Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced a string of legal and reputational setbacks since 2023, but he’s recently notched a minor victory in the lead-up to his federal trafficking trial, set to begin on May 12.
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The Bad Boy Records founder has been granted limited access to the memoir materials of his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. These materials—which include drafts, notes, journals, and other related documents—were subpoenaed by Diddy. As part of his legal strategy. The request stems from Cassie’s previously announced memoir that reportedly details her past relationship with the music mogul.
Cassie Will Be Key in Diddy’s Upcoming Trial
Cassie is expected to be a central figure in the case. Because she was the first to publicly accuse Diddy of abuse. In November 2023, she filed a civil lawsuit against him, alleging a pattern of physical abuse during their time together. Diddy swiftly settled the lawsuit in less than 24 hours, but the fallout was far from over. Her case opened the floodgates, prompting multiple other individuals to come forward with similar allegations against him.
The situation escalated dramatically in May 2024, when CNN released disturbing hotel surveillance footage from 2016. The video appears to show Diddy violently assaulting Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway—kicking, punching, and dragging her. The graphic footage quickly became a focal point of public and legal scrutiny.
However, Diddy’s legal team is now challenging the admissibility of that video in court. According to TMZ, during an April 17 deposition, Diddy’s forensic video expert, Conor McCourt, argued that the footage is unreliable. A former NYPD officer with extensive experience in video analysis, McCourt claimed the video contains “significant distortion” that compromises its validity.
TMZ reports that McCourt reviewed both the CNN-released clip and an additional iPhone 6-recorded version of the same footage. He raised concerns about the CNN video being altered through a process known as “transcoding”—a method of file conversion that he says may have “added, subtracted, or duplicated frames,” ultimately distorting the video’s accuracy.
As the trial date approaches, both sides are gearing up for what promises to be a high-profile and heavily scrutinized legal battle.
