Sean "Diddy" Combs, indicted last month on charges involving s*xual misconduct, was hit with 6 assault lawsuits just this week- 4 from John Does and 2 from Jane Does, joining over 100 accusers. Diddy's lawyers have been contending for the identities of these alleged victims to be uncovered, citing that it is imperative for his defense, and to prepare for his trial, slated for May 5, 2025.
The petition was filed in court on Tuesday, October 15, USA Today reported, wherein Combs' defense team appealed to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian with a letter discussing the same. However, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York "opposes disclosure of alleged victims’ names at this stage," they contend. The prosecution is yet to comment on the appeal.
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Diddy's lawyers say the claims "have created a hysterical media circus," contending it will deny him "a fair trial"
According to USA Today, a letter from October 7 sees the defense question the prosecution on the identities of these alleged victims, represented by their lawyer, Tony Buzzbee. The letter claims it's so that his team may defend the accused "against the charges against him effectively," rendering it "imperative" that they "know the identity of the alleged victims."
The letter also "demands" that they be provided with the "names of all individuals it considers to be victims of Mr. Combs’ alleged criminal conduct." Mark Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, Combs' lawyers, said in the statement,
"This case is unique, in part because of the number of individuals levying allegations against Mr. Combs due to his celebrity status, wealth, and the publicity of his previously settled lawsuit and the grand jury leaks and false inflammatory statements by the DHS agents, as outlined in our previous motion. This has had a pervasive ripple effect, resulting in a torrent of allegations by unidentified complainants, spanning from the false to outright absurd.”
Per Deadline, the letter continued,
"These swirling allegations have created a hysterical media circus that, if left unchecked, will irreparably deprive Mr. Combs of a fair trial, if they haven’t already. Without clarity from the government, Mr. Combs has no way of knowing which allegations the government is relying on for purposes of the Indictment. Other than Victim-1, there is no way for Mr. Combs to determine who the other unidentified alleged victims are. The number of potential alleged victims and the length of time alleged in the Indictment both weigh in favor of a bill of particulars.”
As per the outlet, Victim-1 is the mogul's former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who also filed a case against him last fall, but it was swiftly settled the following day. She alleged he assaulted and abused her for years during their longtime relationship. Diddy denied the allegations, and even reportedly paid Ventura $30 million to squash the case, Deadline reported.
However, not long after, a CNN footage from May 2016 began circulating-- one that shows Diddy kicking, beating, and dragging Ventura in the hallway of a hotel in LA, as he towered over her with nothing but a towel keeping him decent.
A law enforcement official told the outlet,
"This is all about shaming the alleged victims, it’s part of the defense’ offense course of action. They’ll try anything.”
The rapper and now-disgraced mogul, who is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, is looking at life in prison if convicted. Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him, including assault, abuse, battery, and trafficking, among others. He was denied bail twice. Regardless, his lawyers continue to appeal for a home detention, Fox LA reported, to no avail.
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