Judge denies Diddy's claim that prosecutors leaked Cassie assault footage to CNN

A federal judge overlooking Sean "Diddy" Combs' case has denied the rapper's claims that prosecutors leaked Cassie assault footage to CNN. Citing a ruling by Judge Arun Subramanian issued on Monday, December 16, 2024, USA Today wrote:

"Combs has not carried his burden to show that the government leaked (the video) 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."

In October 2024, Combs' legal counsel requested an evidentiary hearing, claiming that government officials, specifically the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), "orchestrated" the leak of the footage.

For the unversed, in May this year, CNN released security footage from 2016 showing Diddy alledgedly kicking and dragging his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura across the lobby of the InterContinental Hotel in Century City. The video corroborated claims made in Ventura's November 2023 lawsuit, accusing the rapper of r*pe and violence.

As per CNN, while Cassie's suit was settled a day later, several others filed separate lawsuits against Combs making similar accusations. This prompted a federal s*x trafficking investigation into the rapper that eventually led to his arrest.

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Judge Subramanian said that Diddy case would turn on evidence and not a "trial by newspapers"

Diddy is charged with s*x trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. According to an unsealed indictment filed against him by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, the rapper reportedly ran a "criminal enterprise" that s*xually and physically assaulted "women and others" for years.

As per Page Six, Diddy's team filed legal documents in October 2024, claiming a DHS agent leaked the video with the intent to:

"Mortally wound the reputation and the prospect of Sean Combs successfully defending himself against these allegations."

It further requested that the video be suppressed if there was evidence of a leak to ensure a fair trial. At the time, prosecutors denied the claims in the letter, saying, "not in possession of the video before its publication by CNN."

Judge Subramanian rejected Diddy's proposal of a gag order but implemented a similar one. He asked both the prosecution and defense to abide by existing laws that prohibited lawyers, investigators, and government agents from revealing grand jury proceedings or any non-public information.

In the recent Monday's ruling, Subramanian stated that Combs and his legal team "never consider the possibility" that others could have access to the video. This included those within the rapper's team and the hotel employees and contractors.

However, the judge also noted, as stated on USA Today:

"The court once again reminds the government and its agents that if specific information comes to light that they leaked prohibited information, action will be taken."

He continued:

"And the court reminds the public that whether the government can prove Comb's guilty in this case will turn on the evidence presented at trial, not in a 'trial by newspapers.'"

This week, Diddy's lawyers filed documents stating that their client voluntarily withdrew his bail appeal and elected to remain detained until his trial. The filing came after the rapper's bail appeal was rejected for a fourth time in November, citing witness tampering and danger to society.

The rapper has now denied all accusations levied against him. He is currently detained in Brooklyn with a trial scheduled to begin next May. If convicted, Diddy faces a potential life sentence.