Diddy Faces Legal Battle Over Decade-Old Assault Allegations as New York Expands Statute of Limitations Laws

Share
It’s been two weeks since police carried out raids at the residences belonging to Sean “Diddy” Combs, but there hasn’t been much new information made public in that time. FOX 5 NY correspondent Lisa Evers has discussed where the investigation is likely up to now with a former federal prosecutor.
For years, lawyers representing Diddy have refuted claims from an individual who alleged he drugged her during their date when she was 19. The music executive’s legal team submitted papers recently attempting to dismiss some of those accusations because the specific allegation fell outside existing laws at the time they were originally brought forward, as reported by Associated Press (AP).
Joi Dickerson-Deal has accused Diddy – whose real name is Sean Combs – of spiking her drink and subsequently assaulting her after their Harlem date while she was still a college student. She also claimed that he filmed the attack and shared it with several friends in the music industry, as reported by AP.
Diddy has denied these allegations and argued that Dickerson is attempting to exploit New York’s expanded statute of limitations for sexual assault claims. The woman’s accusation comes almost 30 years after she says she was subjected to Combs’ abuse – an action against which, the AP reports, laws such as those governing revenge porn were not enacted until much more recently (2019).
Diddy has also faced a number of other legal troubles throughout his award-winning career spanning three decades. The New York Times reported last November that in court filings settled on the day after they were made, R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura accused Combs – her former lover and music label boss – of subjecting her to a yearslong relationship characterised by beatings and rape during 2005.
New York outlawed revenge porn in 2019 with penalties that include up to one year behind bars for offenders, as well as civil damages. Revenge porn refers to the practice of sharing intimate images without consent or knowledge from their subjects – a trend commonly known as ‘revenge porn’ where perpetrators may use these pictures in order to coerce victims into compliance with certain demands. Women make up around 90% of revenge porn victims, according to reports by AP and other sources.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the New York State Human Rights Law on November 17, 2023 which expanded time limitations for claiming acts that amount to unlawful discrimination in employment law matters within a three year statutory window after discovery of offence, compared with previous deadlines which stood at one year except for claims relating specifically to sexual harassment.