JAY-Z’s Attorneys Shift Tactic, Claim Jane Doe Rape Claim Is Too Old To Pursue
JAY-Z’s legal team is working around the clock to find a way to combat the recent sexual assault allegations filed against him. On Monday (Dec. 30), Hov’s legal team filed a pre-motion letter arguing Jane Doe’s lawsuit, which accuses him of raping a minor in 2000 alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs, is too old to pursue.
The claim was filed under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act (GMV). JAY-Z’s lawyer Alex Spiro, argued the Act is not retroactive, meaning it does not apply to events that took place before it was passed, per USA Today. Although the Act was passed in 2000, the same year Jane Doe claims the incident took place, it was enacted in December, which would be three months after the alleged September event named in the suit.
Spiro wrote that letting the suit proceed would “violate both state and federal due process protections.”
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 25: (L-R) Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Jay-Z attend the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Sean “Diddy” Combs on January 25, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Additionally, the Roc-A-Fella co-founder’s team is arguing the GMV accuser is required to prove the alleged assault happened in New York City. According to the details in Jane Doe’s suit, she was driven “20 minutes from Radio City Music Hall to an estate with a U-shaped driveway,” which leads Spiro to believe the assault did not happen within NYC.
The rape lawsuit was originally filed in October 2024 in the Southern District of New York, listing the Bad Boy founder as a defendant. It was refiled in December to include JAY-Z.
There have been statements made from both sides, including Hov’s response that included calling attorney Tony Buzbee “an ambulance chaser in a cheap suit” and someone who “exploits people for personal gain.”
According to ABC News on Thursday (Dec. 26), U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ruled that Jane Doe can keep her identity private for now. However, she may change her stance at a later date. Torres explained how the alleged victim is “particularly vulnerable to the possible harms of disclosure,” due to her diagnosis of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a seizure disorder associated with the stress of her sexual assault.
