Didi Fails to Enter a Guilty Plea for New Indictment in Court

Sean Combs Appears in Court

Sean “Didi” Combs appeared yesterday in court (March 14) and did not plead guilty to two new indictments that were made public against him in January and earlier this month.

Details of the Indictments

Several observers noted that his typically dark hair had turned completely gray, complemented by a gray beard, which he has kept since his arrest in September last year. This was the first time he appeared in court since being charged with sexual trafficking, conspiracy, and participation in charges related to prostitution. He did not plead guilty.

Prosecutors introduced two additional women as part of the case, accusing Combs of forced labor and mistreatment of his employees. Combs acknowledged that he was aware of the new indictments, which extended the scope of the allegations.

The hearing primarily focused on the timeline of events leading up to the trial set for May 5. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian determined that jury profiles would be compiled on April 28, with Voir Dire—an essential part of the jury selection process—beginning on May 5, ahead of opening statements slated for May 12.

Prosecutors aimed to commence jury selection sooner, proposing April 21, to ensure that opening arguments could still begin on the planned trial date of May 5. They noted that any delays could push the trial past the weekend of July 4, which might impact the jury pool.

In contrast, Combs’ defense team requested that jury selection start on May 5 and that opening arguments be held on May 13, recommending that 600 potential jurors be asked to fill out profiles within two days. Their responses would be reviewed by both parties to select 12 jurors along with several alternates.

Controversies and Allegations

On another front, Combs’ legal team recently raised questions regarding hotel surveillance footage that allegedly shows him physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016. During a prior hearing, they asserted that CNN had “significantly altered” the video.

More than a year ago, Ventura filed a lawsuit against the Bad Boy Records founder for physical assault and rape, which was dismissed soon after despite Combs denying the allegations. Months later, CNN obtained surveillance footage of the incident that seemingly corroborated Ventura’s claims. Combs later expressed regret over his behavior in the footage, which Ventura’s attorneys labeled as “insincere.”

The prosecutors intend to present this video as evidence during the trial, alongside testimonies from several witnesses regarding the incident. However, Combs’ legal team contends that CNN “has significantly altered the footage” and “destroyed the original content.”

The publication later issued a statement to TMZ, firmly rebutting Combs’ allegations. The spokesperson for the outlet stated, “CNN never altered the video and has preserved the original copy, as maintained by the source.” They further noted that CNN reported on the video story months before Combs’ arrest.

Judge Subramanian has yet to rule on whether the footage will be allowed in court.

In Katya Stone‘s report, it was highlighted that the two new indictments have broadened the prosecutors’ investigation. The revised timeline alleges that Combs has been abusing women through his various businesses since at least 2004, extending the previous starting date of 2008.

The prosecutors claim that Combs has used his billion-dollar empire as a “criminal enterprise,” citing numerous alleged offenses, including trafficking, forced labor, abduction, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice from 2004 to the previous year.

“Mr. Combs has made this clear before and will reiterate: he categorically denies the accusations made by SDNY (the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York),” said Combs’ lead attorney, Mark Agnifilo, in a previous statement. “He looks forward to his day in court, when it will become evident that he never forced anyone to participate in sexual acts against their will.”

Meanwhile, one of Combs’ lawyers has recently withdrawn from the criminal case pertaining to sexual trafficking, stating, “Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively represent Sean Combs, in accordance with ABA standards for criminal justice.”

Additionally, a woman who recently claimed that Combs and Jay-Z sexually abused her in 2000, when she was just 13 years old, voluntarily dismissed her lawsuit. Combs’ lawyers assert that no settlement was reached between the parties. When the initial allegations emerged in December, Carter described them as “disgusting,” while his lawyers labeled them a “misunderstanding of the fundamental facts.”