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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs said new allegations that prosecutors intend to introduce at trial would implicate "dozens" of unidentified witnesses and alleged co-conspirators around the world.
The defense is asking the court to exclude evidence of alleged crimes that Combs has not been charged with as his trial nears.
"These incendiary allegations are substantially more serious than the charged offenses and, if admitted, would make it impossible for Mr. Combs to receive a fair trial," Combs' lawyers wrote in a motion filed on Monday.
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Why It Matters
Combs is facing multiple federal charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper and record executive is accused of arranging "Freak Off" parties where he allegedly forced victims to perform sexual acts. He is also named as a defendant in dozens of civil lawsuits from people accusing him of committing sex crimes.
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Combs has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges and denies any wrongdoing.
What To Know
Combs' lawyers said that all but one of the new accusations happened over 20 years ago, with the oldest dating back to the 1980s.
"Some of the allegations are demonstrably false but would nonetheless require an enormous amount of trial time to disprove," the attorneys said in the filing.
They added that some of these incidents are unknown to the defense, and some of the key witnesses are dead.
Combs' lawyers said that if the evidence is admitted, each one would require a series of "mini-trials" that would double the length of the trial. The prosecution initially said the trial would last three weeks.
"The Court should require the government to try the case it charged and prove that case to the jury beyond a reasonable doubt," the defense attorneys said. "The government should not be permitted to pollute the trial with decades of dirt and invite a conviction based on propensity evidence with no proper purpose by painting Mr. Combs as a bad guy who must have committed the charged crimes."
Prosecutors filed a memorandum in opposition to the defense's motion on Monday. They argued that the new evidence directly related to the racketeering conspiracy charge.
"In sum, this evidence proves the existence of the Enterprise, its purposes, and the means and methods by which the defendant and his co-conspirators carried out a pattern of racketeering activity that included 'persistent and pervasive' abuse," prosecutors wrote.
What Are The New Criminal Charges Against Diddy?
Combs received additional charges of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution on Friday.
When Soes Diddy's Trial Begin?
Combs' trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.
Why Did Diddy's Lawyer, Anthony Ricco, Quit?
Anthony Ricco withdrew as a lawyer from Combs' criminal case in February.
"Although I have provided Sean Combs with the high level of legal representation expected by the court, under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs," Ricco wrote in his motion to withdraw.
What People Are Saying
Prosecutors, in a memorandum filed Monday: "That testimony powerfully establishes that the defendant made no mistake when he coerced other victims into unwanted sex. It proves that the defendant intended to take the sexual gratification he wanted, regardless of consent."
Combs' lawyers, in a motion filed Monday: "If the government's evidence were allowed, it would mark one of the worst abuses of the character evidence rule in the history of American law."
What Happens Next
The judge presiding over the case, District Judge Arun Subramanian, has yet to rule on whether the evidence will be admitted during the trial.
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