By Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN
Jay-Z, whose given name is Shawn Carter, has vigourously denied the accusations. Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images via CNN Newsource
Jay-Z's efforts to dismiss a case accusing him of raping a then-13-year-old girl in 2000 has been denied by a judge, who also granted the "Jane Doe" accuser the ability to proceed anonymously, despite efforts from the rap mogul's legal team to have her reveal her identity publicly.
Jay-Z, whose given name is Shawn Carter, has vigourously denied the accusations.
In an order filed on Thursday, Judge Analisa Torres penned a scathing decision, condemning Carter's lawyer's aggressive tactics in moving to dismiss the case.
"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," the order read. "The Court will not fast-track the judicial process merely because counsel demands it."
Earlier this month, Doe filed an amended lawsuit that was initially filed in October, accusing Sean "Diddy" Combs and an anonymous celebrity of raping her after the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. Carter was named in the amended complaint, revealing him to be the first celebrity accused of sexual assault in connection to Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to three federal charges and is awaiting a criminal trial. In her complaint, Doe said she was drugged at the party before she was sexually assaulted by both men.
Carter has repeatedly denied the claims, and has noted inconsistencies in Doe's story, which she admitted to in a recent interview, while still standing by her rape allegations against Carter and Combs. Relying on those inconsistencies, Carter's lawyer took the unusual step of asking the judge for an expedited dismissal on the grounds that the case is frivolous and unfounded.
Doe is represented by Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee, who has said he is representing at least 120 accusers of Combs.
Carter's attorney, Alex Spiro, has taken aim at Buzbee, accusing him of extorting his famous client.
In the judge's order, she condemned Spiro for making such accusations against Buzbee, writing, "Since Carter's attorney first appeared in this case seventeen days ago, he has submitted a litany of letters and motions attempting to impugn the character of Plaintiff's lawyer, many of them expounding on the purported 'urgency' of this case."
"Although Carter's attorney assails Plaintiff's lawyer as having a 'chronic inability to follow the rules,' the order continued, "Carter's counsel has failed to abide by this Court's clear rules."
Buzbee told CNN via email on Thursday, "The coordinated and desperate efforts to attack me as counsel for alleged victims are falling flat."
CNN has reached out to Spiro for comment, as well as additional representatives for Carter.
In her decision to grant Doe's motion to proceed anonymously, the judge wrote, "The weight of the factors tips in favour of allowing Plaintiff to remain anonymous, at least for this stage of the litigation," but noted that this decision could change, writing, "because the balance of these factors will certainly shift as this case proceeds, especially if and when the parties engage in discovery in earnest, the Court intends to revisit this decision at a future date."
The judge's order explained that factors in granting Doe to be able to proceed anonymously included that allegations concerning sexual assault are "highly sensitive," given that Doe alleged that Combs and Carter "drugged and raped her when she was only thirteen," as well as Buzbee's assertion that "many of his other clients who have filed similar lawsuits against Sean Combs claim to have been threatened by Mr. Combs for their decision to speak out."
Representatives for Combs declined to comment on the judge's decision but previously issued a statement on Doe's case. "This amended complaint and the recent extortion lawsuit against Mr. Buzbee exposes his barrage of lawsuits against Mr. Combs for what they are: 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," his legal team said, denying that he has ever sexually assaulted anyone.
Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Carter's attorney called Doe's case "all a fantasy" and said, "We expect the case to be dismissed. If it's not, we expect this all to crumble."
- CNN