Diddy is facing his fair share of legal issues. Now, it looks like one more could land on his plate very soon. Sara Rivers of Da Band sued the Bad Boy founder earlier this year. She alleges that he sexually harassed and assaulted her while they were filming the reality show Making the Band. In August, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, citing the statute of limitations.
“It is important to remember the many positive purposes served by statutes of limitations,” the judge explained. “They promote justice by preventing surprises through plaintiffs’ revival of claims that have been allowed to slumber until evidence has been lost, memories have faded, and witnesses have disappeared.”
“While Rivers does allege that she experienced a general fear of retaliation preventing her from speaking out against Combs, general claims of psychological stress cannot give rise to duress tolling," they continued.
Billboard reports that Rivers filed a motion this week indicating that she plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. This means the lawsuit could be revived.
Diddy Sentencing
As for Diddy's criminal case, a jury found him guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution in July. He was found not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. Each count carries a maximum sentence of ten years behind bars, meaning he could be looking at 20 years total. His sentencing is scheduled to take place on October 3.
In legal documents filed earlier this month, Diddy argued that his conviction should be thrown out because prosecutors allegedly used the wrong definition of prostitution to prosecute him under the Mann Act.
His team insists that prosecutors should be using the 1910 definition of prostitution to apply the Mann Act, as that's when it was enacted, instead of the modern definition. At the very least, they think he deserves a new trial.
