Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs are raising alarms that their client will be unable to receive a fair trial, citing an overwhelming number of sexual assault allegations and a media frenzy surrounding the accusations.
In a court filing submitted on Tuesday (October 15), Diddy’s legal team argued that the massive volume of claims, many from anonymous sources, is turning the trial into an unfair inquiry into the music mogul’s entire sexual history.
According to the defense, these factors have only encouraged further baseless allegations and pointed to lawyer Tony Buzbee’s recent press conference, which aired on social media and featured a hotline that received 12,000 calls in just 24 hours.
Diddy’s legal team explained how Tony Buzbee was planning to file over 100 new lawsuits, six of which were filed this week.
“This case is rapidly becoming a media circus,” Diddy’s lawyers said in their filing. “With each new anonymous accuser, Mr. Combs is being forced to defend his entire sexual history rather than specific, actionable claims. This undermines his right to a fair trial.”
As a result, Diddy’s lawyers are asking the court to compel the government to reveal the identities of the alleged victims, claiming the ambiguity of the charges has left their client at a significant disadvantage.
Without knowing which claims the government intends to pursue in court, Diddy’s lawyers say he is essentially “playing a guessing game.”
The filing also stressed that Diddy has already faced irreparable damage to his reputation due to the torrent of allegations, which have been amplified by the media.
According to the defense, some claims have already been debunked, but only after causing significant harm.
They cited instances where plaintiffs withdrew their lawsuits or were caught attempting to bribe witnesses to corroborate their stories, referencing the allegations against one of his accusers, Thalia Graves.
Diddy’s legal team contends that many of the claims surfaced because of his eight-figure settlement with Cassie.
His lawyers argue that many of these civil suits are designed to extort settlements from Diddy rather than to seek justice.
In addition to the flood of accusations, Diddy’s attorneys pointed out that the media coverage has been one-sided and heavily biased against their client.
The plaintiffs’ lawyers, unlike the defense, are not bound by the court’s strict rules on pretrial publicity, enabling them to make inflammatory statements to the press without repercussion.
In contrast, Diddy’s team is restricted in how they can respond, further complicating their ability to counter public perception.
Diddy’s defense team concluded their argument by urging the court to intervene and require the government to identify the specific allegations and accusers that will be addressed during the trial.
The government has not yet responded to the defense’s request. Diddy is currently being held without bond at the Metropolitan Detention Center until his racketeering trial, which is slated for May 5, 2025.
