Joie Dickerson-Neal claims that DeVanté Swing of the 1990s R&B group Jodeci informed her that he had seen a tape featuring her and Combs a few days after the alleged assault in January 1991. Because of Combs’ notoriety, he was afraid to speak up.
A woman has filed a new lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, claiming the music mogul drugged, assaulted, and secretly recorded her assault in 1991 while she was a college student.
The New York Adult Survivors Act, which gives adult survivors of sexual assault a year to file a lawsuit regardless of when the original statute of limitations expired, allows for the filing of the suit in the Supreme Court of New York on Thursday, one day before it expires.
In a statement released on Friday, Dickerson-Neal said, “I am so thankful for the bravery of the other women that came forward, the Adult Survivors Act which opened up the filing window to seek justice, and the unwavering support from my attorneys.” I have only been able to confide in my close friends and therapists for the past 32 years. I feel as though the shadows have disappeared, allowing me to freely pursue my goals and realize my full potential.
The main focus of the lawsuit is an alleged conversation between Combs and Joie Dickerson-Neal on January 3, 1991, while the latter was a psychology student at Syracuse University.
Combs’s representative refuted the accusations.
According to the filing, Dickerson-Neal accompanied Combs on his errands and “reluctantly” went to dinner with him at a restaurant in Harlem, New York City. She was, according to the lawsuit, on winter break from school at the time.
Dickerson-Neal was allegedly “intentionally drugged” by Combs, which prevented her from being able to walk or stand. According to the lawsuit, she left her drink unattended with him at the restaurant, and then Combs allegedly put pressure on her to take a hit from a blunt.
The lawsuit said that after that, they drove to a music studio. According to the filing, Combs allegedly took Dickerson-Neal to a place he was staying at so he could sexually assault her when she was unable to get out of the car.
A few days later, the woman was informed by a male friend, DeVanté Swing, who was a part of the well-known R&B group Jodeci in the 1990s, that he had watched a “sex tape” with other people, as per the lawsuit. Dickerson-Neal claimed that Swing was afraid that if he spoke out against Combs, his band would lose its record deal. After contacting a Swing representative for comment, NBC News did not receive a response.
According to the complaint, Dickerson-Neal’s life was sent into a “tailspin” following their meeting with Combs. As per the filing, she experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts, which led to her hospital admission. Ultimately, she left college.
A case against Harve Pierre, the former president of Bad Boy Entertainment and Bad Boy Records, was filed in the New York Supreme Court on Tuesday, alleging that he had sexually assaulted a former assistant. Combs’ businesses were also mentioned in the lawsuit on two counts of negligence and one count of gender-motivated violence.
Pierre did not immediately reply to a request for comment, but on Wednesday, a representative for Bad Boy Entertainment stated that the business was aware of the lawsuit filed by a former worker.
The spokesperson stated, “The allegations are from many years ago that were never brought to the company’s attention.” “The executive and the plaintiff are not currently employed by the company. While we look into the claims, the safety of our people comes first.
