Criminal Justice
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Diddy is requesting access to a laptop while in jail awaiting trial, decrying the conditions restricting him from using it.
The legal team representing Diddy has requested the use of a laptop promised to him while he is incarcerated and awaiting trial, claiming that he’s been blocked from use by the government under unfair conditions. The request was made in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian Wednesday (Dec. 4). In that letter, it was explained that Diddy could gain access to the laptop either in the video-teleconference room at the Brooklyn Detention Center while in the presence of other legal staff or the legal visiting room between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
“These restrictions are untenable and from what we understand, not required of any other inmate on Mr. Combs’ unit,” the letter from attorneys Tony Garagos and Marc Agnifilio stated. “They significantly limit the time available for Mr. Combs to use the laptop and force Mr. Combs to choose between using the laptop and meeting with his attorneys (who often meet with Mr. Combs over video-teleconference).”
Both lawyers claim that there is “no justification” for those conditions, also alleging that the federal government was keen on surveillance of the embattled mogul’s communication. “Moreover, given the government’s efforts to surreptitiously monitor and record his handwritten legal notes, Mr. Combs’ need for a laptop to take legal notes free from government surveillance is heightened,” they wrote. The letter also said that the government “has indicated that it intends to file a response.”
Diddy is currently awaiting trial for federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. The date for preliminary hearings to begin is May 5, 2025. If convicted, Diddy aka Sean Combs can receive a sentence of life in prison. With Damian Williams, the Attorney General for the Southern District of New York having resigned to be replaced by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton, there will be more scrutiny on the Bad Boy Records founder’s case as Donald Trump is set to return to the White House next January.
Indeed, Trump’s pick to head the FBI, Kash Patel, has declared that he would release the names of all those who attended Diddy’s parties in the past decades if appointed to the position. Of course, that list would include Trump who was a fixture at some of Diddy’s parties as well as those of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
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Diddy’s demand to have the names of witnesses against him in his upcoming criminal trial has been blasted by prosecutors in a recent filing.
According to reports, a request by the legal team for Diddy to reveal the names of those witnesses for the prosecution has been rebuked in a recent filing. “The Victim Gag Motion should be denied as an attempt to backdoor the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to compel the Government to prematurely disclose its witness list,” wrote prosecutors for the United States Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York in a filing on Thursday (Oct. 31).
The 56-page motion blasted lawyers Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos for the move, writing: “Not only would such relief be unprecedented, but the defendant should not be permitted to use a local criminal rule as a sword to gag civil claimants whether or not their statements were connected to this criminal proceeding, or to evade established case law in this Circuit.” The motion also dismissed allegations levied by Agnifilo and Geragos that the federal government leaked to the public the 2016 hotel security footage that showed Diddy, aka Sean Combs, assault his then-partner Cassie Ventura.
“As the defendant is fully aware, the video was not in the Government’s possession at the time of CNN’s publication and the Government has never, at any point, obtained the video through grand jury process,” wrote U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who also swatted away other defense claims that the government leaked material to media outlets. “Here, too, the defendant is grasping at straws. Because the defendant cannot show that the information in the Cited Articles is grand jury material, and because he cannot show that Government agents with access to grand jury material leaked the information, he cannot make the prima facie showing required for the relief he seeks.”
The filing comes as the grand jury for the criminal case is continuing to meet and hear from witnesses as well as to review new evidence submitted by the government including text messages, video, and audio from 60 of Diddy’s devices. “The grand jury is always meeting. This is an ongoing investigation,” said one source close to the case to CNN. The case, set to be heard by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, will begin May 5, 2025. Diddy is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
JAY-Z is about to double down on his commitment to criminal reform. He is hosting a 007 themed party that will raise funds for those fighting the system.
Page Six is exclusively, and allegedly, reporting that the Brooklyn, New York native is planning yet another super exclusive charity event this year. Later this month he will host a party in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Players will have to pony up $100,000 dollars to buy in to the blackjack game where the winner will win a million dollars. Non players will have to pay $50,000 dollars to for general entry. It is rumored that the “99 Problems” MC got the inspiration from Michael Rubin’s yearly all white fourth of July party in The Hamptons.
While the invite list has not been publicly released some of the rumored attendees include Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, Travis Scott, DJ Khaled, Emily Ratajkowski, Megan Thee Stallion, several athletes, high profile CEO’s, hedge fund managers and more. Kevin Hart to serve as the emcee with Robert Kraft, Michael Rubin and Meek Mill are set to co-host. The party is said to be happening Saturday, September 30 at Ocean Casino Resort.
JAY-Z’s event will raise funds for REFORM Alliance; which aims to transform probation and parole by changing laws, systems and culture to create real pathways to work and wellbeing. You can read more about organization here.
Photo: Kevin Mazur
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