Jay-Z asked a federal judge to order his sexual assault accuser to reveal her identity as he accuses the woman of being part of a “calculated” campaign to force payment of “an exorbitant sum of money” from him, In Touch can exclusively report.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, the rapper (real name: Shawn Carter) fired back at the woman’s plea to keep her name sealed from the public.
The woman filed a lawsuit against Diddy and other unnamed defendants in October, accusing him of sexual assault at a VMAs afterparty in 2000.
She used the pseudonym Jane Doe to bring the case. On Sunday, December 8, the woman amended her lawsuit to reveal one of the unnamed defendants was Jay-Z, 55.
In the suit, Jane also accused Jay-Z of sexual assault at the party. As In Touch first reported, Jane asked the court to allow her to continue without using her real name in filings.
The accuser’s lawyer argued, “Plaintiff’s identification poses a risk of both physical and mental harm.”
He continued, “The filing of this lawsuit has garnered significant attention in the press, and if Plaintiff’s identity is revealed to the public, there is little doubt that she would be inundated with unwanted attention from the media that would cause her extreme psychological distress.”
Now, Jay-Z said Jane’s request should be shut down.
His lawyer wrote, “For months, an extortionate campaign has been targeting [Jay-Z] under cover of darkness. That campaign was cynical and calculated to force payment of an exorbitant sum of money — [Jay-Z] would have to pay X millions of dollars irrespective of the truth, or else.”
The musician’s lawyer continued, “When [Jay-Z] refused to pay and instead took measures to establish his innocence, this unnamed Plaintiff and her self-promoting counsel (whose name has been splashed across headlines and press conferences under auspices of representing her) went to extraordinary lengths to shut down fair defense. But those efforts, too, failed.”
Jay’s lawyer added, “Now, at last, the false, unfounded allegations that underlie this campaign of extortion are having judicial light shined on them—except that this Plaintiff is bringing them as a Doe, who would continue to hide under cover of darkness.”
Jay-Z asked that the entire case be dismissed or Jane reveal her name. The rapper’s lawyer said his client Jay-Z has “built an impeccable reputation.”
He added, “[Jay-Z] has never been accused of, let alone engaged in, any sexual misconduct.”
He continued, “[Jay-Z] should not have to defend himself in the brightest of spotlights against an accuser who hides in complete darkness while leveling allegations that describe the purported acts occurring in the plain sight of witnesses who could refute the plaintiff’s claims if only her identity was revealed.”
Jay-Z’s lawyer argued, “Plaintiff has chosen to sue [Jay-Z] anonymously, using the pseudonym ‘Jane Doe.’ Yet has not alleged any facts that would allow her to sidestep the federal mandate requiring that all parties must litigate using their true names. Indeed, Plaintiff’s allegations exhibit none of the ‘special circumstances’ necessary to allow her to litigate anonymously. To the contrary, her facially incredible allegations indicate that—unlike in many cases of alleged sexual misconduct— she has already been exposed, in plain sight, to countless witnesses whose truthful accounts would be helpfully and properly informed by specification of her identity.”
A judge has yet to rule on the matter.
