Judge in Jay-Z case allows accuser to remain anonymous for now but may require her to reveal identity later
The judge also scolded Jay-Z's lawyer Alex Spiro calling his motions against the woman's lawyer Tony Buzbee "combative."
U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres has ruled that the Alabama woman accusing Jay-Z of sexual assault can remain anonymous for now. Citing the “substantial interest” from the public in the case, Judge Torres determined that allowing her to proceed anonymously was necessary to give her legal team sufficient time to gather evidence for trial, according to CBS.
The decision underscores the heightened scrutiny surrounding the case, which has drawn widespread attention due to the high-profile nature of the defendants. Judge Torres also criticized Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, for his approach in handling the case. She accused Spiro of engaging in a “relentless filing of combative motions containing inflammatory language and ad hominem attacks” against Tony Buzbee, the woman’s attorney. The judge described Spiro’s actions as “inappropriate, a waste of judicial resources, and a tactic unlikely to benefit his client,” per CBS.
In response to the ruling, Buzbee told CBS: “The coordinated and desperate efforts to attack me as counsel for alleged victims are falling flat.” He declined to comment further on the details of the case.
Spiro, meanwhile, has sought to have Jay-Z dismissed from the civil lawsuit, pointing to admitted inconsistencies in the accuser’s story. The woman told NBC News last week that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted her in 2000 when she was 13, at an after-party for the MTV Music Awards. She also claimed her father drove five hours from Rochester, NY, to pick her up afterward. However, her father has publicly stated he has no recollection of such an incident.
The case takes place against the backdrop of broader legal troubles for Combs, who remains in custody this Christmas week facing charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. As the legal proceedings unfold, the court’s decision to allow the accuser to remain anonymous reflects the delicate balance of protecting alleged victims while addressing the public’s demand for transparency in high-stakes cases involving prominent figures.
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