A male entertainer is pleading with a Manhattan judge to keep his name under seal over fears of retaliation from Sean Combs’ inner circle.
With less than a month before Combs’s Manhattan trial is set to begin, all judges presiding over Combs’ lawsuits have notified all accusers that they must reveal their names or their lawsuits will be dismissed.
Combs’ lawyers asked all judges to force his accusers to reveal their identities.
According to court documents obtained by In Touch, the alleged male victim argued that due to “the relentless and ongoing threats and duress exerted by” Combs, “there exists a substantial risk of severe psychological and physical harm to [the alleged victim] should his name be exposed.”
In his lawsuit, John Doe accused Combs of having “exploited his power to sexually, physically and psychologically abuse” him “over more than five harrowing years.”
His lawyer argued, “Plaintiff, a male sexual abuse victim, faces unique vulnerabilities such as significant stigma and misunderstanding. Publicly disclosing his identity could subject him to increased scrutiny and derogation, reinforced by stereotypes about male victimhood and masculinity.”
The lawyer continued: “Permitting plaintiff to proceed under a pseudonym in this action would prevent those individuals from learning plaintiff’s true identity. This would provide plaintiff significant protection from being targeted by these powerful individuals and their associates. It would also provide plaintiff with a sense of relative safety in his home and daily surroundings.”
However, Combs lawyers said he has the right to face his accusers in court.
Combs is jailed at a Brooklyn lockup while he awaits trial on May 5. He has already won a few court victories.
A female accuser withdrew her lawsuit after she missed a March 30 deadline to reveal her identity.
A rep for Combs told In Touch, “No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor. We live in a world where anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth, and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail in court.”
