A woman anonymously suing Sean “Diddy” Combs for an alleged rape in 2004 must reveal her identity or her case will be dismissed, a New York judge ruled Wednesday.
The woman filed her lawsuit under the pseudonym Jane Doe, but Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that despite the sensitivity of the allegations, the alleged victim had not demonstrated that she’s entitled to remain anonymous.
“Plaintiff has an interest in keeping her identity private given the sensitive nature of her allegations, the potential for public scrutiny of her personal life, and her decision, thus far, not to speak publicly,” Vyskocil wrote in court documents obtained by the Daily News. “But Plaintiff, who is an adult, has now decided to file a lawsuit in which she accuses a famous person of engaging in heinous conduct approximately 20 years ago.”
Among multiple factors that weighed in to the decision, Judge Vyskocil ruled that Jane Doe offered insubstantial support for her claims that revealing her identity would pose “a risk of retaliatory physical or mental harm.”
Jane Doe said she was a college freshman when Diddy enticed her and a friend to his photo shoot across the street from her college campus in Brooklyn in 2004, then invited them to an after-party at a Marriott hotel. The pair were then allegedly dragged into a separate room rather than being allowed to mingle with guests, with the man who put them there saying, “You know what you are here for.”
Diddy then appeared and allegedly tried to make them do cocaine, according to TMZ. When they refused, he forced her friend to perform oral sex on him under threat of death and would not let them leave the room.
Diddy then forced the woman to undress and assaulted her, as her friend fled. A security guard later came in and allowed her to leave, the woman alleges.
Jane Doe is demanding a jury trial, which will not happen unless she reveals her identity, Vyskocil ruled. She was given until Nov. 13 to file a complaint in her own name or the case will be tossed out.
The woman’s lawsuit is one of 120 suits Texas attorney Tony Buzbee is filing against the rap mogul.
This is the second of Diddy’s accusers who has been told to reveal her identity. In February, Manhattan judge Jessica G. L. Clarke said another Jane Doe accuser must add her name or risk having the case thrown out.