Diddy's attorneys are accusing prosecutors of editing the 2016 Cassie assault video in order to make Puff look more menacing to the judge deciding whether to grant him bail.
via: USA Today
Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyers are doubling down on their efforts to get him released from jail by accusing U.S. attorneys of presenting an "altered" video of him attacking ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura to convince a judge he should remain detained.
In new court filings obtained by USA TODAY on Thursday, Combs' defense attorneys leveled multiple claims that cast doubt on evidence the government has produced in their arguments that Combs led a sex trafficking enterprise and that he should remain jailed until his trial.
One of Combs' lawyers, Alexandra Shapiro, alleged in her filing that evidence provided by prosecutors to the defense last week revealed U.S. attorneys "mischaracterized and concealed critical facts" during hearings that dealt with the issue of whether the hip-hop mogul should be incarcerated as he awaits trial.
One piece of evidence presented to a federal judge was footage of Combs physically assaulting Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel on March 5, 2016 — a clip that CNN made public earlier this year.
Shapiro says the exhibit — a "principal piece of evidence" for the government — showed an "altered video that omitted key scenes and presented events materially out of order." It was "an edited, manipulated version of the video published by CNN," she added.
When reached by USA TODAY, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.
Combs' team entrusted a forensic video analyst, Conor McCourt, with producing a video that compares the exhibit the government included in its argument against Combs' bail with two videos prosecutors provided the defense on Nov. 13. All of the clips depicted Combs assaulting Cassie at the Intercontinental Hotel.
McCourt's analysis purportedly shows that "the video the government submitted to the Court omits footage corroborating the defense account, changes the sequence of events in material respects, and does not accurately depict the events."
As a result of these claims, the defense argues, the judge should schedule another hearing on his bail request and "grant bail on the proposed conditions."
Combs and his lawyers have repeatedly pushed back on prosecutors' claims that the 2016 video is evidence of Combs' alleged sex trafficking and so-called "freak offs." Rather, his attorneys say, the footage shows a "domestic dispute" and "a sad glimpse into a decade-long consensual relationship."
A hearing on Combs' bail proposal is scheduled for Friday.
Combs, who has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution, is in jail until the start of his May 2025 trial despite multiple attempts by his lawyers to get him freed on a $50 million bond. He has also denied any wrongdoing alleged in dozens of civil lawsuits against him over the past year that level rape, assault and trafficking claims that date back decades.
This latest proposal, like those prior, offers a $50 million bond secured by the equity in Combs and his mother's Florida homes, implementation of a 24/7 monitoring service by approved security personnel, no internet or phone access for Combs outside of meetings with legal counsel, a pre-approved visitor list consisting of select family members and surrendered passports belonging to the rapper and his family members.
This latest bid also mentions Combs being willing to participate in "full home detention" at either his $48 million Miami home or "a suitable location in New York." His family visits would be monitored by his assigned security, and Combs would be subject to "testing for a prohibited substance" as needed.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
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