CJ Wallace is one step closer to closing out his defamation case against Jonathan Hay after a federal judge rejected Hay’s attempt to revive his defense. This legal battle has been intense, with Wallace fighting back against serious allegations.
A judge in Tampa, Florida, denied Hay’s bid to set aside a default judgment and scheduled an October 8 hearing to decide how much Wallace may be awarded in damages. It’s a significant win for CJ Wallace, who’s been holding his ground throughout this ordeal.
Wallace sued Hay after the producer and publicist made a series of allegations tying him to Sean “Diddy” Combs. Hay has accused Wallace of helping lure him to an encounter where he says Diddy assaulted him. It’s a wild accusation that Wallace has consistently denied.
Wallace has repeatedly denied the claims and accused Hay of spreading false allegations after their working relationship fell apart. The real issue? Hay never filed a proper response to Wallace’s lawsuit, leading the court to enter a default in May.
He later claimed he had not been properly served, but the judge was not persuaded. Court filings say Wallace’s team made 17 attempts through three process servers, hired a private investigator, and conducted a skip trace before serving Hay through the Florida Secretary of State. That’s dedication to getting justice.
Hay also blamed another California lawsuit for his failure to respond but the judge rejected that explanation too. Sometimes the excuses just don’t hold up in court.
The bad blood dates back to Ready to Dance, a 2020 Biggie remix project Hay worked on with Wallace and producer Willie Mack. Wallace says the project was shelved after its first single underperformed. What started as a creative collaboration turned into something much messier.
★m★
