Diddy pleads not responsible once more, shocks with new look in court docket: Dwell updates

NEW YORK — Sean “Diddy” Combs shocked courtroom attendees with a grizzled new take a look at a pretrial convention Friday.

Combs’ authorized workforce and prosecutors disputed varied points of the disgraced rapper’s trial – together with jury choice, submitted proof and the trial’s court docket timeline – through the Friday convention in entrance of U.S. District Decide Arun Subramanian at Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan.

Combs is charged with racketeering, intercourse trafficking and transportation to have interaction in prostitution following his arrest in September. He has pleaded not responsible to all prices.

The graying music mogul appeared in principally good spirits all through the 35-minute convention – grinning and waving to a small group of household and mates seated towards the again of the gallery ‒ though at different instances, he may very well be seen shaking his head and whispering in his legal professional’s ear.

Combs was arraigned in court docket on a brand new indictment, which added accusations that the hip-hop mogul compelled staff to work lengthy hours and threatened to punish those that didn’t help in his alleged two-decade intercourse trafficking scheme.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs anticipated to look in court docket forward of felony trial: What to know

His upcoming trial is scheduled to start Could 5. The indictment follows quite a few lawsuits and allegations of rape, sexual assault, bodily abuse and comparable claims over the course of three many years.

Earlier this month, prosecutors submitted a second superseding indictment, updating the amended indictment from January that added three unnamed girls who have been allegedly victims of his so-called intercourse trafficking enterprise, which claims Combs subjected staff to compelled labor below inhumane circumstances.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused of compelled labor, assault of an worker as felony case builds

Diddy blows a kiss to his household as he leaves court docket

After the decide dismissed the court docket, Combs regarded again at his household, blew a kiss, put his arms to his chest and smiled earlier than he was escorted out.

Daughter Likelihood Combs, son Christian “King” Combs and mom Janice Combs, who’ve been staunch of their help for the hip-hop mogul, have been seated within the gallery and pictured arriving at and leaving the Manhattan courtroom. — Patrick Ryan and KiMi Robinson

Attorneys will meet once more in court docket in late April

As court docket adjourned for the day, Subramanian set the following pretrial convention for April 25. — Patrick Ryan

‘Witnesses and victims’ are ‘extremely frightened’ to be identified to Diddy’s workforce: Prosecutors

Mitzi Steiner, an assistant U.S. legal professional, stated the prosecution would file a letter — for attorneys’ eyes solely — that will reveal the names of among the witnesses and victims who’re prepared to testify in opposition to Combs.

“We need to shield the identities of those witnesses and victims,” Steiner advised the decide. A few of them are “extremely frightened” to have their identities revealed to the protection, she stated, however the prosecution would produce an inventory of their names. The decide and each side agreed to this. — Patrick Ryan

Diddy’s attorneys say they should consider medical data

Combs’ legal professional Marc Agnifilo stated the protection not too long ago got here in possession of “an excessive amount of medical data,” some associated to prescription drugs. The protection workforce added that they’re going to want an professional to “clarify what they imply,” though Agnifilo didn’t element the character of the medical data. — Patrick Ryan

Each side should attain a compromise on whether or not Cassie assault video from CNN could be proven at trial: Decide

Within the matter of the bombshell CNN video launched final 12 months that confirmed Combs bodily assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles resort, Subramanian left the opposing events to search out center floor as as to whether it may be offered to jurors.

Agnifilo reiterated the claims his workforce introduced ahead in a letter to Subramanian filed Thursday. He known as the video “misleading” and “a deceptive piece of proof” as, they declare, it has “been modified.”

Agnifilo claimed that the footage was re-sequenced and sped up, and that it was run by way of an modifying software program, in line with evaluation from an professional who reviewed the video.

Diddy’s attorneys forged doubt on video, as CNN defends integrity of footage displaying Diddy assaulting Cassie

Steiner, the assistant U.S. legal professional, stated the CNN footage is “a key piece of proof that (the protection is) attempting to maintain out” of trial.

Subramanian prompt that if the footage was certainly edited that maybe it may be slowed again down, re-sequenced or in any other case modified again to its authentic state. If the protection nonetheless disagrees with the contents of the video or how it’s offered, then Agnifilo can file a movement to have the fabric dismissed. — Patrick Ryan and KiMi Robinson

Decide determines when jury choice will start

Subramanian decided that potential jurors may start filling out questionnaires on April 28 earlier than jury choice begins on Could 5. Each side purpose to overview roughly 300 jurors per day till a jury is assembled.

Opening statements are scheduled to start Could 12. Attorneys for each side agreed with this scheduling determination.  — Patrick Ryan

What are prosecutors’ new claims in opposition to Diddy?

This second superseding indictment was filed by prosecutors on March 6.

The 15-page doc particulars the fees in opposition to the hip-hop mogul and is, for probably the most half, the identical because the one filed on Sept. 12 and made public Sept. 17. The second superseding indictment, an replace from the first amended indictment filed in January, confirmed how the federal government has continued to construct its case in opposition to Combs over the previous a number of months, as they’re now including the declare that he’d subjected staff to compelled labor below inhumane circumstances. — KiMi Robinson

Diddy pleads not responsible to prosecutors’ new felony indictment

Whereas interacting with the decide, Combs selected to face and spoke briefly.

He stated he was “tremendous” and answered that he was pleading “not responsible” to the brand new indictment, which prosecutors introduced ahead final week. — Patrick Ryan

Courtroom reacts in shock at Diddy’s look

When Combs walked into the courtroom Friday afternoon, he waved and blew a kiss to his household within the gallery. Sporting white hair and an identical beard and donning a tan jumpsuit, he had a smile on his face. Reporters within the courtroom may very well be heard commenting on his look, saying, “Oh my god” and “He seems to be horrible.” — Patrick Ryan

CNN defends video of Diddy assaulting Cassie after rapper’s workforce claims it was altered

Earlier this week, attorneys got here ahead with allegations a couple of practically decade-old video displaying the music mogul bodily assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, which performs a job in his felony trial.

Ventura’s Nov. 16, 2023, intercourse trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit, which the previous couple settled for an undisclosed quantity a day later, spurred an avalanche of civil lawsuits and allegations in opposition to the scandalized music mogul. –KiMi Robinson

Diddy’s lawyer quits amid federal case

In a movement filed in New York Federal Courtroom late final month, one in all Combs’ attorneys, Anthony Ricco, notified the decide of his intent to withdraw, including it had adopted discussions with Combs’ lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo.

“Though I’ve offered Sean Combs with the excessive degree of authorized illustration anticipated by the court docket, certainly not can I proceed to successfully function counsel for Sean Combs,” Ricco wrote. He declined to supply the precise particulars that led to the choice, citing legal professional/consumer privilege within the submitting. – Anna Kaufman

This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Sean Combs in court docket as we speak: Diddy pleads not responsible, sports activities grey hair