NEW YORK (AP) — On Monday, lawyers representing Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accused prosecutors of engaging in “outrageous government conduct.” They claim the authorities improperly used evidence obtained from his jail cell in an attempt to keep him incarcerated ahead of his May trial.
Combs, 55, has been in custody since September on serious charges related to coercing and abusing women over a lengthy period, allegedly with the help of a network of associates. The indictment outlines accusations that he silenced victims using methods such as blackmail, violence, kidnapping, and arson.
The lawyers pointed out that materials seized during a raid on Combs’ cell at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were referenced in legal documents filed in Manhattan federal court on Friday. This was part of the government’s effort to keep the music mogul behind bars before his trial scheduled for May 5.
The defense team expressed their deep concern in a statement to Judge Arun Subramanian, who has already set a bail hearing for Friday. They are requesting an “immediate hearing” to clarify who authorized the search of Combs’ cell, from which personal items and legal documents were taken.
In response to these allegations, prosecutors sent a letter to the judge, asserting that the inspection of Combs’ cell was part of a routine jail sweep aimed at safety—not specifically targeting Combs or his case. They emphasized that the search had been planned before Combs’ arrest and conducted appropriately. An investigator reportedly chose not to examine a manila envelope marked “legal” found in the cell during the search.
Prosecutors also defended their actions by revealing that a special team of government lawyers was assigned to filter through any potentially privileged materials gathered during the search. This “filter team” was tasked with ensuring that any communications protected by attorney-client privilege were not viewed by trial prosecutors.
In previous arguments made last week, prosecutors alleged that Combs has been attempting to evade scrutiny over his communications from jail. They accused him of orchestrating social media campaigns designed to influence the jury pool and of attempting to leak information that he believed would help his defense. Additionally, they claimed he has reached out to witnesses through intermediaries.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is currently working toward a release on house arrest, proposing a bail package amounting to $50 million.
In their Monday letter, Combs’ legal team highlighted that the prosecution acknowledged holding “possibly privileged materials” from the notes recovered in Combs’ cell. They condemned this as “outrageous government conduct” that constitutes a violation of substantive due process, asserting that the prosecutors reviewed privileged communications concerning defense witnesses and strategies.
