The legal battle between prosecutors and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defense team over sensitive video evidence continues to intensify.
In a recent filing, Combs’ attorneys accused the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York of adopting “paternalistic, sexist, and puritanical” attitudes that perpetuate outdated stereotypes of victimhood. The videos in question, initially handed to the government by Cassie’s legal team, are reportedly at the center of the case involving allegations of racketeering, sex trafficking, and coercion against the music mogul.
Prosecutors previously negotiated strict conditions for viewing the videos, citing Cassie’s privacy concerns. However, Combs’ attorneys argue these limitations create a “real and substantial risk” of hampering his defense. They have requested that the judge amend the protective order to allow the U.S. Attorney’s Office to electronically share the videos with the defense team.
“The videos do not depict sex parties. There are no secret cameras, no orgies, no other celebrities involved, no underground tunnels, no minors, and not so much as a hint of coercion or violence,” Combs’ legal filing states. “Far from the government’s lurid descriptions, the videos show adults having consensual sex, plain and simple.”
The grand jury indictment, however, paints a starkly different picture. Prosecutors allege that Combs orchestrated “Freak Offs,” elaborate sex performances involving victims who were coerced through threats to their careers and livelihoods. They claim the videos, allegedly seized during raids on Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami homes last year, were used as blackmail to ensure victims’ silence. The raids reportedly uncovered over 90 devices, including cellphones, laptops, and external storage devices containing evidence of the alleged crimes.
Combs’ legal team disputes these allegations, stating that the recordings show no signs of coercion, incapacitation, or violence. They also noted their intention to hire experts to enhance the poor audio and video quality and analyze metadata to bolster their client’s defense.
Combs, who remains in jail after multiple bond denials, is scheduled to stand trial starting May 5, 2025.