As May 12th draws closer, P Diddy and his lawyers are gearing up for trial. On Friday, it was confirmed that Diddy rejected a long-rumored plea deal at a court hearing. No details of the plea have been revealed, but the Judge said he would discuss it at the next hearing on Thursday, May 1st.
In such trials, offering a plea deal is standard, regardless of the strength of the prosecution's case. This is especially true in trials involving sexual abuse, to protect the accusers and potentially prevent them from reliving their trauma. “Once they testify, all the details are out there. So prosecutors want to balance bringing justice on behalf of victims while also protecting them,” Francisco Mundaca, a former state prosecutor in New York, told Rolling Stone.
In a hit for Combs’s case, the hearing saw Judge Subramanian rule that the 2016 security footage of Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura would be permissible in court, IE, could be shown to the jury. This came after weeks of Diddy’s lawyers attempting to discredit it. In March, Diddy claimed that CNN (which posted the footage) had edited the tape.
At the same trial, Combs’ representation claimed that he merely engaged in swinging, an argument which will presumably be used as part of the defense regarding his “freak offs”. "There's a lifestyle, call it swingers or whatever you will, that he thought was appropriate because it was common," Mr Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo allegedly argued at the courthouse.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and racketeering and has denied all other allegations of misconduct leveled against him.
Jury selection for the trial begins May 5th. The courtroom is expected to be open to the public, though the trial will not be livestreamed.
