Latest news with #Victim-4
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Loses Trial Delay Bid In Sex Trafficking Case; Warner Bros Discovery Comes Up Short In Keeping Docuseries Outtakes Out Of Case
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' criminal trial for sex trafficking and more will start next month. Also, footage from a Warner Bros Discovery Fall Of Diddy docuseries about the much accused 'I'll Be Missing You' performer will be allowed as evidence, despite the efforts of the David Zaslav run media giant. With the former mini-mogul in attendance, a federal judge this morning rejected a motion by Combs' defense to push back the trial by 60 days. Almost right from the top of the hearing, Judge Arun Subramanian denied the sealed move by the Marc Agnifilo- and Teny Geragos-led legal team based on the defense's assertions the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York was slow in handing over evidence and even lacked possession of certain evidence from Victim-4 in the case. More from Deadline Sean "Diddy" Combs Seeks 60-Day Delay Of Sex-Trafficking Trial; Claims Feds Too Slow In Sharing Evidence Max Goes Live In Turkey; Just For Laughs Renewals Ahead Of Relaunched Fest; MX Player Stocks Turkish Drama Shelf; Rannvijay Singha Strikes Infinitum Deal; - Global Briefs Diddy's Sex-Trafficking Trial Start May Be Delayed Again As Feds & Defense Fight Over Evidence At Latest Arraignment Once again calling the defense's claims nothing new in a case that has been bogged down in procedural battles the past few months since Combs' September arrest in a Big Apple hotel, Judge Subramanian chided the defense for looking to shift the May 5 trial start by two months, not two weeks. Noting the bulk of latest indictment was much the same as past filings, the judge told the defense it was'unclear why there isn't sufficient time to prepare.' With jury selection set to begin the first week of May, the actual opening statements in the incarcerated and heavily lawyered up Combs' trial are penciled in for May 12. If found guilty on the charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and more, the 55-year-old Bad Boy Records founder will likely be behind bars for the rest of his life. Moving briskly through pre-trial motions Friday, Judge Subramanian also denied an attempt by Warner Bros Discovery to stop outtakes from its January debuting Fall of Diddy docuseries. Specifically, the footage the defense want to see involves a former employee of Combs and an ex-girlfriend. WBD flew the flag of reporter's privilege to keep the outtakes out of the case. However, today, Judge Subramanian rejected that notion because both of the individuals in the footage are pretty certain to be giving testimony in the trial and therefore the outtake are relevant and admissible. Combs has failed three times since his arrest last fall to be released on a $50 million bail package, and is currently housed in one of the nicer units of Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center as inmate 37452-054. More charges have been added by the politically besieged SDNY over the since the New Year, including a superseding indictment that Combs entered yet another not guilty plea to in a hastily convened April 14 hearing. Building off the quickly settled ($30 million) assault and abuse suit and more from Victim-1, a.k.a former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura (who has said she will testify in open court in the trial), prosecutors allege that Combs and his aides coerced women and men into marathon sordid sexual encounters called 'freak-offs.' The sessions included male and female prostitutes, drug use, threats of violence and imprisonment in the hotel rooms where the acts were staged and videotaped. In a filing late April 17 the government summed its case up by saying: 'Over the course of more than a decade, the defendant subjected multiple victims to sexual, physical, emotional, and verbal abuse. With respect to Victim-1, Victim-2, and Victim-3, the defendant used those forms of abuse, along with threats, fraud, and coercion, to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts.' In stark terms, the feds added: 'Freak Offs were multi-day sex performances that the defendant arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded. The defendant exercised control over the victims through, among other things, physical violence, promises of career and financialopportunities, granting and threatening to withhold financial support, and by other coercive means,including tracking their whereabouts, dictating the victims' appearance, monitoring their medicalrecords, controlling their housing, and supplying them with controlled substances. TheGovernment expects the evidence to show the following with respect to Victim-1, Victim-2, andVictim-3, as well as other victims.' Proclaiming that he has done no wrong and all the relationships were consensual, the defense has exclaimed the feds are using 'racist' laws against Combs and seeking to 'police non-conforming sexual activity.' In that vein, on February 24, the defense took a judicial poke at 'unconstitutionally broad' search warrants that had been used on Combs as part of spring 2024 raids of his Los Angeles and Miami homes, devices, digital storage and more. As well as the criminal case, Combs is charged in dozens and dozens of civil actions (mainly from Houston-based attorney Tony Buzbee) claiming assault and abuse similar to the sex trafficking claims. He has entered not guilty pleas to all of them, with several since dismissed or died on the legal vine. Along with the various pre-trial motions being addressed, this week has also seen some more muscle added to Combs' defense team. Coming off an ultimately successful stint representing rapper Young Thug in his gang and racketeering trial, Atlanta attorney Brian Steel has joined the defense. Earlier this year, Anthony Ricco left the defense, citing in a declaration before the court: '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.' MORE Best of Deadline 'Ransom Canyon' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The New Netflix Western Romance Series Everything We Know About 'Emily In Paris' Season 5 So Far Everything We Know About Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners': From The Themes To How It Was Shot
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Diddy Seeks To Delay Federal Sex Trafficking Trial For Two Months
