A woman who is pursuing an anonymous lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs for an alleged rape that occurred in 2004 has been ordered by a New York judge to disclose her identity or face the dismissal of her case. The plaintiff has initiated her lawsuit under the alias Jane Doe, yet Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that, notwithstanding the sensitive nature of her allegations, she had not provided sufficient justification for maintaining her anonymity.
In her ruling, Judge Vyskocil acknowledged the plaintiff’s interest in privacy due to the delicate circumstances surrounding her claims and the likely public scrutiny of her personal life. However, she emphasized that as an adult pursuing legal action against a well-known figure for acts purportedly committed two decades ago, Jane Doe must reveal her name.
The judge pointed out that Jane Doe failed to convincingly argue that disclosing her identity would expose her to enhanced risks of retaliatory harm, considering that Combs is currently incarcerated as he awaits trial for separate federal sex trafficking charges.
According to Jane Doe, in 2004, while a college freshman, she and a friend were lured to a photo shoot near their Brooklyn campus by Combs, who later invited them to an after-party at a Marriott hotel. Allegedly, upon arriving, they were forcibly taken to a secluded room, where a male associate of Combs implied their purpose for being there. The situation escalated dramatically when Diddy is said to have coerced her friend into performing oral sex on him under the threat of death, before subsequently assaulting Jane Doe herself.
The woman is currently seeking a jury trial; however, Judge Vyskocil stated that this will only proceed if she formally files her complaint using her real name. She has until November 13 to comply, or her case will be dismissed. The lawsuit forms part of a larger series of 120 claims against Combs initiated by Texas attorney Tony Buzbee.
This marks the second case involving a Jane Doe where the court has mandated the disclosure of the plaintiff’s identity; a similar requirement was imposed on another accuser earlier this year by Manhattan Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke.
Combs is scheduled to face trial on May 5 for charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and facilitating prostitution, and he remains detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, with the potential for further charges pending.
Vocabulary List:
- Plaintiff /ˈpleɪn.tɪf/ (noun): A person who brings a case against another in a court of law.
- Allegations /ˌæləˈɡeɪʃənz/ (noun): Claims or assertions that someone has done something illegal or wrong typically without proof.
- Confidential /ˌkɒn.fɪˈden.ʃəl/ (adjective): Intended to be kept secret or private.
- Coerced /kəʊˈɜːrst/ (verb): To persuade an unwilling person to do something by using force or threats.
- Retaliatory /rɪˈtæl.ɪ.ə.tɔːr.i/ (adjective): Characterized by the act of returning an attack or act of harm.
- Scrutiny /ˈskruː.tɪ.ni/ (noun): Critical observation or examination.
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