Latest news with #ABAStandardsforCriminalJustice
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Male Escort Claims Diddy Raped Him, Took Credit for Tupac's Murder in New Lawsuit
A male escort became the latest individual to sue music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs this week, citing an alleged 2012 sexual assault in a Manhattan hotel. The plaintiff John Doe also claims the rapper threatened to have him killed following the assault — the same way he could 'get Pac [Tupac Shakur] hit' in 1996, the rapper threatened, according to the suit. In a suit filed Wednesday in New York, the victim, identified only as John Doe, states that Combs raped him at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City after hiring him through a 'male companion' service, flying him up from Florida and drugging him. Doe then claims the musician threatened him and told him not to tell anyone about the incident. 'You better not say a word to anybody about this. Did you hear me? … I'm not f–king playing with you. If I can get Pac hit, what the f–k do you think can happen to you?' Combs said, according to the suit. Shakur, a West Coast rival of Combs, died after being shot multiple times on the Las Vegas strip in September 1996. A suspect, Duane 'Keefe D' Keith Davis was arrested in September 2023 and charged with planning the deadly drive-by shooting. The Wednesday lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff traveled from Florida to New York at Combs' request, which qualifies the assault as a case of sex trafficking. Doe alleges that Combs gave him a drink and rubbed him with baby oil, causing him to become disoriented, as if drugged. The series of events echoes several other alleged sexual assaults at the hands of Diddy that have come to light over the last year. Doe claims Combs then forced him to perform oral and penetrative sexual acts on an unidentified woman who was with them in the hotel room and that after dismissing the woman, forced himself onto Doe, pinned him to the wall and anally penetrated him. 'I really want you to stay, let's turn up, let's turn up,' Diddy allegedly said. We're going to have some fun.' The plaintiff requested a jury trial and an unspecified number of damages to cover lawyers' fees and 'emotional anguish, pain and suffering and loss of dignity.' After facing multiple charges of sexual assault, racketeering, sex trafficking and prostitution, Combs is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial. An initial trial date has been set for May 5. Anthony Ricco, one of several attorneys representing Combs, filed a request last week to withdraw as a member of the disgraced music mogul's legal team, saying that 'under no circumstances' could he continue to represent the rapper. 'Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice,' Ricco said at the time. The post Male Escort Claims Diddy Raped Him, Took Credit for Tupac's Murder in New Lawsuit appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Male Escort Claims Diddy Raped Him, Took Credit for Tupac's Murder in New Lawsuit
A male escort became the latest individual to sue music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs this week, citing an alleged 2012 sexual assault in a Manhattan hotel. The plaintiff John Doe also claims the rapper threatened to have him killed following the assault — the same way he could 'get Pac [Tupac Shakur] hit' in 1996, the rapper threatened, according to the suit. In a suit filed Wednesday in New York, the victim, identified only as John Doe, states that Combs raped him at the Intercontinental Hotel in New York City after hiring him through a 'male companion' service, flying him up from Florida and drugging him. Doe then claims the musician threatened him and told him not to tell anyone about the incident. 'You better not say a word to anybody about this. Did you hear me? … I'm not f–king playing with you. If I can get Pac hit, what the f–k do you think can happen to you?' Combs said, according to the suit. Shakur, a West Coast rival of Combs, died after being shot multiple times on the Las Vegas strip in September 1996. A suspect, Duane 'Keefe D' Keith Davis was arrested in September 2023 and charged with planning the deadly drive-by shooting. The Wednesday lawsuit alleges that the plaintiff traveled from Florida to New York at Combs' request, which qualifies the assault as a case of sex trafficking. Doe alleges that Combs gave him a drink and rubbed him with baby oil, causing him to become disoriented, as if drugged. The series of events echoes several other alleged sexual assaults at the hands of Diddy that have come to light over the last year. Doe claims Combs then forced him to perform oral and penetrative sexual acts on an unidentified woman who was with them in the hotel room and that after dismissing the woman, forced himself onto Doe, pinned him to the wall and anally penetrated him. 'I really want you to stay, let's turn up, let's turn up,' Diddy allegedly said. We're going to have some fun.' The plaintiff requested a jury trial and an unspecified number of damages to cover lawyers' fees and 'emotional anguish, pain and suffering and loss of dignity.' After facing multiple charges of sexual assault, racketeering, sex trafficking and prostitution, Combs is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while awaiting trial. An initial trial date has been set for May 5. Anthony Ricco, one of several attorneys representing Combs, filed a request last week to withdraw as a member of the disgraced music mogul's legal team, saying that 'under no circumstances' could he continue to represent the rapper. 'Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice,' Ricco said at the time. The post Male Escort Claims Diddy Raped Him, Took Credit for Tupac's Murder in New Lawsuit appeared first on TheWrap.
