On Monday, a judge denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ latest motion for an evidentiary hearing.
According to The Wrap, Judge Arun Subramanian criticized Combs’ legal team for failing to provide evidence that the U.S. government had leaked sensitive information to the media, including the 2016 hotel surveillance video of his violent assault on ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, which CNN obtained, or notifying the press about the April raids on his properties in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.
The rapper/entrepreneur alleged the “government, primarily through [the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)], has engaged in a seven-month campaign” against him.
The Bad Boy founder believes the timing of the leaked hotel video could only have been decided by a government insider.
“Combs suggests that the ‘timing of the leak’ points to a government source because federal agents ‘would have known that May 17 was … a perfect time’ due to the ‘break in the [Donald] Trump trial’ for Barron Trump’s high school graduation,” his filing states.
However, according to Subramanian, “Combs has not carried his burden to show that the government leaked it to CNN. Combs argues that ‘the most likely source of the leak is the government,’ but he doesn’t point to any sound basis for this conclusion.”
“The court reminds the public that whether the government can prove Combs’ guilt in this case will turn on the evidence presented at trial, not in a ‘trial by newspapers,’” the judge added.
Federal authorities are denying any involvement in information being revealed to the press.
Combs remains at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting individuals for prostitution. His multiple requests for bail have been denied before his federal trial, which is scheduled to begin on May 5, 2025.
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