Sean “Diddy” Combs has appeared in court for a pretrial conference, where he pleaded not guilty again to the latest charges against him. The rapper, who is accused of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, was arraigned on a new indictment that adds accusations of forcing employees to work long hours and threatening to punish those who did not assist in his alleged two-decade sex trafficking scheme.
Combs’ legal team and prosecutors disputed various aspects of the trial, including jury selection, submitted evidence, and the court timeline. The defense team claimed that they need to evaluate medical records related to prescription medications, while the prosecution argued that a CNN video showing Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura should be presented to jurors.
The judge agreed to let both sides find middle ground on whether the footage can be shown at trial, with the possibility of slowing it down or re-sequencing it. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 5, and potential jurors will begin filling out questionnaires on April 28 before jury selection begins.
Combs’ daughter Chance Combs, son Christian “King” Combs, and mother Janice Combs were in attendance at the hearing, showing their support for the hip-hop mogul. The case has been ongoing for several months, with prosecutors continuing to build their case against Combs over the past few months.
As court adjourned for the day, Judge Arun Subramanian set the next pretrial conference for April 25.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/03/14/diddy-trial-case-conference/82401988007