One of the big conflicts between federal prosecutors and the defense in the Diddy case concerns the 2016 footage of him assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie. His legal team accused the federal government, specifically the Department of Homeland Security, of leaking this video to the press, something that the government denied yet again in a new motion filed late Wednesday (October 30). Moreover, they responded to these allegations by claiming that Sean Combs' legal team wants to "suppress a damning piece of evidence" and make it so that jurors don't see him "brutally physically assaulting a victim."
More importantly, federal prosecutors claimed it is impossible for them to have leaked the video of Diddy and Cassie to CNN because they did not have the video in their possession when it emerged in May. They also alleged that his legal team knows this well, and are instead using these accusations to prevents its use as evidence in his trial next year. "Without any factual basis, the leak motion seeks to suppress highly probative evidence […] by claiming that it was grand jury material leaked by government agents," prosecutors posited in writing. "But, as the defendant is fully aware, the video was not in the Government’s possession at the time of CNN’s publication and the Government has never, at any point, obtained the video through grand jury process."
Diddy At An Atlanta United & Inter Miami CF Game In 2023
If Diddy faces conviction for allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering, he could face life in prison. His lawyers demanded an investigation into this footage's emergence, alleging that it "led to damaging, highly prejudicial pre-trial publicity that can only taint the jury pool and deprive Mr. Combs of his right to a fair trial." Furthermore, Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo alleged that the government leaked the Cassie footage to the press to ruin his reputation and chances at defense, claiming that they used it to prejudice him without context rather than using it as trial evidence informed by other elements and additional pieces of alleged proof.
Nevertheless, this new filing from prosecutors also addressed Diddy' demands for the government to reveal the names of his alleged victims. Federal prosecutors shot this down, citing that it would "pose serious risks" to alleged victims' safety. They also referenced his alleged "significant history of violence and obstruction" that caused the court to deny his bail, warning of possible witness tampering.