Sean “Diddy” Combs committed “domestic violence” in his relationship with one of the accusers who are expected to witness in his trial for sex trafficking, hip-hop main lawyer Mogul told a federal judge on Friday.
In a remarkable observation during the jury selection process, Comb lawyer Marc Agnifilo said the defense team plans to “assume the position that there was mutual violence” in the rapper’s relationship with an accuser identified in the prosecutors’ accusation as a victim-1.
Agnifilo said his team intends to argue that “he was reaching on both sides, behavior on both sides” that constituted violence. “This It is relevant in terms of coercive aspects, we are admitting domestic violence, ”Agnifilo told Judge Arun Subramanian.
Note adds a new layer to the defense of Combs. He stated innocent of five criminal accusations, including an accusation of extortion conspiracy and two accusations of sexual trafficking for strength, fraud or coercion.
He also denied accusations of sexual abuse, with his lawyers arguing that his accusers were in every sexual activity.
Victive-1 is not identified in the prosecution’s accusation, but his allegations closely mirror those of R&B singer Casandra Ventura, one of Combs’s ex-girlfriends. Ventura, known by the stage name Cassie, accused combs of rape and physical abuse repeated in a civil proceedings filed in November 2023.
The process was resolved in particular in one day without Combs to admit any irregularity.
Ventura’s allegations caught the highest national attention after CNN was broadcast by the hotel surveillance video, recorded in 2016, showing fighting, kicking and dragging Ventura.
Subramanian decided that the video can be shown during the trial as evidence. Comb lawyers tried to exclude, arguing that it was “totally inaccurate” and altered – says CNN denied strongly.
Combs apologized publicly after the video was released, saying that his behavior was “inexcusable” and that he took full responsibility for his actions.
In a separate venture on Friday, Subramanian decided to push the final phase of the jury selection for next week, expressing concern that people in the panel could have “cold feet” before the opening statements began.
The decision came after a potential juror sent an email to the court asking to be excluded from the panel to “personal welfare issues,” the defense team said.
Subramanian granted a request from Comb lawyers to postpone until Monday morning the process that allows lawyers to eliminate potential jurors. The defense team may “attack” 10 potential jurors and promoters six.
When the final pool of 12 jurors and six alternates is selected, the Subramanian will deliver instructions and then submit the process to lawyers to the opening statements.
Prosecutors said they plan to start with two witnesses who will be a brief testimony, followed by a -chave witness that will take most of the week.
US assistant lawyer Maurene Comey confirmed on Friday that prosecutors have not yet been able to contact the accuser identified in the prosecution as a victim-3, or his lawyer.
Comey said his team will have a “final answer” soon about if they will call the victim-3 for the booth.