A federal judge overseeing a civil lawsuit against music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs issued a stern warning to the plaintiff’s attorney, accusing him of making inflammatory legal claims and taunting opposing counsel in court filings.
U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken, who is presiding over Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones’ lawsuit in the Southern District of New York, criticized attorney Tyrone Blackburn for his conduct in legal documents, calling them “replete with inaccurate statements of law, conclusory accusations, and inappropriate ad hominem attacks.”
The judge warned that continued behavior of this nature could result in sanctions or a referral to the court’s disciplinary committee.
One of Blackburn’s court filings contained a particularly striking claim, stating: “Defendant Sean Combs and the Combs RICO Enterprise are presumed guilty of being a RICO criminal organization.”
Judge Oetken responded sharply, writing that “any licensed member of the bar [who] would espouse such an absurd understanding of the law is not just disturbing, but shocking.”
The court also took issue with Blackburn’s use of personal attacks in official filings. When opposing attorneys objected to his language, Blackburn responded with an unusual remark: “It is clear [that defense counsel] are obsessed with me, and although initially flattering, their obsession has become creepy.”
The lawsuit, filed by Jones, accuses Combs of alleged misconduct. Combs has denied the claims. The case remains ongoing.
