Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in court docket on Friday to formally plead not responsible to the newest expenses in his ongoing authorized case, which embrace expanded accusations of intercourse trafficking and racketeering.
Get this: The brand new indictment has widened the scope of the alleged offenses, including two extra victims and increasing the timeline of the alleged actions.
On the court docket listening to, prosecutors outlined their case, accusing the music mogul of utilizing threats of bodily hurt and injury to repute to coerce staff into working lengthy hours. Moreover, they declare that Combs compelled an worker right into a sexual encounter with him. Diddy’s authorized workforce, nonetheless, strongly contested these allegations, asserting that they had been unfounded.
When it got here to the match, the courtroom noticed Diddy, sporting an unflattering tan jumpsuit, accompanied by his household—his mom and 4 kids—exhibiting seen assist. Because the listening to concluded, he gestured affectionately towards them, blowing a two-handed kiss of their path.
Throughout the brand new proceedings, authorized groups for each side labored to determine the framework for the upcoming trial, with Choose Arun Subramanian setting the stage for a Could 5 begin. A part of the listening to targeted on scheduling potential juror questionnaires, which shall be distributed on April 28. Discussions additionally centered on the proof that shall be introduced in court docket, together with a controversial video that allegedly reveals Diddy assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
ICYMI, and we hope you probably did, as a result of it’s horrible, the footage, which was initially obtained by CNN and shared publicly, was deemed essential by the prosecution. They argue that it gives sturdy proof to assist their case. Nonetheless, Diddy’s legal professional, Marc Agnifilo, claimed the video had been tampered with. “From the protection standpoint, it’s a deceptive piece of proof, a misleading piece of proof, a chunk of proof that has been modified,” Agnifilo mentioned.
In response, CNN denied the allegations, stating that the video was not altered. “CNN by no means altered the video and didn’t destroy the unique copy of the footage, which was retained by the supply,” a CNN spokesperson instructed Fox Information Digital. “CNN aired the story concerning the video a number of months earlier than Combs was arrested.”
In the meantime, the trial is scheduled to final round eight weeks, with the prosecution estimating that it’ll take as much as six weeks to current its case. The protection workforce, alternatively, believes it would take solely two weeks to current its facet. As well as, there have been disputes over the dealing with of proof, with the prosecution claiming that the protection has not offered any proof regardless of quite a few discovery requests.
Authorities additionally outlined the in depth proof they’ve seized, together with 96 digital gadgets from Combs’ properties, along with his cellphone and a resort room search following his arrest in September. Because the trial looms, Diddy stays in detention on the Metropolitan Detention Middle in Brooklyn, the place he has been since his September arrest.
And onward, we march in direction of the trial of the century.
