Suing Sean Combs for 2022 Rape in NY Shante Kelly Survives Motion to Dismiss as to Diddy Himself

Suing Sean Combs for 2022 Rape in NY Shante Kelly Survives Motion to Dismiss as to Diddy Himself by Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE, Aug 5– In May 2024 Crystal McKinney sued Sean Combs for sexual assault under the NYC Gender Motivated Violence in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.   The suit recounts Combs inviting McKinney to Cipriani Downtown - in 2003 - then to his studio on West 44th Street where he drugged and assaulted her, according to the complaint.  On September 24, 2024, after Combs' arrest and detention in the MDC, Thalia Graves sued Combs and others alleging a 2001 rape, complaint on Patreon here. On October 22, a Jane Doe sued Combs for alleged sexual assault in New York City in 2022. The case was assigned to Judge Valerie E. Caproni. On May 28, 2025 an amended complaint was filed, naming the plaintiff as Shante Kelly. On May 30 Combs' lawyer doubled down on seeking dismissal, arguing that the "long winding driveway" cited in the Complaints does not exist in Manhattan and that the allegations are too vague. 10 page memo on Patreon here On October 22 Judge Caproni dismissed the Complaint, noting that it might be refiled: "Plaintiff's Opposition raises serious doubts about the reasonableness of counsel's inquiry into whether the events alleged in the Amended Complaint occurred in New York City - a fact necessary to state a claim pursuant to the GMVPA. Accordingly, Defendants' Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED. The Clerk of the Court is respectfully directed to terminate the open motion at Dkt. 55. It is possible that Plaintiff may, upon further investigation, be able to allege additional facts" - 7-page order on Patreon here On November 21 the Second Amended Complaint was filed, adding in that the house party was in "an upscale neighborhoods" in The Bronx (not Manhattan), still in "a large white, elegant residence [with] a long, curved driveway."  So, Riverdale? Jump cut to August 5, 2026, when Judge Caproni dismissed some but not all claims, order on Patreon here   Inner City Press is covering the Combs cases. These include McKinney v. Combs, et al., 1:24-cv-3931 (Buchwald) and this one, Kelly v. Combs, 1:24-cv-8024 (Caproni) *** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron. Feedback: Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station, NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis.  Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City Press, Inc. To request reprint or other permission, e-contact Editorial [at] innercitypress.com