One of the many sexual assault lawsuits against Sean “Diddy” Combs was dismissed Monday in Manhattan Federal Court.
The woman who filed the lawsuit as Jane Doe was ordered March 6 to identify herself in court documents, or the case would be dismissed. The woman never refiled, so Manhattan Federal Judge Lewis Liman tossed the case on Monday.
“In this particular case, Jane Doe opted not to proceed. There is a lot of fear amongst these plaintiffs. I thus can’t blame her,” the woman’s attorney, Tony Buzbee, told Rolling Stone. “This woman chose not to proceed and subject herself to the media circus and the perceived danger she felt. We have to respect that.”
Doe filed the lawsuit in October 2024, claiming Combs attempted to rape her at a party in 1995 and violently struck her when she refused his advances. Combs denied the claims.
Combs, 55, faces numerous civil lawsuits from women who say he sexually assaulted them while building his wide-ranging music business. Several of the cases were brought by Buzbee, a controversial lawyer from Houston.
“For months, we have seen case after case filed by individuals hiding behind anonymity, pushed forward by attorneys more focused on media headlines than legal merit,” Combs’ attorneys said in a statement.
Multiple women who initially filed anonymous lawsuits against Combs have been ordered to identify themselves in court. Unlike the woman whose case was dismissed on Monday, at least two have refiled under their real names.
In addition to the civil suits, Combs was also charged in federal court with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. His trial is scheduled to begin May 5.
With Molly Crane-Newman
