Jack Aylmer

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS RULED THAT A WOMAN ACCUSING SEAN DIDDY COMBS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CANNOT PROCEED WITH HER LAWSUIT UNDER THE NAME “JANE DOE.”

INSTEAD, SHE’LL NEED TO IDENTIFY HERSELF IF SHE WISHES TO CONTINUE.

JUDGE MARY KAY VYSKOCIL EXPLAINED IN HER DECISION THAT THE RAPPER HAS THE RIGHT TO DEFEND HIMSELF, INCLUDING THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVESTIGATE HIS ACCUSER’S CLAIMS.

SHE WROTE, “DEFENDANTS HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES, AND THE PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHO IS USING THEIR COURTS.”

THIS LAWSUIT IS ONE OF OVER A DOZEN FILED SINCE COMBS WAS CHARGED WITH SEX TRAFFICKING AND RACKETEERING IN SEPTEMBER. EACH LAWSUIT IS FILED INDIVIDUALLY, BUT JUDGE VYSKOCIL’S RULING MAY IMPACT OTHER CASES INVOLVING HIM.

THIS PARTICULAR ACCUSER, A TENNESSEE WOMAN, CLAIMS COMBS RAPED HER IN 20-04, WHEN SHE WAS 19 YEARS OLD. HER LEGAL TEAM ARGUED HER IDENTITY SHOULD REMAIN PRIVATE, FEARING COMBS MIGHT HARM HER.

THE JUDGE DISMISSED THIS ARGUMENT, POINTING OUT THAT COMBS HAS HAD NO CONTACT WITH HER IN NEARLY 20 YEARS AND IS CURRENTLY IN DETENTION AWAITING TRIAL.

IN THE JUDGE’S OWN WORDS, “PUBLIC HUMILIATION” ALONE ISN’T ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY KEEPING THE WOMAN’S IDENTITY A SECRET. SHE ALSO NOTED THAT SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAVE FILED SIMILAR LAWSUITS UNDER THEIR REAL NAMES.

COMBS HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DENIED ANY WRONGDOING. HIS REPRESENTATIVES RELEASED A BRIEF STATEMENT SAYING, “THE RULING SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.”

THE JUDGE SAID IF THE WOMAN DOES NOT FILE UNDER HER REAL NAME BY NOVEMBER 13, HER CASE WILL BE DISMISSED.

FOR SAN. I’M JACK AYLMER