Sean 'Diddy' Combs Loses Bid to Delay Sex Trafficking Trial

A federal judge declined to delay the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, meaning the music mogul’s trial is still set to commence as scheduled in May.

Combs, who is facing sex trafficking and racketeering charges, appeared in Manhattan federal court in front of U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian on Friday, April 18. Subramanian ruled the trial will not be delayed, CNN and Reuters reported.

The Bad Boy Records founder’s attorneys had filed a motion to delay the proceedings by two months, claiming that the prosecution had been slow in handing over evidence following a superseding indictment filed in April, thus making it difficult to prepare for trial.

Subramanian told Combs and his legal team he thought it “unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare,” CNN reported.

Combs’ lawyers have also moved to exclude a video obtained by CNN that appeared to show the mogul abusing his ex, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, in a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.

The surveillance video, which was reported by CNN last May, shows Combs, clad in just a towel and socks, chasing after Ventura and striking her.

Then, as Ventura was motionless on the floor, Combs appears to kick her and later hurls an object from a table at her.

Ventura sued Combs in November 2023, accusing him of assault and alleging that he had struck her in a way that seemed to match the reported surveillance footage. The suit was settled a day after it was filed.

Combs’ attorneys claimed that CNN “altered, manipulated” and “sped up” the video and destroyed the original. The defense argued that the video had to be excluded because prosecutors could not ensure its authenticity.

CNN denied either altering the footage or destroying the original copy, which it says was retained by the source.

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On April 17, Subramanian also granted a request to admit Brian Steel, who previously represented rapper Young Thug in a high-profile Georgia RICO case, to Combs’ legal team.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all the charges he faces, which could land him in prison for the rest of his life if convicted on all counts. He has also been hit with dozens of civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, allegations he has consistently denied.

Since his arrest in September, Combs has remained behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn after being denied bail.

Jury selection for Combs’ trial will commence May 5.