Express Tribune
23-02-2025
- Express Tribune
Anthony Ricco quits Diddy's legal team, stating ‘under no circumstances' can he continue
Anthony Ricco, one of the six defense attorneys representing Sean 'Diddy' Combs in his ongoing sex-trafficking case, has formally stepped down. Ricco filed a motion to withdraw as Combs' legal counsel on Thursday, citing professional and ethical reasons. According to legal documents obtained by Page Six, Ricco stated, 'Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice.' While Ricco refrained from disclosing specific reasons, he emphasized that attorney-client privilege prevented him from elaborating further. Although court rules generally mandate a clear justification for attorney withdrawal, Ricco asserted that attorney-client privilege necessitated discretion in his request. In his filing, he noted, 'There are sufficient reasons (related to the protections afforded by attorney/client privilege) for brevity in my application for withdrawal.' This suggests that undisclosed factors influenced his decision to step down. Combs, the well-known music mogul and entrepreneur, is facing allegations related to sex trafficking, which have led to significant legal scrutiny. With multiple attorneys still representing him, it remains unclear whether Ricco's departure will affect the overall defense strategy. Neither Combs nor his legal team have publicly commented on the development. As Combs' legal proceedings continue, Ricco's unexpected departure may prompt adjustments in the defense strategy, raising questions about the case's trajectory. With the high-profile nature of the allegations, the case remains under intense public and legal scrutiny.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean Combs Attorney Steps Down, Says There Are 'No Circumstances' in Which He Can Represent Diddy
Anthony Ricco, an attorney for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, has filed a motion to step down from the mogul's legal team. In a filing in the Southern District of New York, Ricco did not provide an affidavit or evidence for why he could not continue in the case other than a short statement saying he would no longer be able to 'effectively serve.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Doechii Says Finding Her Stage Name Helped Her Overcome Suicidal Thoughts: "This Is My Motherf**** Movie" Beyoncé Adds New Dates to Cowboy Carter Tour - Here's How to Snag the Best Deals on 2025 Tickets Chloe Fineman Says Harry Styles Was "Devastated" by Her Impression of Him on 'SNL' 'Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice,' the letter reads. Ricco notes that his withdrawal from representing Combs would not delay the trial date, which is currently scheduled to begin in May. And Combs would still continue to be represented by five other attorneys, including Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. Combs was indicted in September and charged with sex trafficking and racketeering for directing a vast criminal enterprise through which it is alleged that he assaulted and trafficked women with the help of his various businesses since at least 2008. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is awaiting trial in a Brooklyn jail. On Tuesday, lawyers for Combs had filed a motion seeking to dismiss one of the sex trafficking charges he is facing. The charge, violating the Mann Act, prohibits transporting someone across state lines for the purpose of prostitution. In this case, the government alleges that Combs violated this by transporting male escorts across state lines to have sex with his girlfriends. However, lawyers argued it was a legal male escort company and that the origins of the law are racist. The Mann Act was once called the White-Slave Traffic Act, and was enacted in 1910. Combs' lawyers argued the law's historic purpose has been to 'target Black men and supposedly protect white women from them,' as it had been used in the prosecution of boxing champ Jack Johnson and Chuck Berry. 'This case is unprecedented in many ways, but perhaps most notably, and most disturbingly, no white person has ever been the target of a remotely similar prosecution. Sean Combs is an extraordinarily successful artist, businessman, philanthropist and one of the most accomplished black people in this country,' the filing reads. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More Hollywood's Highest-Profile Harris Endorsements: Taylor Swift, George Clooney, Bruce Springsteen and More Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2024: Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo and More
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer wants out of sex-trafficking case, says can't continue under any circumstances
A lawyer in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex-trafficking case requested to step down from the legal battle Friday. Anthony Ricco and Combs' legal team submitted a motion for the attorney to be removed from the rapper's counsel less than three months before the trial is set to take place. "Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice," Ricco wrote in the motion obtained by Fox News Digital. The attorney noted there were "sufficient reasons" for the "brevity" of his withdrawal that are related to "protections afforded by the attorney/client privilege." Jay-z, Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sexual Assault Accuser Drops Lawsuit Ricco's departure from the case does not impact Combs' legal team, a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital. The team remains "intact and fully engaged." Read On The Fox News App "This motion for withdrawal of counsel, if granted, will not result in a delay of the present schedule for the commencement of jury selection and trial, or the present schedules for briefing of pre-trial legal issues," Ricco added in the legal document. "As a result, there will be no lapse in representation, as Sean Combs will continue to be represented by five other attorneys of record." The request must be approved by Judge Arun Subramanian. Combs' trial is set to begin May 5. Like What You're Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News The prosecution expects the government's case to take three weeks to lay out, while Combs' legal team estimated needing one week to argue the rapper's defense. A superseding indictment has been filed against Combs, which prosecutors previously said could lengthen the trial. Prosecutors filed the superseding indictment on Jan. 30, adding new details to the public record but no new charges. The new indictment, obtained by Fox News Digital, claimed the racketeering conspiracy actually began in 2004 and ran until 2024. Two additional victims were also added, although they remain anonymous as "Victim-1," "Victim-2" and "Victim-3." Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Combs was originally charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution in an indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, 2024. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison. Authorities alleged Combs ran a criminal enterprise through his businesses, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, among others. He used "firearms, threats of violence, coercion, and verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse" to fulfill his sexual desires, according to the unsealed indictment obtained by Fox News Digital. WATCH: SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS DEFENSE TEAM'S ONLY HOPE IS TO MAKE SEX ACTS APPEAR CONSENSUAL, FORMER PROSECUTOR SAYS Combs and his employees would "intimidate, threaten, and lure female victims into the rapper's orbit, often under the pretense of a romantic relationship. Combs allegedly then used force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as, among other things, 'Freak Offs.'" Lawyers for Combs denied the allegations and have maintained the rapper is article source: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer wants out of sex-trafficking case, says can't continue under any circumstances
