UMG Recordings and its Motown Records division asked the judge to toss the explosive Lil Rod lawsuit
Lawyers representing the record label named in a lawsuit involving allegations of sexual abuse against Sean “Diddy” Combs by a male music producer have requested a federal judge to expedite the process of dismissing their clients from the case, as legal pressure against the mogul intensifies.
In a letter to the judge, attorney Donald Zakarin argued that including the recording giant in the lawsuit was an attempt to force an ill-fitting connection, distancing Combs from the label as he faces scrutiny from Homeland Security Investigations.
Zakarin, who represents UMG Recordings and its Motown Records division, urged the court to dismiss the allegations against the label and its current and former executives, including CEO Lucian Grainge.
The lawsuit, initially amended by Rodney Jones’ lawyer Tyrone Blackburn last month, prompted the record company to seek its dismissal, despite retracting previous allegations involving the label and its executives. Blackburn has sought to file a second amended complaint with further revisions, a move the record label has opposed, urging the judge to deny it.
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Zakarin argued that the motion to amend should be rejected as futile, allowing the prompt addressing of the motion to dismiss.
The latest filings include two sworn statements from record executives who contradicted Jones’ version of events. The music giant also denied having any ownership stake in Combs’ Love Records label, where Jones worked for approximately a year.
Jones has already agreed to remove former Motown CEO Ethiopia Habtemariam from the lawsuit. In her statement, she denounced the claim that the record label or its executives were involved in any of the alleged sex trafficking as “vile and deeply upsetting accusations, and completely untrue.”
She also accused Jones’ legal team of requesting her to sign a “materially false” declaration.
Jones has additionally accused the record label of having inadequate security at a 2022 writing workshop held in a music studio. He claimed to have overheard a shooting during the event and suggested that Combs might have been responsible.
The label countered in court, arguing that Combs or one of his affiliated companies, which organized the workshop, should have been responsible for providing security at the event.
In response, Blackburn stated on social media that he possesses a surplus of additional evidence that has not yet been mentioned in court filings.
“The plaintiff’s attorney seems to be presenting claims on behalf of his client that are inaccurate – at least based on the defense filings,” stated David Gelman, a New Jersey-based attorney and former prosecutor closely monitoring the case. “If accurate, this not only raises concerns about the validity of his application but also from an ethical standpoint.”
Gelman highlighted potential issues with the social media posts from Jones’ attorney. “His comments don’t come across as ‘professional’ in my opinion; they resemble those of a pro-wrestler,” he remarked. “The optics are unfavorable. He should primarily present his case in court rather than online. These negative optics contribute to the allegation that he is promoting a false narrative to attract media attention.”
Setting aside the civil lawsuit, experts emphasize that the government obtaining search warrants for two of Combs’ expansive homes is significant.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York doesn’t seek multiple search warrants from a federal judge unless they believe they have probable cause for a grand jury indictment,” explained Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor based in Los Angeles. “I believe his situation looks dire.”
Derrick Parker, a former member of the NYPD’s rap-related intelligence unit, informed Fox News Digital that the government typically uncovers substantial evidence before applying for a search warrant in broad daylight.
“The reason Homeland Security got involved is because something significant surfaced that warranted their involvement,” explained Parker, whose book, “Notorious COP,” explores the investigation into the 1999 nightclub shooting for which Combs was acquitted.
“He remained relatively quiet for a period, but now, the issue is that all these matters are surfacing,” he elaborated. “Individuals with previous connections to him are resurfacing and making their voices heard.”
In November, Combs’ former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, also known as R&B singer Cassie, filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and other abuse. They settled the following day, with Combs, a billionaire, not admitting wrongdoing.
However, in the months since, at least four other individuals, including Jones and three other women – one of whom alleges she was underage at the time of the alleged abuse – have sued him, claiming similar mistreatment.
Despite the federal investigation, Combs has not faced criminal charges and has vehemently denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
His attorney dismissed Jones’ lawsuit as “pure fiction.”
“Lil Rod (Rodney Jones) is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly seeking an undeserved payday,” stated Combs’ lawyer, Shawn Holley, in a previous statement to Fox News Digital. “His reckless mention of events that are entirely fictional and never occurred is merely a transparent ploy to grab headlines.”