New York City attorney Tyrone Blackburn was arrested Wednesday after a claim that he assaulted a messenger who attempted to serve him legal documents. The arrest comes in the midst of a contentious legal battle involving Blackburn’s client, former pastor Duane Youngblood, who faces a defamation lawsuit filed by prominent megachurch leader Bishop T.D. Jakes.
Police charged Blackburn following an incident on May 12, where a 66-year-old messenger alleged he was injured after Blackburn drove his car in reverse, striking the messenger’s leg while trying to deliver a civil complaint related to a lawsuit against rapper Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena.
The day before Blackburn’s arrest, he filed a motion to withdraw as Youngblood’s attorney in the ongoing defamation case. It remains unclear if the arrest influenced this decision. Blackburn did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.
Youngblood is being sued by Jakes over allegations of sexual assault that reportedly occurred decades ago when Youngblood was a teenager. In addition to the claims against Youngblood, Jakes also alleged Blackburn attempted to extort him with a $6 million letter demanding payment pertaining to these accusations.
In response, attorneys for Fat Joe filed a $3 million defamation and extortion lawsuit against Blackburn and another party. Their lawsuit follows a demand letter from Blackburn on behalf of another individual, alleging claims of improper conduct by the rapper.
Amid these legal battles, Blackburn’s client filed a $20 million lawsuit against Fat Joe, accusing him of coercive labor practices and various forms of exploitation. The rapper has vehemently denied the allegations, stating on social media he has faced intense personal trials recently, including the loss of family members, and asserts he will not succumb to what he described as “disgusting lies.”
Jakes, the founder of the Potter’s House, a megachurch in Dallas with a membership exceeding 80,000, stated he found the accusations against him to be baseless. He expressed deep discontent over the extortion claims and strongly rejected the charges made by Youngblood, reaffirming the falsity of the statements presented against him in court.
This ongoing legal saga continues to unfold as both sides prepare for forthcoming court appearances, while the reputations of those involved hang in the balance.
The article was automatically written by Open AI, and the people, facts, circumstances, and story may be inaccurate. Any article can be requested for removal, retraction, or correction by writing to contact@publiclawlibrary.org.