Diddy’s Legal Team Alleges CNN Altered Assault Video, Seeks Exclusion from Trial

Sean "Diddy" Combs’ legal team is challenging the authenticity of a nearly decade-old video depicting the music mogul physically assaulting his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, escalating the battle over evidence in his upcoming criminal trial. The defense argues that the video, which played a significant role in shaping public perception of the case, was manipulated by CNN, potentially influencing its presentation and impact.

In a joint letter to the presiding judge, reviewed by USA TODAY, lawyers representing Combs and prosecutors outlined key issues to be addressed during a pretrial conference. A central point of contention revolves around the CNN footage, which was released publicly last May and shows Combs physically assaulting Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel on March 5, 2016.

Combs’ lawyers assert that after subpoenaing CNN, the news organization provided them with copies of the hotel surveillance footage. However, a subsequent forensic video analysis allegedly revealed that the CNN footage was "substantially altered in significant respects."

The defense team alleges that CNN obscured the time stamp on the footage and artificially sped up the video, giving the false impression that the events unfolded more rapidly than they actually did. Furthermore, they claim that CNN purchased the only known copy of the hotel’s surveillance footage, used free editing software to alter it, and then destroyed the original footage.

Based on these allegations, Combs’ legal team intends to request that the footage be excluded from evidence presented to the jury during the upcoming trial. They argue that the alleged alterations compromise the video’s integrity and could prejudice the jury against their client.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York has declined to comment on the matter. USA TODAY has reached out to CNN for comment, but no response has been received at the time of reporting. TMZ was the first news outlet to break the story.

The letter, filed in New York federal court Thursday, outlined the positions of both the prosecution and the defense regarding the timing of evidence sharing. Combs’ attorneys also indicated that they would be introducing the subpoenaed materials they have gathered at Friday’s conference.

Combs is currently incarcerated, having been denied bail on multiple occasions. He is scheduled to stand trial on May 5, facing charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Douglas H. Wigdor, Cassie Ventura’s attorney, issued a statement criticizing the latest move by Combs’ legal team. "It is not surprising that Combs would make a disingenuous argument to exclude the disturbing video from being shown to the jury in the upcoming trial," Wigdor said. "I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity."

Following CNN’s release of the video last year, Combs issued a public apology for his actions depicted in the footage. "My behavior on that video is inexcusable," he stated. "I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I’m disgusted. I was disgusted then when I did it, (and) I’m disgusted now."

This is not the first time Combs’ lawyers have questioned the validity of the hotel video as evidence of what U.S. attorneys allege was a widespread sex trafficking enterprise orchestrated by Combs. Last November, his team accused prosecutors of presenting an "altered" video of him attacking Ventura to convince a judge that he should remain in custody.

Prior to that, the defense also accused government agents of leaking the footage to CNN – a claim that U.S. attorneys dismissed as "baseless." The judge ultimately sided with prosecutors and denied Combs’ request for an evidentiary hearing to investigate the claim.

Combs and his legal team have consistently challenged the prosecution’s argument that the 2016 video serves as evidence of Combs’ alleged sex trafficking and so-called "freak offs." They maintain that the footage depicts a "domestic dispute" and "a sad glimpse into a decade-long consensual relationship."

In response to alleged videos obtained by prosecutors depicting Combs’ so-called "freak offs," the rapper’s team has characterized the evidence as consensual sexual encounters rather than "sex parties" indicative of criminal conduct.

In the 2024 grand jury indictment charging Combs with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, federal prosecutors allege that the rapper "used force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as, among other things, freak offs."

Since Cassie’s November 2023 sex trafficking and sexual assault lawsuit, which alleged that she was trafficked, raped, and viciously beaten by Combs over the course of a decade, the music mogul has faced numerous civil lawsuits from alleged victims who have accused him of rape, trafficking, and sexual abuse dating from the 1990s to 2024. He has consistently maintained his innocence.

Combs and Cassie settled the lawsuit for an undisclosed amount on November 17, one day after her complaint was filed in court.

The outcome of the debate over the CNN video’s admissibility could significantly impact the trajectory of the upcoming criminal trial. If the defense succeeds in excluding the footage, the prosecution’s case could be weakened, potentially altering the jury’s perception of the alleged events and the overall evidence against Combs. Conversely, if the video is admitted, it could serve as a powerful visual representation of the alleged abuse, potentially bolstering the prosecution’s case and reinforcing the claims of Ventura and other alleged victims.

The legal proceedings are being closely watched as they unfold, shedding light on the complexities of the case and the competing narratives surrounding Combs’ alleged misconduct. The allegations against Combs carry serious implications, and the outcome of the trial will have far-reaching consequences for all parties involved.