A federal judge has sanctioned attorney Tyrone Blackburn after determining that his conduct during depositions in Fat Joe’s ongoing legal dispute with former hype man Terrance Dixon crossed the line and interfered with the legal process.
In a June 23 ruling, U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis partially granted Fat Joe’s request for sanctions, denied a cross-motion filed by Blackburn and Dixon, and ordered Dixon to appear for a second deposition after finding the original session had been seriously compromised.
The legal battle began after Fat Joe filed a defamation lawsuit against his former hype man, Terrance Dixon, and attorney Tyrone Blackburn. Dixon later fired back with a $20 million countersuit, accusing the rapper of coercive labor, fraud, and sexual abuse—allegations Fat Joe has consistently denied.
In her decision, Judge Willis strongly condemned Blackburn’s actions during Dixon’s February 24 deposition, stating that the attorney’s “homophobic, transphobic, and sexualized comments” aimed at opposing counsel were deeply disturbing.
“The Court has never seen the sort of behavior from an attorney that Blackburn engaged in at the deposition on February 24th,” Willis wrote.
According to the ruling, Blackburn repeatedly insulted opposing counsel, including asking, “What date is your transition surgery?” and making vulgar comments about the attorney’s mother. The judge also referenced an exchange in which Dixon remarked, “I could take you down with my left hand,” prompting Blackburn to respond, “Everybody could take you down” and “Very easily.”
Beyond the personal insults, Judge Willis found that Blackburn repeatedly instructed Dixon not to answer questions despite a prior court order requiring him to respond unless a legitimate claim of privilege applied. She concluded that Blackburn’s frequent speaking objections, interruptions, and instructions not to answer were so excessive that they prevented a fair deposition.
As a result, Willis ordered Dixon to sit for another deposition of up to two additional hours covering limited topics. She also instructed Blackburn not to make speaking objections, improperly direct Dixon not to answer questions, or interrupt opposing counsel during the continued testimony, warning that further sanctions could be imposed if those directives are ignored.
Blackburn argued that medication prescribed following medical procedures earlier this year contributed to his behavior. However, the court rejected that explanation, finding no evidence to support the claim.
“The medical record does not support Blackburn’s assertion that his unconscionable behavior at the February 24th deposition was due to medication he was taking,” Willis wrote, noting that Blackburn never sought to postpone the deposition if he believed he was medically unable to participate.
The judge also criticized Blackburn’s conduct during his own March 6 deposition, saying he struggled to answer basic questions and initially could not clearly state whether he represented Dixon. Willis found no evidence that medication caused those issues either, adding that any alleged impairment should have been addressed by requesting an adjournment before the deposition.
Along with awarding Fat Joe certain attorney’s fees and costs tied to the disrupted depositions, Judge Willis also referred Blackburn to the Southern District of New York’s Grievance Committee.
