Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team has taken a bold step in response to the sexual assault lawsuit brought against him by Joi Dickerson-Neal.
On April 26, a motion was filed seeking the dismissal of certain claims in the lawsuit, citing an interesting reason: the laws against them did not exist at the time of the alleged incident.
Dickerson-Neal filed the lawsuit last year, alleging that Combs drugged and assaulted her at her Harlem apartment in 1991 when she was 19 years old.
She further claimed that Combs recorded the assault without her consent and shared the footage with his friends.
Among the claims listed in the lawsuit were revenge porn and human trafficking. However, Combs’ defense team pointed out that the specific laws related to these claims, namely the New York State Revenge Porn Law and New York Services for Victims of Human Trafficking Law, were not enacted until years later.
In their motion for dismissal without prejudice, Combs’ legal team reiterated their client’s denial of all accusations.
They argued that Dickerson-Neal’s attempt to pursue legal action under these laws with an extended statute of limitations amounted to an exploitation of the legal system.
This lawsuit adds to a series of legal troubles for Combs, including a lawsuit from his ex-partner Cassie Ventura, which was settled in November 2023.
Ventura’s claims of over a decade of abuse prompted other individuals to come forward with their own allegations against Combs.
In February, a record producer filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of soliciting prostitutes and sexual harassment.
In connection with the human trafficking claims, the FBI conducted raids on Combs’ properties in Miami and Los Angeles. As a result, Combs stepped down from his position with media platform Revolt and retreated from public visibility.
Throughout these legal challenges, Combs maintains his innocence.
