Jay-Z faced a scathing rebuke for “waste of legal remedies” in his fight against a woman who accused him of raping her when she was 13.
The music mogul, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has made several attempts through his attorney Alex Spiro to quash the case or force the woman to be publicly identified.
But on Thursday, Judge Analisa Torres sided with his accuser, granting the woman anonymity for the next stage of the proceedings and ruling against Spiro.
The woman, also called Jane Doe, claims that Carter, along with disgraced rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, drugged and raped her when she was 13 at an after-party for the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards in New York City.
In a five-page filing released Thursday, Judge Torres condemned Spiro’s aggressive legal maneuvers, describing them as “combative” and filled with “inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks.”
She accused Carter’s attorney of trying to “expedite the judicial process” by making repeated requests to reveal Jane Doe’s identity and dismiss the case.
“Carter’s attorney’s relentless filing of belligerent motions with inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks is inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client,” Torres stated firmly.
“The Court will not expedite judicial proceedings simply because counsel demands it.”
The judge in the case of rape allegations against Jay-Z dating back 25 years has issued a scathing rebuke of the rapper’s lawyer’s conduct
According to the lawsuit, the alleged incident occurred after the plaintiff, then a teenager trying to attend the awards ceremony at Radio City Music Hall, was invited to an afterparty by a man claiming to be Combs’ limousine driver.
The disturbing lawsuit claims that upon arriving at the party, the woman was forced to sign a non-disclosure agreement, served a drug-laced drink, and then assaulted by Carter and Combs while a “female celebrity” looked on.
Carter has vehemently denied the claims, calling them baseless and accusing the accuser and her attorney, Tony Buzbee, of making up a “false statement.”
Buzbee’s lawsuit against Jay-Z is part of a series of civil cases he has filed against Combs, 55, who is jailed in New York awaiting trial on federal charges that he coerced and abused women for years.
Jay-Z said the lawsuit against him is part of an extortion attempt.
After the allegations came to light, he quickly issued a statement accusing Buzbee of trying to blackmail him into agreeing to a legal settlement over allegations that he and Combs raped a woman when she was 13 years old.
“I have no idea how you became such a deplorable human being, Mr. Buzbee, but I promise you that I have seen your kind many times,” Jay-Z said in his statement.
“You claim to be a Marine? Marines are known for their bravery, you have no honor or dignity.”
Judge Analisa Torres, pictured, reprimanded Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, in the sexual assault case that dates back nearly 25 years
Judge Torres condemned Spiro’s aggressive legal maneuvers, describing them as “combative” and filled with “inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks.”
In a crucial victory for the prosecution, the judge ruled that Jane Doe’s anonymity would be preserved for the time being, emphasizing that “the weight of the factors favor allowing the accuser to remain anonymous, at least for this phase of the trial.” ‘
While Carter has publicly denied the allegations and criticized the inconsistencies in the accuser’s story, co-defendant Sean Combs has become entangled in even deeper legal troubles.
Combs, who is currently being held without bail on federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution, has also denied the charges in the case.
His trial is scheduled for May 2025.