The ongoing legal saga between producer Jonathan Hay and CJ Wallace has taken a new turn as Hay petitions a federal judge to delay a pending damages hearing. The request comes as Los Angeles prosecutors continue to review sexual assault allegations Hay has leveled against Sean “Diddy” Combs, a situation that Hay argues could complicate his current civil proceedings.
In a recent filing obtained by AllHipHop, Hay requested that the federal court in Tampa place his case on hold. While Wallace secured a significant legal victory in August, the determination of financial damages remains unresolved. Hay contends that proceeding with a damages hearing now could force him to publicly testify about the same incidents currently under review by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office.
“The statements [Wallace] attacks concern events in Los Angeles in 2020 and 2021 involving Christopher ‘CJ’ Wallace, Willie Mack, and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs,” Hay stated in the filing. “A damages hearing in this Court will require the parties to try the truth of the same incidents the District Attorney is reviewing.”
The dispute originated from a collaborative music project titled Ready to Dance, which featured work by Notorious B.I.G.‘s son, CJ Wallace. Following the collapse of the project, Hay alleged that he was subjected to sexual assault by Diddy, claiming that Wallace was present during the events in question. Wallace has consistently denied these allegations, asserting that he played no role in the purported encounters and that Hay’s claims are defamatory.
Currently, Diddy is serving a 50-month federal sentence following a conviction related to transporting individuals for prostitution. While he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges, the Los Angeles investigation involves separate allegations. Hay, who identifies as the complaining witness in the pending police reports, argues that the court should wait for a formal charging decision before moving forward with a “mini-trial” regarding damages.
If the court denies a full stay of the proceedings, Hay has requested that evidence regarding the alleged assaults and his interactions with law enforcement be excluded from the damages hearing. Wallace, however, reportedly opposes the delay. The court had previously scheduled the hearing for October 8, leaving the immediate future of the litigation in the hands of the presiding judge.
