Diddy Scores Court Win: '90s Rape Allegations Dismissed Months Before Sentencing

Sean "Diddy" Combs secured a partial legal victory this week after a New York judge dismissed several claims in a civil sexual assault case stemming from the 1990s, just months before the hip-hop mogul is set to be sentenced in a federal criminal case.

On July 8, New York State Supreme Court Justice Leslie Stroh ruled that allegations involving incidents prior to Dec. 19, 2000, could not proceed. That date marks the enactment of the New York City Gender-Motivated Violence Act, under which the lawsuit had been filed.

The suit, brought by April Lampros in May, originally included claims of sexual misconduct dating as far back as 1995. Lampros accused Combs of raping her that year and again in 1998, along with separate instances of sexual assault in 1996 and around the end of 2000 or early 2001. Stroh's ruling removed the claims tied to the '90s.

Lampros' attorney Tyrone Blackburn confirmed that the case would now move forward under the sole surviving claim: the GMVA violation. "It is full steam ahead, playtime is over," Blackburn told USA TODAY, adding that discovery demands would be issued immediately and that Combs will be deposed within 60 days.

Sexual Misconduct Allegations Narrowed

Combs' legal team responded to the court's decision by claiming the ruling shows their motion "largely prevails." In prior filings, they characterized Lampros' lawsuit as "baseless" and "filed more than twenty years after the end of her romantic relationship with Mr. Combs." They argued her claims were "deficient on its face and must be dismissed."

Earlier this year, Lampros withdrew three of four original claims, including sexual assault, battery, and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and dropped associated corporate defendants like Bad Boy Records and Arista Records.

Despite the narrowed civil case, Combs, 55, remains in legal peril following his recent criminal conviction. On July 2, he was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of the more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.

Sentencing Set for September

While Combs avoided the most serious charges, US District Judge Arun Subramanian denied him bail, citing past domestic violence incidents. Combs has been jailed since his arrest last September and will remain in custody until sentencing.

The music mogul's sentencing date is now set for Sept. 22, following an agreement between prosecutors and defense attorneys.

The pre-sentence report is scheduled to be submitted by Aug. 29, court filings say, with defense objections to be submitted by Sept. 5.

And while the maximum sentence could be 20 years, the sentencing guidelines gave a range of between 51 and 63 months that Combs could serve. His lawyers say he should spend no more than two years in prison.

Clad in a dark suit, Combs fell to his knees when the verdict was read, then told his family, "I'll be home soon," as he embraced them after the hearing. Combs quickly left the courthouse through a side door, making no comment to the press.

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Diddy, Diddy Trial, Sean Combs