Sean “Diddy” Combs loved to play tough guy when he was on top, but looking down the legal barrel at life behind bars if found guilty of sex-trafficking and more, the incarcerated Bad Boy Records founder now wants more time before his day in court.
In a short letter, the “Been Around the World” performer’s defense team Wednesday asked a federal judge to for “a 2-month adjournment” because of new evidence introduced by prosecutors with the latest superseding indictment against the much-accused Combs.
From the friction between the defense and the U.S. Attorney’s Office at the suddenly called arraignment of Diddy on April 14, Combs’ Marc Agnifilo- and Teny Geragos-led legal team made it clear it wanted to hit the pause button on the proceedings. Judge Arun Subramanian gave them 48 hours, aka today. Also, unsurprisingly, the feds want things to move ahead with no more delays.
“The government opposes our proposed reasonable adjournment request, even though it is still producing discovery, including discovery on Count Four — a 15-year mandatory minimum count — and has indicated, over our objection, that it will not produce the exhibits and witness list due today, or additional 3500 material, while this request is pending,” the heavily redacted letter states. “Under these circumstances, with discovery seemingly incomplete on a 15-year mandatory minimum count, we cannot, in good conscience, go to trial on the scheduled date.”
“This is a problem that the government has created, yet it opposes our reasonable request.”
As of now, Combs’ trial is set to start with jury selection May 5 and opening statements May 12 in Subramanian’s courtroom. In fact, in a side note to the short letter from the defense, the judge stated: “Pending this Friday’s conference, the parties should proceed on the current schedule, including making all required disclosures. As for the evidentiary issue pertaining to Victim-4, which was first brought to the Court’s attention Monday, the Court will also address that issue at Friday’s conference. If Combs has a renewed application for that evidence that addresses some or all of the Government’s objections, the Court will promptly consider it. SO ORDERED”
Arrested in a Manhattan hotel lobby by NYPD and federal agents in September, Combs initially faced claims of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. After failing to get out on a $50 million bail package, more charges have been added by the turbulent U.S. Attorney’s office over the subsequent months. Building off the quickly settled ($30 million) assault and abuse suit and more from Victim-1, aka former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura, SDNY prosecutors allege that Combs and his aides coerced women into marathon sexual encounters called “freak-offs.” The sessions included male and female prostitutes, drug use, threats of violence and imprisonment in the hotel rooms where the acts were staged and videotaped.
Up against dozens of civil actions over sexual assault and abuse allegations, Combs has put forth a plea of not guilty on every one of the fed’s indictments, including the most recent superseding one of earlier this month. “These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships,” a spokesperson for Combs sad last month about witnesses the government intends to call. “This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.”
After offering an apology last summer over the CNN-revealed Los Angeles hotel security footage from 2016 of Ventura being beaten and dragged down the hallway by Combs following a supposed freak-off, Combs and his team have now declared the video was edited by the cable newser and should be inadmissible. CNN has bluntly said they did not edit the material. Ventura has made it clear she will testify, if and when the trial starts.
Trying to shift focus, the defense earlier this year asserted that prosecutors are using “racist” laws against Combs and seeking to “police non-conforming sexual activity.” On February 24, the defense took a swing at “unconstitutionally broad” search warrants that had been used on Combs as part of spring 2024 raids of his Los Angeles and Miami homes, devices, digital storage and more.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office had no comment on the letter from Combs’ defense team Wednesday when contacted by Deadline. If they don’t place something in the docket soon, you can be sure the prosecution will have something to say at Friday’s hearing.
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