The judge’s signal: drop him or explain
On Tuesday, August 19, U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin indicated that while there was some basis to name Druski when the complaint was amended in March 2025, keeping him in after “clear-cut” alibi evidence surfaced could merit sanctions. The order set a September 9 deadline for the plaintiff’s attorneys to justify why he remains a defendant—or voluntarily dismiss him—or risk fee-shifting and other penalties. As the court put it, the stance “appears to lack any reasonable basis.”
Translation to plain English: In a case famous for baby oil, the only thing sliding right now might be the lawyers toward sanctions if they don’t course-correct.
The receipts from Georgia
Druski’s team produced bank and phone records showing he was in Georgia on March 23, 2018—the night of the alleged assault—complete with debit-card use in the Atlanta area and call data originating from Georgia. That documentary trail undercuts the claim he was in Orinda, California.
What each side is saying
- Druski: He publicly called the claims “a fabricated lie” and stated he had never met those involved and was not in California at the time.
- Odell Beckham Jr.: He has likewise denied any involvement after being named in the amended complaint.
- Plaintiff’s counsel: Parham is represented by Florida attorney Ariel Elise Mitchell, who was admitted to practice law in 2016, and is currently a member in good standing with no discipline history within the last 10-years, per Florida Bar records.
A separate legal front: Diddy’s $100M defamation suit
Parallel to the Orinda civil case, Diddy has escalated a defamation lawsuit to $100 million against NewsNation’s parent Nexstar, Courtney Burgess, and attorney Ariel Mitchell, alleging fabricated claims were aired and amplified for profit—an increase from an earlier $50 million filing. (The media-law stakes here are significant, especially on actual malice and reputational harm.) St. Louis American New York Post Pitchfork
