Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing another lawsuit over allegations of sexual assault, but there are several aspects of the accuser's claims that have sparked plenty of questions.
Tyrone Blackburn, a lawyer for the accuser Rodney "Lil Rod" Jones, spoke with TMZ on Tuesday about the eye-popping claims he made. One burning question some critics brought up during the discourse online was the GoFundMe campaign Jones launched weeks before the lawsuit was filed. The former producer and videographer who worked on The Love Album: Off The Grid launched the page titled "Help Me Sue Sean 'Diddy' Combs" but didn't mention anything about the sexual assault allegations.
"Victims of sexual assault respond to their trauma in very different ways," There is no uniformity in response to sexual trauma."
"Mr. Jones is a father and Christian," Blackburn added. "He was willing to sacrifice his rights concerning his assault, in an effort to protect his dignity and the dignity of his family. Mr. Combs was made aware of Mr. Jones' claim for assault from the moment Mr. Jones made his intentions to sue clear."
Blackburn explained Jones' GoFundMe page was to raise funds for his previous attorney who was hired to obtain the producer's publishing and royalty earnings from his work on Diddy's album. Blackburn said he got involved after Jones wanted to sue over his latest claims.
Among the slew of claims Jones made in the suit, one allegation in particular appears to have been debunked. Jones alleged that Diddy forced him to watch a video of Stevie J having sex with another man, and included screenshots of the video in question. Not only did Stevie J flat out denied the claims (and is considering legal action against Jones), but a gay adult porn star named "Knockout" also came forward and claimed he's the man in the video. Blackburn said the video was provided to Jones from Combs. He also said Jones is "sticking to his story that Diddy told him it was Stevie J."
There are also other wild allegations that are listed in the lawsuit. Jones claimed Combs told him that he had engaged in sexual intercourse with "rapper (REDACTED), R&B singer (REDACTED) and Stevie J." In the footnotes, Jones clarified that the "rapper" is from Philadelphia and dated Nicki Minaj while the singer "performed at the Super Bowl and had a successful Vegas residency" — which alludes to Meek Mill and Usher. He also accused Combs of being involved in the cover-up of a shooting that happened outside of a studio in Los Angeles, and alleged actor Cuba Gooding Jr. groped Jones in his private areas in a studio.
An image of what appears to be the plaintiff seated next to Gooding, Jr. with his arm around Jones was included in the suit, but some critics aren't convinced that it's Jones in the photo. Blackburn didn't speak on the allegations involving Meek, Usher or the shooting. However he did dismiss all chatter about the photo not being of Jones and the actor. He said it's definitely Jones in the photo, and there is video footage to prove Jones' claims.
Jones is suing Combs for $30 million in damages. The music mogul has denied all the allegations.