The woman at the center of Jay-Z’s $20 million defamation case—who previously accused him of sexual assault before dropping her lawsuit—is asking the court to protect her identity, citing concerns for her safety and mental health.
According to legal documents obtained by Complex, the woman, identified as Jane Doe, filed alongside her doctor and others to urge the judge to keep her name confidential. Her psychiatrist, Dr. John T. Olsen, warned that exposing her identity would have “catastrophic consequences” on her mental health, potentially worsening her condition and recovery.
Doe also claimed she has already felt “intimidated and terrified” after being confronted at her home by investigators, and fears her family, including her two children, could face harassment if her identity is revealed. The judge has not yet ruled on her request.
Last year, Doe alleged that Jay-Z and Diddy raped her at a party following the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. She voluntarily dismissed the case in February but later insisted she stood by her claims, saying she dropped it out of fear of retaliation.
Jay-Z and Roc Nation issued a statement after the dismissal, calling the allegations “frivolous, fictitious and appalling,” with Jay adding that the ordeal brought “trauma” to his family.
In March, Jay filed a defamation suit against Doe and her attorneys, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, claiming Doe admitted the story was fabricated and that Buzbee pressured her into pursuing it for financial gain.
