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Jay-Z Files Lawsuit Against Accusers in Rape Case
Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter has initiated legal action against the attorneys and an unnamed woman who previously accused him and Sean “Diddy” Combs of rape. The allegations surfaced last year but were withdrawn in February. Court documents reveal Jay-Z’s claims that the lawyers, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, along with their client, referred to as Jane Doe, are conspiring to propagate false allegations that he and Diddy drugged and assaulted her when she was 13 years old in 2000.
Initially, Jane Doe filed a sexual assault complaint against Diddy last October, referring to another unnamed “male celebrity” who she alleged had assaulted her at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty. Later, she revised her complaint to include Jay-Z as a co-defendant. In his lawsuit, Jay-Z asserts that prior to being publicly named, he received what he described as an “extortionate” demand letter from Buzbee, coupled with an anonymous lawsuit that preceded the formal accusation.
Furthermore, Jay-Z claims that Jane Doe’s interview with NBC News was a calculated effort to amplify her story to public attention, aiming to present the narrative in both the courtroom and on a global television platform.
The lawsuit emphasizes that Jay-Z did not take this step lightly and that he does not wish to reveal Jane Doe’s identity, but aims to hold her accountable for what he describes as intentional defamation. He further alleges that Buzbee, Fortney, and their associates failed to adequately investigate her claims, noting that there were inconsistencies that could undermine her credibility. According to Jay-Z’s legal team, a former law firm had previously assessed the allegations and their current investigation is ongoing.
Buzbee, in response to these developments, defended his client, asserting through an email to Pitchfork that Jay-Z’s lawsuit lacks legal foundation. He also accused Jay-Z’s investigators of engaging in harassment and intimidation tactics against Jane Doe. Buzbee stated that she remains steadfast in her claims despite the alleged pressure. He mentioned incidents where investigators supposedly offered financial incentives to individuals to pursue legal actions against him and his firm. Buzbee characterized Jay-Z’s approach as another instance of intimidation and vowed to confront these allegations through appropriate legal channels, denouncing what he termed as baseless claims.
Source
pitchfork.com