process simply because Spiro demanded it.
Additionally, she pointed out that Spiro, who had accused the plaintiff’s lawyer of a “chronic inability to follow the rules,” had failed to adhere to proper legal procedures himself. The judge warned Spiro against any further “unacceptable” behavior.
Additional Legal Matters
Meanwhile, on December 20, another woman filed a new lawsuit accusing Sean Combs of drugging and sexually assaulting her at a party in New York in 2006, which she attended after winning a contest from a local radio station.
The woman, who was 23 at the time, claimed that after drinking two premade drinks served by waitresses, she felt sick and lost consciousness. She later woke up in a hospital, disoriented, with a torn shirt, missing underwear and shoes, and no memory of how she arrived there.
The lawsuit states that she experienced vaginal pain for about a week, which she believes was caused by rough intercourse. She also reported receiving a threatening phone call from an unknown woman with a New York number, urging her to stay silent.
Combs’ attorney has labeled these allegations as “pure fiction.” In addition to Combs, the lawsuit also targets Bad Boy Entertainment Holdings, the company founded by Combs; Atlantic Records, which allegedly helped facilitate the event; Mike Savas, an Atlantic promoter at the time; Delta Airlines, which flew her to New York; KKJamz 105.3, the radio station hosting the contest; and the Roger Smith Hotel, where the woman stayed.
