The woman accusing Derrick Rose of rape will have to reveal her name during an upcoming civil trial, a Los Angeles federal judge ruled Tuesday.
Advertisement
Soon after Fitzgerald ruled on the issue of the woman’s identity, Rose’s attorney, Mark Baute, revealed the woman’s name and was warned by the judge that she would remain anonymous until trial.
Up until now, the woman has been known as “Jane Doe” to protect her anonymity.
Last week, the woman gave an anonymous teleconference interview to various media outlets, and several publications, including the Associated Press, wrote stories about what happened the night of the alleged sexual assault based on her recollection. The suit alleges that in the early hours of 27 August 2013, the group of friends broke into the 30-year-old woman’s apartment and raped her while she was drunk and barely conscious. In Rose’s telling, he and his friends did have sex with the woman on the early morning of August 27, 2013, but he says it was consensual.
Rose’s lawyer argued his client would be harmed if the woman’s identity wasn’t revealed, and he cited interviews and a press conference she conducted last week as a reason to use her real name.
Her anonymity, she claims, is crucial to her safety and the well-being of her elderly parents, who she says are conservative, traditional and religious, and know nothing of her alleged sexual assault. Going by Jane Doe implied the woman is a victim and that could sway the jury, Anand said. “Plaintiff’s use of twitter and other forms of social media further belies her apparent desire for anonymity”.
“Although no charges were brought against Derrick Rose, we continue to monitor developments regarding this litigation”, said an National Basketball Association spokesman, Mike Bass, last Friday.
When Baute said her name a second time, Fitzgerald issued a stern rebuke and threatened to sanction him $1,000.
Lawyers for the woman said outside court that they were disappointed she’d lose her anonymity at trial.
The trial has garnered national attention in the weeks leading up to its start, both for the case’s high-profile defendant and the country’s continued heated argument about rape, sexual consent and accountability in the courts when it comes to sentencing the convicted.
“She’s going to be a believable witness”, said McCoy.
Rose allegedly pressured Ms Doe into sending him naked videos, to masturbate on Skype and asked her to buy a sex toy, according to court documents. He played seven seasons in Chicago, according to the AP, where he won Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.
Consent is a primary factor in this case, and was a primary factor for the judge’s decision to deny Rose’s Motion for Summary to get the case thrown out in June.
Advertisement
Both parties have said they remain in negotiations to reach a settlement before trial, which is set for October 4 in Los Angeles.
