A Manhattan judge has dismissed a civil sexual battery lawsuit filed in February against Sean “Diddy” Combs, ruling that the case was filed far too late under both New York and California law.
The complaint, brought by an unnamed plaintiff listed as John Doe, alleged that Combs drugged and assaulted him at a Los Angeles afterparty in 2015. Doe said he drifted in and out of consciousness after drinking a spiked beverage, and later awoke to find Combs groping him—believing the music mogul had performed oral sex on him.
In his ruling, the judge concluded that Doe missed the filing deadline by several years. Under New York law, such claims must be filed within five years, while California’s lookback window for sexual assault claims has also expired. A 2019 law extending New York’s statute of limitations to 20 years does not apply retroactively, the judge added: “Because the action is untimely under both New York and California law, it must be dismissed as to all defendants.”
Tony Buzbee, Doe’s attorney, pushed back on the decision, calling it a technicality rather than a vindication for Combs. “I wouldn’t call this a victory for Mr. Combs, at all,” Buzbee told Billboard. “We won’t allow Mr. Combs to escape a trial on the merits due to a technicality.” He added that the case will be refiled in California, where the alleged assault took place. The dismissal marks Combs’ second major legal reprieve in recent months. A $60 million lawsuit from Making the Band 2 contestant Sara Rivers was also thrown out for being filed too late.
Still, the embattled music mogul faces a series of other civil cases connected to his recent criminal trial. In July, Combs was largely acquitted of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges but was convicted on two counts of interstate prostitution. Prosecutors accused him of forcing women into drug-fueled sex parties known as “freak-offs.” He remains in custody while awaiting an October sentencing that could result in several years in prison.
Source: Billboard.
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