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal team has officially filed a motion requesting a two-month delay in the start of his upcoming federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial, citing incomplete discovery and newly introduced evidence in a superseding indictment handed down earlier this month. The motion, filed Wednesday (April 16), asks a federal judge for 'a 2-month adjournment,' raising concerns about a lack of preparedness due to ongoing government disclosures. According to the motion, Combs' defense argues that prosecutors have failed to provide critical evidence in a timely manner, despite the looming trial dates — jury selection is set to begin May 5, with opening statements scheduled for May 12. 'The government opposes our proposed reasonable adjournment request, even though it is still producing discovery, including discovery on Count Four — a 15-year mandatory minimum count — and has indicated, over our objection, that it will not produce the exhibits and witness list due today, or additional 3500 material, while this request is pending,' the motion states. 'Under these circumstances, with discovery seemingly incomplete on a 15-year mandatory minimum count, we cannot, in good conscience, go to trial on the scheduled date.' 'This is a problem that the government has created, yet it opposes our reasonable request.' On Monday, April 14, Combs' attorneys initially raised concerns over the timing of the new indictment and the government's slow pace in sharing discovery materials. In response, the presiding judge granted them 48 hours to formally argue for the trial delay, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for Friday (April 18). 'Pending this Friday's conference, the parties should proceed on the current schedule, including making all required disclosures. As for the evidentiary issue pertaining to Victim-4, which was first brought to the Court's attention Monday, the Court will also address that issue at Friday's conference,' the judge told the state and Combs' legal counsel. 'If Combs has a renewed application for that evidence that addresses some or all of the Government's objections, the Court will promptly consider it. SO ORDERED,' the judge also noted. The disgraced music mogul continues to face mounting legal pressure, as federal prosecutors pursue multiple charges tied to a sweeping investigation into the Bad Boy Entertainment founder's alleged sex trafficking and criminal conspiracy. More from Stevie J Reacts To Ex-Girlfriend Eve's Alleged Sexual Romp With Former 'Making The Band' Member Brian Steel, Attorney Who Helped Free Young Thug, Joins Diddy's Defense Team Diddy Accuser Removes Anecdote About Beyoncé And JAY-Z From Amended Lawsuit
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Seeks 60-Day Delay Of Sex-Trafficking Trial; Claims Feds Too Slow In Sharing Evidence
Sean 'Diddy' Combs loved to play tough guy when he was on top, but looking down the legal barrel at life behind bars if found guilty of sex-trafficking and more, the incarcerated Bad Boy Records founder now wants more time before his day in court. In a short letter, the 'Been Around the World' performer's defense team Wednesday asked a federal judge to for 'a 2-month adjournment' because of new evidence introduced by prosecutors with the latest superseding indictment against the much-accused Combs. More from Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs: An Updated Timeline Of Charges, Allegations & Consequences The Rap Mogul Faces Diddy's Sex-Trafficking Trial Start May Be Delayed Again As Feds & Defense Fight Over Evidence At Latest Arraignment Sean "Diddy" Combs Decries Latest Indictment From Feds As Nothing New; Invading "Private Sex Life" From the friction between the defense and the U.S. Attorney's Office at the suddenly called arraignment of Diddy on April 14, Combs' Marc Agnifilo- and Teny Geragos-led legal team made it clear it wanted to hit the pause button on the proceedings. Judge Arun Subramanian gave them 48 hours, aka today. Also, unsurprisingly, the feds want things to move ahead with no more delays. 'The government opposes our proposed reasonable adjournment request, even though it is still producing discovery, including discovery on Count Four — a 15-year mandatory minimum count — and has indicated, over our objection, that it will not produce the exhibits and witness list due today, or additional 3500 material, while this request is pending,' the heavily redacted letter states. 'Under these circumstances, with discovery seemingly incomplete on a 15-year mandatory minimum count, we cannot, in good conscience, go to trial on the scheduled date.' 'This is a problem that the government has created, yet it opposes our reasonable request.' As of now, Combs' trial is set to start with jury selection May 5 and opening statements May 12 in Subramanian's courtroom. In fact, in a side note to the short letter from the defense, the judge stated: 'Pending this Friday's conference, the parties should proceed on the current schedule, including making all required disclosures. As for the evidentiary issue pertaining to Victim-4, which was first brought to the Court's attention Monday, the Court will also address that issue at Friday's conference. If Combs has a renewed application for that evidence that addresses some or all of the Government's objections, the Court will promptly consider it. SO ORDERED' Arrested in a Manhattan hotel lobby by NYPD and federal agents in September, Combs initially faced claims of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. After failing to get out on a $50 million bail package, more charges have been added by the turbulent U.S. Attorney's office over the subsequent months. Building off the quickly settled ($30 million) assault and abuse suit and more from Victim-1, aka former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura, SDNY prosecutors allege that Combs and his aides coerced women into marathon sexual encounters called 'freak-offs.' The sessions included male and female prostitutes, drug use, threats of violence and imprisonment in the hotel rooms where the acts were staged and videotaped. Up against dozens of civil actions over sexual assault and abuse allegations, Combs has put forth a plea of not guilty on every one of the fed's indictments, including the most recent superseding one of earlier this month. 'These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships,' a spokesperson for Combs sad last month about witnesses the government intends to call. 'This was their private sex life, defined by consent, not coercion.' After offering an apology last summer over the CNN-revealed Los Angeles hotel security footage from 2016 of Ventura being beaten and dragged down the hallway by Combs following a supposed freak-off, Combs and his team have now declared the video was edited by the cable newser and should be inadmissible. CNN has bluntly said they did not edit the material. Ventura has made it clear she will testify, if and when the trial starts. Trying to shift focus, the defense earlier this year asserted that prosecutors are using 'racist' laws against Combs and seeking to 'police non-conforming sexual activity.' On February 24, the defense took a swing at 'unconstitutionally broad' search warrants that had been used on Combs as part of spring 2024 raids of his Los Angeles and Miami homes, devices, digital storage and more. The U.S. Attorney's Office had no comment on the letter from Combs' defense team Wednesday when contacted by Deadline. If they don't place something in the docket soon, you can be sure the prosecution will have something to say at Friday's hearing. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'The Gilded Age' Season 3 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
