Updated as of 11/19/2024 at 11:00 a.m. ET
A federal judge ruled in favor of rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs following the shocking claim that federal prosecutors had his cell raided and seized his legal documents for trial.
Judge Arun Subramanian ruled Tuesday that prosecutors should not be in possession of the 19 pages of notes belonging to Combs. Combs’ attorneys claimed every piece of those materials were confidential matters discussed between their team and Combs, per court documents. On the other hand, the prosecutors argued that just because the documents were “self-labeled” as legal and they were not subject to being considered attorney-client privilege.
However, the judge ordered the prosecutors to destroy the materials. The judge also ruled in favor of Combs’ request to attend hearings unshackled.
Attorneys Claim Unlawful Search and Seizure
In court documents filed Monday, Combs’ defense attorneys claimed prosecutors violated Combs’ constitutional rights in their seizure of attorney-client privileged materials including Combs’ own handwritten notes. The attorneys claimed the documents were allegedly taken from Combs’ jail cell in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Those notes were created to aid in Combs’ trial preparation, the attorneys argued, and were “actively” being used by the Feds to detain Combs. For remedy, they demanded an immediate evidentiary hearing to get to the bottom of how the government got in possession of the materials.
“First, there is no dispute that the Government is in possession of privileged material. Second, until receiving the Government’s submission at 11:29 PM on Friday, November 15, 2024, the defense had never been told that Mr. Combs’ notes were taken from his cell, that these notes were given to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and these notes were then given to the trial prosecutors in this case, who then used this material in a filing to keep Mr. Combs detained,” Combs’ attorneys wrote.
In opposition to the claims, prosecutors wrote to the court that part of their investigation included sending subpoena’s to the Bureau of Prisons for Combs’ monitored communications which included emails and phone calls. From those, the prosecutors claimed Combs had been engaging in “obstructive conduct” since being in custody including unauthorized three-way calls, the use of other inmates’ phone access codes and third-party text messaging.
The prosecutors also confirmed a raid or “sweep” of the jail was indeed conducted by federal agents on October 28. However, they said the raid was “preplanned” ahead of Combs’ arrest, the document said. During the raid, Combs’ housing unit was searched but no contraband was found nor were any of his physical materials seized, the filing said.
About Diddy’s Pending Sex Crime Case
On Monday, Sept. 16, the 54-year-old rap mogul was arrested in Manhattan by federal authorities, six months after they raided his two homes in Los Angeles and Miami. His indictment was unsealed the following morning, revealing charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution. The allegations against Combs include sexual abuse, physical abuse, bribery and various drug offenses.
These allegations were first brought forth by ex-girlfriend and Bad Boy Records signee Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in a civil suit that accused him of sex trafficking, human trafficking, sexual battery, sexual assault, and other allegations. Combs quickly settled the suit within 24 hours, but lawsuits from other associates have quickly followed in the months since. Most recently, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee announced he’s representing over 100 plaintiffs who came forward with claims of rape, sexual exploitation and sexual assault against the rapper.
While many of the suits since 2023 have been civil, this federal case has Combs facing criminal charges. He has pleaded not guilty, and was denied bail. His trial is scheduled for May 2025.