Prosecutors in the sex-trafficking case against Sean "Diddy" Combs are seeking to exclude expert testimony concerning the rapper's potential diminished mental capacity from the jury's consideration. In court documents filed on Sunday and obtained by Fox News Digital, the government stated, "The proposed testimony pertains to the defendant's reduced capacity to form the mens rea necessary for the charged offenses—in essence, a 'mental state impacting guilt.'"
With the trial mere days away, the prosecution has outlined two primary objections to the expert testimony. Firstly, they argue that Diddy's legal team failed to provide notice of Dr. Elie Aoun's testimony by the February 17, 2025, deadline for pretrial motions. According to prosecutors, this notice was crucial for introducing "evidence regarding the impact of drugs and alcohol on [Diddy's] memory or cognitive functions."
Even if the notice had been timely, the prosecution contends that Dr. Aoun's testimony would violate the Insanity Defense Reform Act of 1985 and should be deemed "irrelevant, prejudicial, and inadmissible under the Rules of Evidence."
Although specific details of Dr. Aoun's testimony were redacted, it appears that the expert opinion was intended to assess Diddy's "lucidity" during the alleged sex-trafficking scheme. However, the prosecution argues that Dr. Aoun has never examined the music mogul and that his testimony would serve as a "substitute for calling actual witnesses," thereby constituting impermissible hearsay.
In a hearing on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled to allow Diddy's legal team to employ a "swingers" defense. Marc Agnifilo argued, "There exists a lifestyle, whether you call it swingers or something else, that he believed was acceptable because it was commonplace. Many individuals perceive it as suitable for the same reason." The federal judge noted that Combs' team couldn't name any other high-profile individuals engaging in this "lifestyle" as examples.
Authorities claim that Diddy operated a criminal enterprise through his businesses, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises, and Combs Global, among others. They allege that he used "firearms, threats of violence, coercion, and verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse" to satisfy his sexual desires.
Initially charged with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation for prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed on September 17, Diddy has steadfastly maintained his innocence. In an April 3 superseding indictment, prosecutors added two new charges against Diddy, claiming that the rapper engaged in sex trafficking with a female victim as recently as 2024. He was accused of transporting this woman, referred to as "Victim 2," along with sex workers across state lines for prostitution between 2021 and 2024.
Diddy's trial is slated to commence on May 5.
