Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been unsuccessful in his bid to delay his intercourse trafficking and racketeering trial by two months.
The ruling got here on Friday (April 18) from US district decide Arun Subramanian, who stated that attorneys for the disgraced rap mogul made the request too near the beginning of the trial subsequent month.
As per the present schedule, jury choice is because of start on Could 5 with opening statements anticipated to be heard per week later.
Combs has pleaded not responsible to 5 legal counts, together with racketeering conspiracy, intercourse trafficking and transportation to interact in prostitution. He has persistently denied all allegations towards him and has asserted that every one sexual exercise described by prosecutors was consensual.
He had requested he wanted extra time to reply to new expenses towards him and to entry emails from one alleged sufferer, however the courtroom has dominated decisively towards his plea, arguing that the brand new expenses should not considerably completely different from present ones.
Combs is presently being held with out bail in jail in Brooklyn.
His attorneys have additionally filed a movement to exclude video footage exhibiting him violently attacking ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura from the upcoming trial. Alternatively, they’ve requested the courtroom to “allow Mr. Combs to current proof at a pre-trial listening to relating to the unreliability of the present and out there video proof”.
Over a yr in the past, she accused him of bodily assault and rape and the case was settled the next day, regardless of Diddy denying the claims. Months later, CNN obtained CCTV footage of Diddy dragging, kicking and hitting Ventura in an LA resort, lending credence to Ventura’s allegations. Diddy later apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour in a video Ventura’s legal professionals known as “disingenuous”.
Elsewhere, a brand new lawsuit was filed towards Diddy earlier this month, accusing him of human trafficking. The allegations have been put ahead by a Florida man known as Joseph Manzaro, who alleges that the rapper assaulted and humiliated him at an occasion in 2015, and that he was seen on the night time by Beyoncé, Jay-Z and LeBron James.
Combs’ authorized group denied the claims in a press release to TMZ. “This grievance demonstrates the wicked lengths plaintiffs will journey to garner headlines in pursuit of a payday,” it learn. “No sane individual studying this grievance may credit score this story. Mr. Combs appears to be like ahead to having his day in courtroom the place these lies — and the perverse motives of those that instructed them — might be revealed.”
Information of the accusations got here simply days after a separate certainly one of Diddy’s sexual assault lawsuits was dismissed final month.
Claims of intercourse trafficking towards Combs and former chief of employees Kristina Khorramm, in addition to sexual assault and premises legal responsibility claims towards Combs, have been upheld, nevertheless.
An lawyer for Combs stated Jones’ “reckless name-dropping about occasions which are pure fiction and easily didn’t occur is nothing greater than a clear try to garner headlines”, while Khorram denied all allegations.
For extra assist, recommendation or extra info relating to sexual harassment, assault and rape within the UK, go to the Rape Disaster charity web site. Within the US, go to RAINN.