Sean “Diddy” Combs has pleaded not responsible to an amended indictment that features new allegations of pressured labour.
The superseding indictment alleges the rap mogul pressured workers to work lengthy hours underneath risk of bodily and reputational hurt and compelled a minimum of one employee to interact in intercourse acts with him.
Mr Combs’s attorneys have denied that the rap mogul has ever pressured anybody into intercourse acts and that the case revolves round consensual relationships together with his girlfriends, the New York Occasions reviews.
His attorneys have additionally “vehemently” denied all of the accusations made towards him within the federal case and dozens of civil lawsuits which were filed towards him in current months.
“He appears ahead to his day in courtroom when it’ll turn out to be clear that he has by no means pressured anybody to interact in sexual acts towards their will,” his lawyer Marc Agnifilo has stated.
Mr Combs, one of the crucial profitable rappers within the US, is quickly anticipated to face trial in a federal intercourse trafficking and racketeering case.
The brand new allegations detailed within the amended indictment come underneath the racketeering cost.
Individually, Mr Combs faces dozens of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault. His attorneys have dismissed the lawsuits as “clear makes an attempt to garner publicity.”
Mr Combs was led right into a wood-panelled courtroom on Friday in New York’s southern district federal courtroom sporting a greenish-tan jail jumpsuit, with overgrown gray hair and a beard.
He selected to face as he entered his not responsible plea. Requested by a decide if he had seen and browse the indictment, he responded, “Sure, I’ve sir”.
Behind him, within the public benches, his son Christian, his daughter Probability, his mom Janice Combs – sporting giant sun shades, and buddy Marvet Britto (a publicist) got here to assist him, together with two different males who described themselves as a part of the household’s “assist system”.
Mr Combs was smiling in courtroom, waving and blowing kisses to his household and hugging his attorneys.
In addition to the brand new allegations, there was additionally a lot dialogue in courtroom between the prosecution and defence’s attorneys over a video revealed by CNN final yr showing to point out CCTV footage of Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend, Cassandra Ventura, on a resort hallway ground in 2016.
Mr Combs’s attorneys repeated their claims that the video was “misleading” and {that a} visible skilled had discovered that elements of the video had been taken out of order, the actions sped up, and timestamps coated up.
Prosecutors then again described it as “vital” and “direct proof” of their case that they’ll submit as an exhibit within the trial. The decide urged them to succeed in a compromise.
CNN and a lawyer for Ms Ventura have denied what Mr Combs’ attorneys stated concerning the video.
After the video was launched in 2024, Mr Combs apologised for his behaviour, saying: “I take full duty for my actions in that video. I used to be disgusted then after I did it. I am disgusted now.”
On Friday, the decide stated jury choice was anticipated to start out on 5 Might, and opening statements on 12 Might.