Jay-Z issues scathing denial to allegations he sexually assaulted 13-year-old girl
Criminal defense attorney Lexie Rigden reacts to the musician's 'strong denial' of a lawsuit involving Sean 'Diddy' Combs and expresses concern over ongoing jury deliberations in the Daniel Penny trial.
Jay-Z was publicly named in a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs weeks after the initial filing, raising questions about what legal moves went down behind closed doors.
The lawsuit accused Jay-Z and Diddy of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000, Fox News Digital previously confirmed. Before Jay-Z was named, the rapper received a demand letter likely in an attempt to settle.
"Things have escalated," Orange County criminal defense lawyer Lauren Johnson-Norris told Fox News Digital, as the back-and-forth between Jay-Z's legal team and Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee now plays out in the public eye.
JAY-Z'S ALLEGED SEXUAL ASSAULT: CAN RAP MOGUL FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES?
Jay-Z was named in a lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital looks back at the timeline leading to Jay-Z being named in the bombshell lawsuit:
Diddy accused of raping 13-year-old girl
Sean "Diddy" Combs was first accused of raping a 13-year-old while celebrities watched in October. The lawsuit was filed in the Southern District of New York on Oct. 20 by Texas-based lawyer Tony Buzbee on behalf of a Jane Doe.
The unidentified woman ended up at a VMAs afterparty after attempting to gain entry to the awards show at Radio City Music Hall, according to court documents.
"One of the limousine drivers she spoke to claimed to work for [Diddy]," the lawsuit read. "He told her that Combs liked younger girls and said she ‘fit what Diddy was looking for,’ not allowing her into the Awards, but inviting her to an afterparty."
Sean "Diddy" Combs was first accused of raping a 13-year-old back in 2000 in a lawsuit filed Oct. 20. (Munawar Hosain)
The girl claimed after being given one drink, she found a room to lie down in because she became "woozy and lightheaded." At one point, Combs and two unidentified celebrities entered the room. "Celebrity A" allegedly raped the 13-year-old while Combs and "Celebrity B" watched. Afterwards, the young girl claimed Combs raped her while "Celebrity A" and "Celebrity B" watched.
Diddy denied the allegations in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.
WATCH ON FOX NATION: WHAT DIDDY DO?
Jay-Z receives a demand letter regarding the sexual assault lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
At some point, Jay-Z received a demand letter from the anonymous accuser's lawyer – unbeknownst to the public. Jay-Z confirmed this information in his statement denying the rape accusation.
Jay-Z received a demand letter after Sean "Diddy" Combs was named in the sexual assault lawsuit. (Photo by Monica Schipper/WireImage)
"My lawyer received a blackmail attempt, called a demand letter, from a ‘lawyer’ named Tony Buzbee," Jay-Z shared in the statement on Roc Nation's social media. "What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle.
"No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!"
"Each side engages in a metaphoric game of chicken to see who can push the boundary further, in an attempt to get the opposite side to bend to their wishes."
The decision to eventually publicly name Jay-Z was likely due to "a failure to settle the case," a legal expert told Fox News Digital.
"Jay-Z may have decided that settling the case would suggest to the public that he was somehow involved in the sexual assault of a minor," Robert DeGroot, founding Partner of the Law Offices of Robert J. DeGroot, explained. "After receiving a demand letter, Jay-Z and his legal team probably pushed back against the Plaintiff's accusations and may have tried to convince her counsel to not proceed with naming him as a Defendant.
"The Plaintiff's attorney probably made a decision to proceed against Jay-Z after it became apparent that they would not settle the case. Each side engages in a metaphoric game of chicken to see who can push the boundary further, in an attempt to get the opposite side to bend to their wishes."
Jay-Z files lawsuit claiming extortion under ‘John Doe’
Before Jay-Z was named publicly in the lawsuit accusing him and Sean "Diddy" Combs of rape, he sued his accuser's lawyer as a celebrity John Doe.
