Diddy won a court fight to get the government’s witness list early, but he won’t be allowed to see it himself under strict legal restrictions.
Sean “Diddy” Combs just got a big win in his ongoing federal case, as Judge Arun Subramanian ordered the government to turn over its witness list earlier than planned, but there’s a catch — Diddy won’t get to see it.
The ruling, issued today (March 6), grants Diddy’s legal team access to the identities of the witnesses and alleged victims the government intends to use in its case against him.
However, the witness list will be handed over under an Attorney’s Eyes Only (AEO) designation, meaning that only his attorneys can review the identities.
Diddy’s attorneys have been fighting to get this information for months, arguing that they can’t properly prepare for his trial, which is now just two months away, without knowing who the government is planning to call.
The government initially planned to release the witness list on March 21, but the court ruled that the disclosure must happen sooner, by March 10.
“The Government has the information, doesn’t identify any logistical issues in turning it over earlier, and in fact plans to do so shortly, minimizing any concerns about witness tampering and the like based on advance disclosure. On the other hand, Combs emphasizes that there is a tremendous volume of information that has and will be produced, and every day counts for preparation with trial two months away,” Judge Subramanian said.
This marks a rare victory for Diddy, who has been dealing with a relentless legal onslaught of lawsuits since his arrest last year on federal RICO and sex trafficking charges.
His legal team has been pushing for more transparency from prosecutors, claiming that the government’s case is built on anonymous accusers and a flood of allegations, many of which they argue have been debunked.
While the government was not publicly opposed to releasing the witness names, they initially resisted Diddy’s motion to expedite the process. But with today’s ruling, his attorneys can now comb through the list and prepare their defense strategy.
This legal win doesn’t change the fact that Diddy remains behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors successfully argued against his release, citing concerns that he could interfere with witnesses if allowed out on bail.
However, with his legal team now having access to key names in the case, the next phase of his defense is set to ramp up. Diddy, who has maintained his innocence, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
His trial is set to begin in May.
