Sex Offender Who TD Jakes Sued For Defamation is Denied Case Dismissal
A former pastor-turned-sex offender who accused Bishop T.D Jakes of trying to sexually abuse him when he was in his teens, and was subsequently sued for defamation for his troubles, has been denied a motion by the court to dismiss the claims.
In October 2024, Duane Youngblood, a former Pennsylvania-based pastor who led Higher Call World Outreach Church, appeared on Larry Reid Live and claimed Jake groomed him for years before eventually grabbing him and trying to kiss him, an action Youngblood rebuffed. (Reid also previously named ‘Prophet’ Manasseh Jordan as one of the alleged victims of Bishop T.D. Jakes’ alleged homosexual predations.)
In what can only be described as a poorly thought-out plan, Youngblood and his lawyer filed a suit against the famed Trinity-denier, quietly demanding $6M from Jakes in return for a promise not to sue him for sexual assault and harassment from four decades ago. The suit alleges this was done to avoid a “to resolve this matter quickly and privately.”
Notably, Youngblood is a registered sex offender who served time in prison, having previously pled guilty on multiple occasions to molesting teenage boys.
Jake refused the offer and instead counter sued, saying in his filing:
“This lawsuit is intended to bring that scheme to a halt, to end the extreme emotional, physical, and spiritual toll Defendants’ conduct has caused Bishop Jakes, to set the record straight so the world understands the patent falsity of the accusations, and to restore Bishop Jakes’s reputation.
Bishop Jakes believes with all his heart that actual victims of sexual abuse should be treated with the utmost respect, kindness, empathy, and sympathy — and that true perpetrators of such abuse should be held accountable for their actions. But that is not the case here. Youngblood has used and abused the might of social media and the legal process to … make knowingly false accusations for his own personal and financial gain.”
While Youngblood hoped to dismiss the claims under the state’s Anti-SLAPP statute, which allows, among other things, defendants to file motions early on in the process to dismiss frivolous defamation claims against them, United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV ruled it didn’t apply in this situation. The Christian Post summarizes the judgment, writing:
Stickman suggested that the arguments raised in Youngblood’s motion to dismiss Jakes’ lawsuit would have been more applicable under Federal Rules of Civil ProcedureRule 12(b)(6), which allows a defendant to move to dismiss a complaint if it doesn’t allege enough facts to support a plausible legal claim.
“The Court will dismiss Youngblood’s motion because it relies on statutory provisions that are not applicable in this litigation. The Court will not reframe Youngblood’s argument to fit within the Rule 12 (b)(6) or Rule 56 framework. If Youngblood wishes to file a motion to dismiss based on Rule 12(b)(6) or Rule 56, he may do so provided that his filing complies with all applicable Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,” Stickman wrote.
In his 20 page defamation lawsuit against Youngblood, Jakes and his legal team have been emphatic in their portrayal of Youngblood as a immoral grifter, writing:
The underlying story in this case depicts a carefully planned effort by a convicted criminal, and those acting in concert with him, to rewrite history in order to deflect blame and accountability for his own reprehensible and criminal conduct and to publicly smear a renowned and eminently respected religious leader in a blatant and explicit attempt to extort him for millions of dollars.
…In stark contrast, Duane Youngblood is registered as a lifetime sex offender in the State of Pennsylvania and is currently under supervision by the state’s Department of Parole with Parole number 590JF. Youngblood has repeatedly and uncontrollably sexually assaulted youngchildren since at least 2002. On all occasions, Youngblood has pleaded guilty and admitted to his heinous crimes
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