Rapper Diddy Fires Back At Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones Over Lawsuit
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has responded to record producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones’ lawsuit, which accuses him of inappropriate behaviour and a potential drug-induced assault.
Jones filed the lawsuit in February, shortly before federal agents raided two of Combs’ properties as part of a sex trafficking investigation.
In light of the allegations, Combs’ legal team is questioning Jones’ credibility by highlighting his own past encounters with the criminal justice system. Jones was convicted of reckless homicide in 2003 and faced several assault charges that were later dropped.
Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, defended his client by emphasizing that being charged does not equate to being convicted. Blackburn explained the homicide incident as a tragic accident that resulted in the death of Jones’ cousin and best friend.
Despite facing sexual assault and domestic assault charges in the past, all charges against Jones were eventually dismissed. When confronted with these details, Blackburn reiterated that being charged does not mean being guilty.
With regard to the conviction that did occur, Blackburn said: ‘Mr. Jones’ July 2003 reckless homicide occurred when he was 17 years old.’
Jones’ attorney continued: ‘He was driving a vehicle with his cousin in the passenger seat. The police pulled him over, but he was afraid and drove off. It was pretty typical behavior for a young black boy in Chicago when pulled over by the police. As a result, he totaled the vehicle, and his cousin, who was his best friend, died.’
Blackburn asserted that Jones pled guilty, being without ‘adequate legal representation,’ and added that his client ‘has to live with the guilt of the death of his best friend and family member for the rest of his life.’
In his lawsuit filed against Combs in February, Jones alleged that he was instructed to recruit prostitutes and engage in sexual activities with them for the pleasure of the celebrity.
He also stated that he possesses numerous hours of video evidence that exposes Combs’s involvement in serious illegal activities.
During that period, the troubled hip-hop star was already facing legal actions from three women and had suffered significant losses in terms of business deals due to these allegations. Jones has implicated several prominent figures in the industry as co-defendants in his $30 million lawsuit.
He accused record executive Ethiopia Habtemariam of dismissing Combs’s inappropriate touching as mere “friendly horseplay” and a way of expressing affection.
Attorney Shawn Holley stated to TMZ that ‘Lil Rod is simply a dishonest individual who has filed a $30 billion lawsuit in a shameless attempt to seek an unwarranted payout.’
‘His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines.
‘We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr Blackburn refuses to return our calls.’
