On Tuesday, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal team fiercely denounced the prosecution against the hip-hop icon as "a flawed blend of sexism and Puritanical zeal," contending that nine recordings of sexual acts, deemed crucial evidence, solely portray consensual intimacy among willing adults. The attorneys penned a letter to a Manhattan federal court judge, requesting the transfer of these intricate sex performance recordings—allegedly orchestrated by Combs—to their possession for further scrutiny. To date, they lament, defense lawyers have been granted mere fleeting glimpses of these materials on just two occasions over the past two months.
Combs, now 55, has steadfastly maintained his innocence against the sex trafficking charges levied against him following his September arrest. He remains confined, awaiting the impending May 5 trial, after three separate judges denied bail during their respective hearings. A spokesperson for the prosecution remained tight-lipped on the matter.
Tuesday's defense submission echoed arguments raised during bail hearings, where defense lawyers vehemently insisted that prosecutors had twisted consensual sexual activity among adults to construct their case. "Any impartial observer of the videos would swiftly conclude that the prosecution of Mr. Combs is rooted in sexism and Puritanism," the lawyers stated emphatically. "It is sexist because the government's narrative perpetuates outdated stereotypes about female victimhood and lack of autonomy."
The indictment against Combs alleges that the music mogul arranged sexual encounters between his victims and male sex workers, which he dubbed "Freak Offs"—elaborate, produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and frequently electronically recorded, as per the indictment. Prosecutors claimed these encounters sometimes spanned days and involved multiple commercial sex workers, with Combs administering drugs to participants to "ensure their obedience and compliance." Searches of Combs' Los Angeles and Miami residences yielded supplies for these "Freak Offs," including drugs and an astonishing collection of over 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.
Defense lawyers countered that the nine videos, "capturing six unmistakably consensual sexual encounters," were provided by the legal representatives of a woman identified in the indictment as "Victim-1," who had a long-standing relationship with Combs. "In all six scenarios," defense attorneys emphasized, "Victim-1 is not just consenting; she is visibly content, dominant, and utterly in charge."
They dismissed the notion of sex parties, revealing no existence of hidden cameras, orgies, minors, or other celebrities' involvement. No evidence of violence, coercion, threats, manipulation, or impairment due to drugs or excessive alcohol consumption was uncovered. "Absolutely no proof of sex trafficking exists," they asserted.
The lawyers further noted that the lighting in some videos was "severely inadequate," rendering the images "extremely dark and blurred," necessitating experts to enhance audio and video quality and analyze metadata to ascertain the videos' creation or modification dates. They criticized the government's stance, which hinges on portraying the sex performances as "filthy, repulsive, or inherently unsavory," revealing a bid to police unconventional sexual activity and an erroneous presumption—despite contrary evidence—that a woman's willing participation must have been coerced.
