Light Dark

Now Reading: Diddy pleads not responsible, sports activities grey hair

01
Diddy pleads not responsible, sports activities grey hair

Home
World
USA
Diddy pleads not responsible, sports activities grey hair

Diddy pleads not responsible, sports activities grey hair

Featured, USAYesterday1 Views

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

Combs’ authorized group and prosecutors disputed varied facets of the disgraced rapper’s trial – together with jury choice, submitted proof and the trial’s court docket timeline – throughout 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 costs.

The graying music mogul appeared in largely good spirits all through the 35-minute convention – grinning and waving to a small group of household and associates seated towards the again of the gallery ‒ though at different instances, he might 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 pressured workers to work lengthy hours and threatened to punish those that didn’t help in his alleged two-decade intercourse trafficking scheme.

His upcoming trial is scheduled to start Might 5. The indictment follows quite a few lawsuits and allegations of rape, sexual assault, bodily abuse and related 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 ladies who have been allegedly victims of his so-called intercourse trafficking enterprise, which claims Combs subjected workers to pressured labor beneath inhumane circumstances.

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

Daughter Probability 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

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

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

“We need to defend the identities of those witnesses and victims,” Steiner instructed the choose. A few of them are “extremely frightened” to have their identities revealed to the protection, she mentioned, however the prosecution would produce a listing of their names. The choose and either side agreed to this. — Patrick Ryan

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

Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized on Instagram

Sean “Diddy” Combs has apologized after video emerged showing to indicate him assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016.

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 lodge, Subramanian left the opposing events to seek out center floor as as to if it may be offered to jurors.

Agnifilo reiterated the claims his group introduced ahead in a letter to Subramanian filed Thursday. He referred to 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 accordance with evaluation from an professional who reviewed the video.

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

Subramanian urged 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

Subramanian decided that potential jurors might start filling out questionnaires on April 28 earlier than jury choice begins on Might 5. Each side intention to assessment roughly 300 jurors per day till a jury is assembled.

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

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

The 15-page doc particulars the costs in opposition to the hip-hop mogul and is, for essentially 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 workers to pressured labor beneath inhumane circumstances. — KiMi Robinson

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

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

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 might be heard commenting on his look, saying, “Oh my god” and “He appears to be like horrible.” — Patrick Ryan

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

Earlier this week, attorneys got here ahead with allegations a few almost decade-old video displaying the music mogul bodily assaulting ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, which performs a job in his legal 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 Court docket late final month, considered one of Combs’ attorneys, Anthony Ricco, notified the choose 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, not at all 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