Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-stakes sex trafficking trial is set to take place as scheduled, despite his legal team’s recent efforts to delay it. On Friday (April 18), federal Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against the Bad Boy founder’s motion to push back the trial date by two months.
The motion, filed Wednesday (April 16), asked for “a 2-month adjournment” due to concerns about a lack of preparedness after additional charges were filed earlier this month. Combs’ defense argued that prosecutors have failed to provide critical evidence in a timely manner.
According to CBS, the decision was made “immediately” in court today. The judge said to the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper’s attorneys that the motion was filed “last minute” and they did “have sufficient time to prepare.” Subramanian also said he “did not understand” why Combs wasn’t prepared when he has “four different law firms working on his case.”
The trial will begin on May 5 as originally scheduled.
The judge also said drafts of a memoir written by one of the alleged victims will be allowed in court. However, the victim’s diaries and bank statements were denied. Outtakes from a documentary titled The Fall Of Diddy will be allowed.
Other deliberations from today included victim anonymity. There are three alleged victims who the government wants to testify under pseudonyms, and the judge has ruled they can testify anonymously. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura will testify under her own identity.
Despite this setback, Diddy’s legal team announced a win earlier this week. Brian Steel, the attorney who helped Young Thug come out on the winning end of his RICO trial, recently joined Combs’ defense team.
On Sept. 16, 2024, the Love Album creator was arrested in NYC and charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. Disturbing details from the court documents accused Diddy of using his companies to fund and facilitate “Freak Offs,” where he’d allegedly drug his victims and put them in sexually abusive situations. He is currently being held at the MDC Brooklyn and has been denied bail several times.
Leave a comment