Russell Simmons $10 Million Rape Lawsuit By Jane Doe Is Dismissed
A judge has called for an end to at least one of Russell Simmons's legal battles. The Def Jam icon has made headlines for the better part of two years after numerous accusations of sexual misconduct continued to surface. Despite repeatedly denying any and all accusations of sexual assault and rape, a number of Simmons's accusers gathered together for the On the Record documentary where detailed accounts of alleged interactions were shared with the public. Back in 2018, an anonymous woman filed a lawsuit against the famed record producer under the moniker Jane Doe, but according to The Hollywood Reporter, her case was recently dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
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The publication states that Jane Doe accused Russell Simmons of raping her in 1988 and her complaint against Simmons was filed four years later than the cutoff date. "Defendant contends that plaintiff’s claims are time-barred because plaintiff admitted the alleged incident occurred in 1988 but filed her action in 2018," wrote Judge Mark H. Epstein. "This is true. As previously stated, the Court granted defendant’s motion to deem the request for admission asking plaintiff to admit that the alleged sexual battery occurred in 1988."
The judge went on to state that Doe would have needed to file a complaint against Simmons by the latest in 1990. However, even if "the deadline was tolled" because the record producer's permanent residence wasn't in the state, her limitation expired in 2014. The judge reportedly gave Jane Doe and her legal team weeks to respond, and when they didn't, Epstein decided to toss out the case altogether.
Simmons has reportedly stated that the lawsuit was nothing more than a "vile" attempt at extortion as the woman had sued him for $10 million.