Simmons Faces NY Rape Lawsuit

A New York judge has rejected Russell Simmons’ bid to dodge a rape lawsuit from a former Def Jam executive, ruling that his current residence in Indonesia doesn’t block state court jurisdiction since the alleged assault occurred in Manhattan. The plaintiff, Jane Doe, claims the 1990s rape happened in Simmons’ apartment, and after a previous federal case was dismissed for jurisdictional reasons, she refiled in state court — where the judge found New York has authority. Simmons’ legal team argued the case was too late, that Doe signed a release, and that New York couldn’t reach him abroad — but the judge shot down all defenses, noting the release’s validity is in dispute and that extended deadlines apply. With over twenty women already having accused him of misconduct since 2017 and ongoing disputes over unpaid settlements, this ruling forces Simmons to confront the allegations in state court, with a preliminary hearing set for August 13th in Manhattan. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/9c1b1d70f8e8f6ab