A federal judge has dismissed Julian Sapp’s case against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon granted Combs’ motion to dismiss on September 18 and ordered the federal case closed.
The ruling is more specific than saying every claim failed for the same reason.
Counts II through XV were dismissed as untimely. The court also found that Count XII failed to plead the required elements of California Civil Code § 1708.8(a).
Count I was handled differently: the court declined to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over Sapp’s New York City gender-motivated-violence claim and dismissed that count without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of pursuing it in state court.
Sapp’s lawsuit alleged sexual assault, trafficking, forced labor, false imprisonment and other misconduct. Combs denied the allegations.
The court’s September 18 order does not make a factual finding that the alleged conduct did or did not occur. It resolves the federal case through limitations, pleading and jurisdictional rulings.
That distinction matters. A procedural dismissal and a merits finding are not the same thing.
The court also dismissed the remaining Doe defendants at Sapp’s instruction and directed the clerk to close the case.
Combs remains involved in other legal matters separate from this lawsuit.
