Jay-Z moved to have the lawsuit filed against him by a Jane Doe who accused him of raping her when she was 13, after she admitted in an interview with NBC News that her story has multiple inconsistencies, telling the network, “I have made some mistakes.”
The unidentified woman insisted her allegations are true overall during the interview Friday, and NBC News noted that “inconsistencies in her account of the incident do not necessarily mean the allegations are false.”
The inconsistencies include the alleged victim saying her father picked her up following the assault (her father has said he doesn’t remember the night in question), the woman saying she spoke to a specific celebrity following the assault (the celebrity said he was not in New York that day), and photos from the night in question that show Jay-Z and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs were in a different location (though it is not clear where they were the entire night).
“This incident didn’t happen,” Jay-Z told NBC News. “and yet he [attorney Tony 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.”
After the interview was published, the rapper’s lawyers filed a motion to have the case dismissed. “Basic facts in her narrative – the who, what, when, and where – are wrong,” the filing said in part.
Jay-Z, whose name is Shawn Carter, also released a statement, provided to TheWrap by his representatives: “Today’s investigative report proves this “attorney “ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame. This incident didn’t happen and yet he 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.”
In a separate statement, also provided to TheWrap, his attorney, Alex Spiro said, “It is stunning that a lawyer would not only file such a serious complaint without proper vetting, but would make things worse by further peddling this false story in the press. 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.”
Buzbee also defended himself from Jay-Z and Spiro’s claims. “Jane Doe’s case was referred to our firm by another, who vetted it prior to sending it to us,” he told NBC News. “Our client remains fiercely adamant that what she has stated is true, to the best of her memory. 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.”
“In any event, we always do our best to vet each claim made, just as we did in this case,” Buzbee added. “This has been extremely distressing for her, to the point she has experienced seizures and had to seek medical treatment due to the stress.”
Jane Doe filed an amended complaint against Jay-Z on Dec. 8. In the amended lawsuit, Combs is accused of having drugged and raped a 13-year-old girl at an afterparty following the 2000 Video Music Awards.
“Another celebrity stood by and watched as Combs and Carter took turns assaulting the minor,” the suit reads. “Many others were present at the after-party, but did nothing to stop the assault. Combs has been allowed for years to conduct himself in this manner without any consequences. He believes he is above the law. He is not. His close friend Shawn Carter has been with Combs during many such instances described herein.”
On Friday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league has no plans to change its relationship with Jay-Z following the allegations. “We’re aware of the civil allegations and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that,” he explained. “We know the litigation is happening now. From our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparations for the next Super Bowl.”
Raquel Harris contributed to this report.
