Diddy loses bid to delay sex trafficking and racketeering trial

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has been unsuccessful in his bid to delay his sex trafficking and racketeering trial by two months.

The ruling came on Friday (April 18) from US district judge Arun Subramanian, who said that attorneys for the disgraced rap mogul made the request too close to the start of the trial next month.

As per the current schedule, jury selection is due to commence on May 5 with opening statements expected to be heard a week later.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to five criminal counts, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has consistently denied all allegations against him and has asserted that all sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual.

He had requested he needed more time to respond to new charges against him and to access emails from one alleged victim, but the court has ruled decisively against his plea, arguing that the new charges are not substantially different from existing ones.

Combs is currently being held without bail in jail in Brooklyn.

His attorneys have also filed a motion to exclude video footage showing him violently attacking ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura from the upcoming trial. Alternatively, they have asked the court to “permit Mr. Combs to present evidence at a pre-trial hearing regarding the unreliability of the existing and available video evidence”.

Over a year ago, she accused him of physical assault and rape and the case was settled the following day, despite Diddy denying the claims. Months later, CNN obtained CCTV footage of Diddy dragging, kicking and hitting Ventura in an LA hotel, lending credence to Ventura’s allegations. Diddy later apologised for his “inexcusable” behaviour in a video Ventura’s lawyers called “disingenuous”.

Elsewhere, a new lawsuit was filed against Diddy earlier this month, accusing him of human trafficking. The allegations were put forward by a Florida man called Joseph Manzaro, who alleges that the rapper assaulted and humiliated him at an event in 2015, and that he was seen on the night by Beyoncé, Jay-Z and LeBron James.

Combs’ legal team denied the claims in a statement to TMZ. “This complaint demonstrates the depraved lengths plaintiffs will travel to garner headlines in pursuit of a payday,” it read. “No sane person reading this complaint could credit this story. Mr. Combs looks forward to having his day in court where these lies — and the perverse motives of those who told them — will be revealed.”

News of the accusations came just days after a separate one of Diddy’s sexual assault lawsuits was dismissed last month.

Claims of sex trafficking against Combs and former chief of staff Kristina Khorramm, as well as sexual assault and premises liability claims against Combs, have been upheld, however.

An attorney for Combs said Jones’ “reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines”, whilst Khorram denied all allegations.

For more help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

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