JAY-Z secured a significant legal victory Wednesday when a judge ruled to keep his extortion lawsuit against Texas attorney Tony Buzbee alive, citing newly uncovered audio evidence as a crucial factor in the case.
As per AllHipHop, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mark Epstein reversed his earlier indication that he might dismiss JAY-Z's extortion claim. In a tentative ruling on March 26, he stated that recent audio recordings obtained by a private investigator have "thrown a monkey wrench" into his previous considerations.
The recordings, allegedly captured at the Alabama home of a woman known publicly as Jane Doe, suggest that Doe did not authorize Buzbee to include JAY-Z in her lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs. The audio allegedly captures Doe saying that Buzbee "brought JAY-Z into it" and pressured her to name JAY-Z publicly as an assailant.
Judge Epstein turned to the new evidence, which he said "supports not only the defamation cause of action but also the extortion cause of action."
JAY-Z's Lawsuit vs Buzzbee
JAY-Z's lawsuit, filed in November 2024, accuses Buzbee of attempting to extort him through a demand letter seeking private mediation and a monetary settlement. In his sworn declaration, JAY-Z labeled the letter an "existential threat."
Buzbee, who represents several plaintiffs in claims against Diddy, has denied any wrongdoing. He described the accusations that he pressured Doe into making false allegations as a "blatant lie." Doe later claimed that the recording was altered to misrepresent her statements.
However, JAY-Z's attorney, Alex Spiro, dismissed Doe's claims earlier this month, asserting that the "tape speaks for itself" and labeling any suggestion of JAY-Z's involvement as "effectively a lie."
The controversy surrounding JAY-Z and Buzbee intensified after Doe's lawsuit against the artists was dismissed with prejudice last month, preventing her from refiling. Following the dismissal, JAY-Z filed a defamation suit against Doe and her counsel, citing significant damage to his reputation and career due to the false allegations.
Doe continues to stand by her original allegations in a sworn declaration but claims she withdrew her lawsuit out of fear of intimidation.
Judge Epstein has scheduled the next hearing for April 7.
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