Jay-Z anonymously sued Tony Buzbee, claiming the Texas-based attorney was extorting him. (Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage)
WATCH: JAY-Z ISSUES SCATHING DENIAL TO ALLEGATIONS HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL
On Nov. 18, his lawyers filed a lawsuit against Buzbee. Since then, Jay-Z confirmed he was the plaintiff in the anonymous lawsuit.
"Plaintiff presently faces a gun to his head," the court document, obtained by Fox News Digital, read. Jay-Z's team claimed Buzbee and the anonymous accuser had demanded the rapper "either repeatedly pay an exorbitant sum of money to stop Defendants from the wide publication of wildly false allegations of sexual assault that would subject [Jay-Z] to opprobrium and irreparably harm [Jay-Z's] reputation, family, career and livelihood, or else face the threat of an untold number of civil suits and financial and personal ruin."
Jay-Z later confirmed he was the celebrity John Doe who filed the lawsuit. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
While Jay-Z accused Buzbee of extortion, legal experts claimed demand letters are typical in these types of cases.
"It is standard for these types of letters to be sent before filing a case or including a defendant in a case," Johnson-Norris told Fox News Digital. "If a case can settle outside of court, that usually benefits everyone involved. It is not extortion, but it can feel like it to the defendant, especially if the ask is high."
DeGroot added: "The tone of these letters may vary. Given the high profile nature of Jay-Z, and having a sense that it would be leaked to the press, Mr. Buzbee is starting his litigation spin as early as possible to get the attention of Jay-Z and to influence potential jurors."
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Jay-Z named in sexual assault lawsuit against Diddy
Jay-Z was added to Jane Doe's lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs on Dec. 8. The amended complaint, also filed by Tony Buzbee, named the rap mogul as "Celebrity A."
In the new version of the lawsuit, the 13-year-old became disoriented and found a bedroom to rest in after allegedly consuming one drink. Jay-Z, Diddy and female "Celebrity B" seemingly followed the girl into the room. She "immediately recognized all three celebrities," according to the court document.
Jay-Z was identified as "Celebrity A" in a sexual assault lawsuit involving Sean "Diddy" Combs. Both rappers have denied the allegations. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Jay-Z allegedly raped the girl, followed by Diddy's alleged rape of the plaintiff, all while "celebrity B" watched, the court document stated.
The "Empire State of Mind" rapper denied the allegations in a statement shared on Roc Nation's social media.
"These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!! Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case," he wrote, in part.
"Celebrity B" remains unnamed, but will likely be revealed at some point in the process, according to a legal expert.
"Since that person's participation appears to be that of a witness, her status is entirely different, unless there is a legal reason," DeGroot told Fox News Digital. "It certainly appears that the celebrity would not want to be tarred with the same brush as Jay-Z and P. Diddy. Unless there is a protective order, her identity will in all likelihood be revealed during the discovery process."
"Celebrity B" is "undoubtedly" in communication with Buzbee through a lawyer, Johnson-Norris noted. "She will want to cooperate in the case and distinguish herself from Diddy and Jay-Z since she was a witness and not a perpetrator. Based on all we know so far, it is also possible she too was a victim."
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Jay-Z demands accuser share identity
Jay-Z's legal team filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on Dec. 9, one day after he was publicly named.
Additionally, the rapper's lawyer asked that the woman's request to proceed anonymously be denied.
Jay-Z and Diddy became friends in the '90s. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Roc Nation)
Jay-Z's lawyers insisted the lawsuit was part of an "extortionate campaign" designed "to force payment of an exorbitant sum of money – [Jay-Z] would have to pay X millions of dollars irrespective of the truth, or else … "
"When [Jay-Z] refused to pay and instead took measures to establish his innocence, this unnamed Plaintiff and her self-promoting counsel (whose name has been splashed across headlines and press conferences under auspices of representing her) went to extraordinary lengths to shut down fair defense. But those efforts, too, failed," court docs obtained by Fox News Digital read.
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