Prosecutors in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing lawsuit have denied deliberately leaking footage of the disgraced rapper bodily assaulting his now-ex Cassie in 2016.
In courtroom paperwork filed on Wednesday, October 30, and obtained by Us Weekly, prosecutors opposed Diddy’s requests for a gag order associated to the video.
“The Courtroom ought to deny the Leak Movement for the straightforward motive that the defendant fails to indicate the leak of any grand jury materials,” the courtroom paperwork learn. “With none factual foundation, the Leak Movement seeks to suppress extremely probative proof — a video of Combs brutally bodily assaulting a sufferer in March 2016 that was printed by a media outlet in Might 2024 — by claiming that it was grand jury materials leaked by Authorities brokers to CNN.”
The movement provides, “However, because the defendant is absolutely conscious, the video was not within the Authorities’s possession on the time of CNN’s publication and the Authorities has by no means, at any level, obtained the video by means of grand jury course of.”
Diddy’s trial is presently scheduled to start in 2025 along with his attorneys trying to maintain the CNN footage out of courtroom.
“The defendant is greedy at straws. As a result of the defendant can not present that the data within the Cited Articles is grand jury materials, and since he can not present that Authorities brokers with entry to grand jury materials leaked the data, he can not make the prima facie exhibiting required for the reduction he seeks,” prosecutors add within the courtroom paperwork, denying leaking different delicate supplies to different information shops. “Furthermore, even when any of the data within the Cited Articles might be thought-about private info improperly disclosed, the defendant’s request for reduction beneath Native Legal Rule 23.1 is mooted by the order entered by this Courtroom on October 25, 2024.”
Within the docs, the attorneys additionally expressed “severe considerations” about Diddy’s alleged victims and trial witnesses.
“Right here, as detailed within the indictment and on the bail hearings, the defendant has a major historical past of violence and obstruction,” the submitting states. “Certainly, Choose Carter discovered by clear and convincing proof on the conclusion of the second listening to, the defendant ‘is a hazard relating to obstruction of justice and witness tampering’ and ‘is a hazard to the security of others locally extra typically.’ As a result of defendant’s historical past, the Authorities has severe considerations about sufferer security and the potential for witness tampering if a listing of sufferer names have been offered to the defendant.”
CNN obtained and printed a video in Might that confirmed Diddy, now 54, grabbing Cassie, now 37, by her neck, shoving, dragging and kicking her repeatedly whereas at a Los Angeles resort. The footage was time-stamped from 2016.
Inside hours, Diddy issued an apology for his actions with out mentioning Cassie (full identify Casandra Ventura) immediately.
“It’s tough to mirror on the darkest occasions in your life, generally you gotta try this,” he stated in an Instagram video. “I used to be f—ed up. I imply, I hit all-time low however I make no excuses. My habits on that video is inexcusable. I take full duty for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted.”
Diddy added, “I went and sought out skilled assist. I’ve been going to remedy, going to rehab. Needed to ask God for his mercy and beauty. I’m so sorry, however I’m dedicated to being a greater man every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m actually sorry.”
Diddy and Cassie dated on and off between 2007 and 2018. 5 years later, Cassie sued the music mogul in November 2023 for sexual assault and bodily abuse that she alleges occurred over a 10-year interval. Diddy vehemently denied all allegations earlier than he and Cassie settled the lawsuit inside sooner or later.
Diddy was indicted by a grand jury in September, shortly earlier than being arrested and charged with intercourse trafficking, racketeering, conspiracy and transportation to have interaction in prostitution. A 14-page indictment, which additionally cited the CNN video of Diddy and Cassie, claimed that the rapper allegedly “abused, threatened and coerced ladies and others round him” for many years.
Diddy pleaded not responsible to the fees earlier than a decide denied him bail on three separate makes an attempt. He was remanded to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Middle till his trial.
“We’re dissatisfied with the choice to pursue what we imagine is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace,” Diddy’s legal professional Marc Agnifilo advised Us Weekly in a press release earlier this month. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving household man and confirmed philanthropist who has spent the final 30 years constructing an empire, adoring his youngsters and dealing to uplift the Black group. He’s an imperfect particular person, however he isn’t a prison.”
If you happen to or somebody you recognize has been sexually assaulted, contact the Nationwide Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).