The federal judge overseeing Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones’ civil case against Sean “Diddy” Combs issued a strong warning to Lil Rod’s attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, accusing him of making “shocking” legal claims, using inappropriate language, and taunting opposing lawyers in official court filings.
U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken of the Southern District of New York wrote that Blackburn’s filings were “replete with inaccurate statements of law, conclusory accusations, and inappropriate ad hominem attacks.”
The judge called the conduct “unsettling” and warned Blackburn that any further behavior of this kind could result in sanctions or even a formal referral to the court’s disciplinary committee.
Blackburn wrote in one of the most eyebrow-raising filings, “Defendant Sean Combs and the Combs RICO Enterprise are presumed guilty of being a RICO criminal organization.”
Judge Oetken responded bluntly, stating 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 criticized Blackburn for including personal attacks in his filings.
When defense attorneys pushed back on his language, Blackburn fired off a bizarre retort: “It is clear [that defense counsel] are obsessed with me, and although initially flattering, their obsession has become creepy.”
This isn’t Blackburn’s first brush with controversy. Earlier in the same case, he filed claims against Universal Music Group, CEO Lucian Grainge, Motown Records, and other executives—accusing them of funding Diddy’s alleged misconduct.
Those claims were later withdrawn after UMG’s attorneys threatened to seek sanctions.
The judge declined to impose penalties at the time but noted Blackburn’s behavior was “incompetent” and referenced an ongoing referral to the Southern District’s disciplinary committee for “repeated failure to investigate basic elements of his cases.”
In the new ruling, Judge Oetken clarified that the misconduct would not be held against Lil Rod but emphasized that Blackburn’s role as an attorney comes with clear responsibilities.
“Blackburn has a professional obligation, both to the Court and to his client, to state the law accurately, to collaborate in a respectful and constructive manner with fellow lawyers, and to allow this litigation to proceed efficiently,” the court said.
Lil Rod filed his suit against Diddy in February 2024, accusing the Hip-Hop mogul of sexual assault, drugging, trafficking, and racketeering.