New York (AFP) – The federal judge in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs for sex trafficking and other charges denied Friday the music mogul’s bid to delay his trial by two months, saying he had ample time to prepare. On Monday, the rapper and record producer pleaded not guilty to two new charges added to the criminal racketeering and sex trafficking case: one new charge of sex trafficking and one of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Judge Arun Subramanian said that the blockbuster trial of Combs, 55, who stands accused by several women of trafficking and sexually exploiting them, should go ahead as planned on May 5. It is expected to last eight to 10 weeks. He has denied all charges thus far, insisting that any sex acts were consensual, and he nodded his head vigorously Friday when the judge reminded the courtroom that Combs was innocent until proven guilty.
“It’s unclear why…there isn’t sufficient time, especially given the now four (law) firms Mr. Combs now has representing him,” the judge said at a pretrial hearing in a Manhattan skyscraper courthouse. Combs’s lead lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, had said an extension was required to examine new evidence. “The new conduct (alleged) is not new,” the judge said in response.
On Friday, Combs wore drab prison scrubs, his hair and beard flecked with grey as he rocked from side to side, turning around at one point to blow a kiss to his mother, Janice. Also in court was attorney Brian Steele, fresh from securing a successful plea deal for artist Young Thug, who had faced decades in jail. Steele did not speak.
Public allegations have been building against Grammy winner Combs since late 2023, when singer/actor Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, alleged he had subjected her to more than a decade of coercion by physical force and drugs, as well as a 2018 rape. Along with the federal criminal case, Combs faces a mountain of civil suits that allege harrowing abuse by the artist with assistance from a loyal network of employees and associates. The rap superstar, incarcerated since September, has started to look noticeably aged.
© 2024 AFP
