Sean “Diddy” Combs asked a federal judge for more time to answer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones’ explosive civil lawsuit. His attorneys said ongoing communication problems inside prison stopped them from preparing a complete legal response before the court’s deadline.
The request marked the defense’s second extension bid. The lawyers asked the court to move the deadline to Aug. 11.
Diddy’s attorneys say communication barriers in prison prevent them from preparing his response
According to RadarOnline, Diddy’s legal team filed the request with U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken. The attorneys sought another three weeks to file an amended answer and planned counterclaims.
The lawyers blamed restrictions at FCI Fort Dix. They wrote, “As we explained in our June 24 letter, Mr. Combs is currently incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, and we have been unable to communicate with Mr. Combs in advance of the approaching deadline.”
The filing followed an earlier extension request. The court had already pushed the deadline from June 30 to July 21 after the defense requested more time in late June. During a July 14 conference, the attorneys also told the judge they continued facing “significant challenges” communicating with Combs. They warned another extension might become necessary.
The latest filing repeated that concern. The defense argued that communication issues still prevented meaningful case preparation. The attorneys also said the revised deadline would not disrupt any other scheduling deadlines.
Jones filed the lawsuit after working as a producer on The Love Album: Off the Grid. He accused Diddy of sexual assault, sexual harassment, trafficking-related misconduct, and creating an environment involving drugs and unwanted sexual activity while they worked together.
However, the rapper denied every allegation. He repeatedly challenged the lawsuit and argued that Jones’ claims lacked merit. His amended answer and counterclaims would present his latest legal arguments if the judge approved the request.
The civil lawsuit remained separate from Diddy’s federal criminal prosecution. Still, it attracted widespread attention because it became one of the first cases to accuse the music mogul of a broader pattern of alleged misconduct. Several additional civil complaints followed afterward, placing even greater scrutiny on Combs as he continued defending himself in court.
TELL US – SHOULD THE JUDGE HAVE GRANTED DIDDY MORE TIME TO RESPOND TO RODNEY “LIL ROD” JONES’ LAWSUIT?
