Diddy added Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, to his legal team as his defense seeks a short delay in his upcoming federal trial.
Sean “Diddy” Combs brought in a courtroom heavyweight as his legal team added Young Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, to the roster ahead of his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan next month.
Steel, who gained national attention for his combative defense in the YSL RICO case, officially filed to practice in the Southern District of New York to represent the embattled Hip-Hop mogul just weeks before jury selection begins on May 5.
His addition follows the February departure of Anthony Ricco and bolsters a defense squad that already includes Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos.
Steel’s reputation for aggressive courtroom tactics and refusal to compromise on client confidentiality made headlines in Georgia when he was held in contempt for not revealing the source of leaked information during Young Thug’s trial. The Georgia Supreme Court later reversed that charge.
Combs’ legal team is now pushing for a two-week delay in the trial, citing the need to sift through roughly 200,000 emails and other materials they say have not yet been handed over by federal prosecutors.
The defense claims key evidence, including emails from an alleged victim and WhatsApp messages, remains incomplete.
Judge Arun Subramanian gave the defense 48 hours to file a formal motion for postponement, stating, “We are a freight train moving toward trial.”
Prosecutors fired back, accusing the defense of “gamesmanship” and attempting to stall the proceedings.
Combs’ attorneys countered that any delay would be “very short” and necessary to ensure proper discovery.
Diddy Appears In Court
Combs, who has been in custody without bail since his September 2024 arrest, appeared in court on Monday (April 14). He pleaded not guilty to two additional charges added earlier this month. He now faces five total counts, including racketeering, sex trafficking and transporting individuals for prostitution.
The trial remains scheduled to begin May 5, pending the court’s decision on the requested delay.
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