Sean “Diddy” Combs has something up his sleeve with only three weeks until his trial begins. At seemingly the 11th hour, Combs’ is trying to change his legal team in a major way. And with May 12 right around the corner, this move could prove vital to his defense strategy.
The disgraced mogul is looking to add a Black female attorney to his roster. Sources told TMZ Diddy is on the hunt for a Black woman to join his current defense team, made up of attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. As we previously reported, Anthony L. Ricco, the Black man who was previously on Combs’ federal case, quit back in February, saying “under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs.”
Diddy battling racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges on top of his dozens of other civil lawsuits filed by alleged victims. So in light of this new attempt to diversify his legal team, here’s three Black women he could be eyeing for the job.
1. Monique Pressley
Diddy’s array of legal woes could make any attorney turn down the high profile gig, but lawyers like Monique Pressley have past experiences that make them stand out. Pressely represented Bill Cosby during the early stages of the now 87-year-old’s sexual assault case. She did, however, quit his case in 2016, according to Deadline.
A key part of Diddy’s defense rest on the basis of race. He claims because he’s a successful Black man, he was targeted with the charges against him, according to ABC News. This is similar to Cosby who’s defense claimed the prosecution was racially bias against him, ABC also reported.
2. Faith Jenkins
If her name looks familiar, then you might have seen attorney Faith Jenkins on TV. She was previously the presiding judge on “Divorce Court,” the reality show where couples seeking divorce present their cases and get a ruling from a judge.
Outside of her well-known name and impressive TV career, Jenkins has worked on major felony cases in New York City, where Combs is being tried. Although she used to be a prosecutor and not a defense attorney, Jenkins has the experience and the high profile name to add to Diddy’s team.
3. Tamara Giwa
Tamara Giwa is a dominant figure in the criminal defense world. In the past, she’s represented clients like Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers. Giwa also represented Michael Avenatti, who was sentenced to 14 years for stealing millions from his former clients, according to CNN.
She is also the first Black woman to lead the Federal Defenders of New York, an organization based in New York City. This and her experience with high profile cases makes Giwa a well-respected a defense attorney, and a clear addition to Combs’ team if she took on the job.
Diddy’s trial date is looming with jury selection starting on May 5 and opening statements happening one week later. Combs’ lawyers, Agnifilo and Geragos, have asked the judge to delay the trial for at least two weeks.