Diddy Gets Rare Win In New York Court Against Accuser
With over a hundred suits against Sean “Diddy” Combs on top of serious criminal charges, the rapper has experienced several legal setbacks since his home was raided earlier this year, but he’s received a small win in one lawsuit. A judge has ruled that one accuser must publicly reveal her name in connection with the legal battle, or her case will be dropped. The ruling could lead to one less legal challenge for the music magnate.
Jane Doe Must Reveal Her Identity
In the wake of Diddy’s arrest, many victims came forward with lawsuits against the rapper, accusing him of various sex crimes. Many of these accusers have remained anonymous, many filing their suits under the common pseudonym “Jane Doe.” It was one of these Jane Doe accusers who was told she would have to file under her legal name or have her case dismissed.
Despite her anonymous status, some details are known about the woman who filed the Diddy lawsuit. She has accused the rapper of raping her when she was a college freshman in 2004. According to her filing, he threatened physical violence against her if she didn’t comply with his demands.
The Jane Doe is represented by Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who claims he has 120 clients involved in the upcoming Diddy lawsuits. Many of the anonymous accusers involved in the large legal battle are Buzbee’s clients. It’s assumed that at least some of these anonymous clients will drop their suits if they’re required to come forward publicly.
Reason For The Ruling
The Diddy lawsuit ruling came from New York Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil. Despite the sensitive nature of the legal case, she claims that the woman failed to prove legal entitlement to anonymity. The judge cited the celebrity nature of the accused and the 20-year delay in filing a suit as reasons not to allow the woman to remain anonymous.
While Diddy won a small victory in one of the lawsuits against him, the rapper’s legal position still seems overwhelmingly negative. With Tony Buzbee’s plan to file over a hundred suits against him, in addition to the cases filed by other attorneys, his legal team will have to juggle numerous cases. Any chance to have one of those cases dismissed is a huge win for that team, giving them one less case to worry about.
Diddy’s Charges
Of course, the biggest upcoming legal battle for Diddy isn’t the numerous lawsuits, it’s the very serious criminal charges he’s facing. The rapper has been accused of human trafficking, running a racketeering conspiracy, and transporting prostitutes across state lines. Two of those charges carry the potential for life in prison, and if convicted on all three charges, he would serve a minimum of 25 years in prison.
The anonymous woman was given until November 13 to file her charges with her legal name, so those following the story should expect news on that front soon. The ruling is one of the few wins for Diddy in his current lawsuit saga, but the case hasn’t been dropped yet. Even if November 13 passes without a new filing, Buzbee has promised more filings are coming, not to mention the criminal case against Combs.
Source: TMZ
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