01-05-2025
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Gets Instructions on Shoes He Can Wear for Trial
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Sean "Diddy" Combs has received court approval to wear non-prison attire during his upcoming sex trafficking trial, but his wardrobe comes with some limitations, including what footwear is permitted.
Why It Matters
Allowing defendants to appear in civilian clothing is standard practice in many jurisdictions. The rationale is rooted in the principle of presumed innocence. If a defendant appears before jurors in jail-issued clothing, it could bias the jury and impair the defendant's right to a fair trial.
What To Know
Judge Arun Subramanian issued the order in response to a request from Combs' legal team. The directive permits Combs to wear "up to five button down shirts, up to five pairs of pants, up to five sweaters, up to five pairs of socks, and up to two pairs of shoes without laces" for his trial in New York.
Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/MediaPunch /IPX
Newsweek reached out to representatives for Combs for comment.
At a court appearance in March, Combs was seen in a beige-colored jumpsuit, with graying hair and a grey beard, as depicted in courtroom sketches.
Combs, 55, is facing federal charges that include racketeering, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in September 2024, and the indictment alleges he used his influence and business empire to coerce and silence victims over a period spanning more than a decade.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and remains held without bail at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.
What People Are Saying
Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyers, in a motion filed last month: "The government should not be permitted to pollute the trial with decades of dirt and invite a conviction based on propensity evidence with no proper purpose by painting Mr. Combs as a bad guy who must have committed the charged crimes."
Prosecutors, in a memorandum filed last month: "That testimony powerfully establishes that the defendant made no mistake when he coerced other victims into unwanted sex. It proves that the defendant intended to take the sexual gratification he wanted, regardless of consent."
What Happens Next
Opening statements in the trial are scheduled to begin on May 12, following jury selection. A conviction on the most serious charges could carry a life sentence.
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