UPDATE (April 18):
Diddy‘s request to push his sex crimes trial back by two months was denied in court today, CNN reports.
On Friday (April 18), Diddy appeared in New York Supreme Court for another conference hearing ahead of his upcoming trial. During the hearing, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against delaying the trial until July. “It is unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare,” Judge Subramanian told the music mogul’s attorneys.
Additionally, the judge decided the witnesses in the case can testify anonymously. Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie will be the only accuser taking the stand under her real name. The judge also ruled that most of the evidence about sexual assault allegations not listed in the indictment would not be authorized to be presented during the trial. Diddy’s trial is scheduled to begin on May 12, seven months after he was arrested for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution last September.
XXL has reached out to Diddy’s team for comment.
ORIGINAL STORY (April 17):
Diddy’s attorneys are asking the judge in his criminal case to delay the music mogul’s trial by two months.
Diddy Wants Sex Crimes Trial Pushed Back
On Wednesday (April 16), Diddy’s lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo, filed a motion asking for a delay of the upcoming trial, which is slated to start next month.
“We have discussed, multiple times, the possibility of a 2-week adjournment with the government, which they opposed [redacted],” the motion reads. “We spoke with the government today and requested, instead, a 2-month adjournment…The government opposes our proposed reasonable adjourment request even though it is still producing discovery…”
Judge Arun Subramanian responded to the request but reserved ruling until a status conference that is scheduled to take place on Friday (April 18).
One of the issues at hand has been the inclusion into evidence of the video of Diddy assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016. Diddy’s team claims the clip has been altered. According to the opinion of a forensic video technician on Diddy’s team, the video has significant distortion. Cassie plans to testify during the trial.
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Brian Steel Is Officially on the Diddy Case
After filing paperwork announcing his intent to join Diddy’s legal team on Tuesday (April 15), Judge Subramanian officially signed off on the move on Thursday (April 17). The addition comes nearly two months after one of Diddy’s former co-counsel, Anthony Ricco, removed himself from the case. Diddy’s lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo and Tony Geragos, remain on the case.
Diddy is facing a total of five federal counts after being charged in a third superseding indictment earlier this month, including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 12.
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