by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
December 16, 2024
Jay-Z maintains that ‘this incident didn’t happen.’
Jay-Z is asking for a sexual assault lawsuit against him to be dismissed after NBC News reported that “inconsistencies” emerged in the accuser’s story of the incident.
The woman claimed that the rapper sexually assaulted her alongside Sean “Diddy” Combs at a MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in 2000. The accuser was 13 years old at the time.
EXCLUSIVE: Jay-Z rape accuser comes forward to NBC News; acknowledges inconsistencies in her allegations. pic.twitter.com/tzk8qIKSFJ
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 14, 2024
However, NBC News, which interviewed the Alabama woman, could not verify certain elements of her story. For example, despite stating that her father picked her up after she left the party post-assault, he said that he did not remember doing so.
“I have made some mistakes,” expressed Jane Doe regarding her recollections. “You should always advocate for yourself and be a voice for yourself. You should never let what somebody else did ruin or run your life. I just hope I can give others the strength to come forward like I came forward.”
The lawsuit was originally filed in October in the Southern District of New York, listing Combs as a defendant, and it was refiled Sunday, Dec. 8, to name Jay-Z as another defendant.
After admitting potential discrepancies in the lawsuit, Jay-Z requested to have the case dismissed. He also re-emphasized his low opinion of the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee.
pic.twitter.com/o8lW4ywWWz
— Roc Nation (@RocNation) December 14, 2024
“Today’s investigative report proves this ‘attorney’ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame,” Carter said in an official statement to Roc Nation’s social media. “This incident didn’t happen, and yet [Buzbee] filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True Justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon.”
Jay-Z’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, also condemned Buzbee for filing the complaint without “proper vetting” of the accuser. He filed a letter to the judge also noting that the accuser has no witness to corroborate her story.
“We are asking the court to dismiss this frivolous case today, and will take up the matter of additional discipline for Mr. Buzbee and all the lawyers that filed the complaint,” Spiro added.
Buzbee maintained that his client is telling the truth, even if certain details remain unverified.
“We will continue to vet her claims and collect corroborating data to the extent it exists. Because we have interrogated her intensely, she has even agreed to submit to a polygraph. I’ve never had a client suggest that before,” Buzbee told CNN. “In any event, we always do our best to vet each claim made, just as we did in this case. This has been extremely distressing for her, to the point she has experienced seizures and had to seek medical treatment due to the stress.”
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