In New York City, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs found himself back in federal court on Friday where he entered a plea of not guilty to updated charges relating to an alleged long-standing sex trafficking operation. The 55-year-old music mogul, showing signs of graying at the beard, acknowledged to Judge Arun Subramanian his understanding of the indictment’s implications.
Despite having been detained without bail since he was apprehended in September, Combs managed to express affection to his legal team with hugs and sent gestures of love to his family as marshals escorted him from the courtroom. Judge Subramanian informed the legal teams that jury selection procedures, starting with the distribution of questionnaires to hundreds of potential jurors, would begin by the end of April. This would lead into jury questioning on May 5, and the trial is expected to commence with opening statements on May 12.
Combs, according to the court documents, allegedly exploited his influence in the music industry to manipulate women into entering his circle, often masquerading his intentions under the guise of romantic involvement. The indictment accused him of applying pressure through force and threats to coerce victims, identified in court documents as three women, into commercial sexual acts.
The charges further detail that Combs allegedly subjected victims to acts of violence, threats of both physical harm and reputational damage, and episodes of verbal abuse. In one cited instance, it’s claimed that Combs physically threatened a victim by suspending them over an apartment balcony.
The defense has pushed back against the prosecution’s portrayal, framing the accusations as an attempt to mischaracterize consensual adult interactions. A point of contention arose regarding the potential use of a video as evidence—a video that aired on CNN depicting an altercation involving Combs and his former protege and girlfriend, Cassie. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitzi Steiner deemed the video crucial to the prosecution’s argument.
Conversely, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo challenged the integrity of the video, labeling it misleading. He argued that the footage was modified, with certain segments accelerated by up to 50% and presented out of context. Agnifilo maintained that such alterations fundamentally skewed the reality of the events captured.
Prosecutor Steiner also highlighted the government’s hesitancy to disclose the identities of potential witnesses to the defense prematurely, citing concerns for their safety and the apprehension about their names becoming public. She noted that many individuals involved are extremely anxious about the implications of their identities being exposed both publicly and to the defense team.
