Diddy loses bid for silence order over alleged government leaks

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ Lawyers have lost a bid to impose a gag order on government agencies involved in the investigation into his federal situation criminal case for racketeering and sex traffickingthat Combs’ team has accused of leaking information to the press.

In a Friday order reviewed by USA TODAY, Judge Arun Subramanian denied taking any of the proposed orders filed by the prosecution and defense. Instead, he wrote, both sides are expected to comply with existing laws that prohibit attorneys, investigators and government agents from disclosing grand jury proceedings and disclosing non-public information that could undermine a fair trial. disrupt.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this order is not based on a finding that there has been any misconduct to date, as the Court has not made any findings at this time regarding the Defendant’s allegations that information relating to the case has been leaked,” Subramanian wrote. . “The purpose of this order is to ensure that nothing happens from now on that could prevent a fair trial.”

When reached by USA TODAY, an attorney for Combs declined to comment.

Earlier this month, Combs’ lawyers asked the judge to issue an order banning federal employees from disclosing evidence to the news media that they say “undermines Mr. Combs’ right to a fair trial.” The defense and U.S. attorneys discussed the issue but could not agree on language for a joint order, and instead submitted their own individual proposals.

Federal judge promises to ‘take appropriate action’ against leaks

In a letter to Friday, Combs’ team requested the judge’s attention an article from the New York Post that was published that day and purported to quote “a federal law enforcement source involved in the investigation” who commented on Combs’ alleged freak-offs.

“These comments, if made by an officer involved in the investigation or prosecution of this case, are grossly inappropriate,” Subramanian wrote. “This order requires the government to notify agencies involved in this matter or the related investigation of their obligations under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e)) and the U.S. District Courts for Southern and Eastern New York’s Local Civil Rule 23.1′, and to give them this order.”

The judge added: “The Court will take appropriate action in the event of any violation of the rules.”

Combs’ team’s request for an evidentiary hearing to investigate alleged government misconduct is still pending.

As stated in a letter filed with the court earlier this month, Combs’ team believes that since March, the government has “strategically leaked confidential grand jury materials and information, including the 2016 Intercontinental videotape, to prejudice the public and potential jurors against Mr. Kammen.”

This has led to “public animosity against Mr. Combs prior to trial,” they wrote. In May, CNN released 2016 hotel surveillance footage in which Combs kicks, punches and drags his ex-girlfriend Cassie near the elevators of a hotel. Combs, in a video, apologized for his “inexcusable” behavior; his lawyers have portrayed the abuse as the result of a toxic relationship rather than evidence of sex trafficking.

The hip-hop superstar was arrested at a hotel in Manhattan on September 16 and indicted sex trafficking, extortion and transportation to engage in prostitution the next day. Investigators say the 54-year-old extensively planned to use his finances and status in the entertainment industry to “fulfill his sexual desires” in a “recurring and widely known” pattern of abuse.

He’s locked up in the Special housing unit at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklynr since then and has maintained his innocence, pleads not guilty to all federal criminal charges and denies alleged wrongdoing in filing civil lawsuits against him this past year.

All efforts by Combs to date to get him out of jail until his trial on May 5 have been rejected. They demand a judgment from the court of appeal that a September 18 decides to deny his request to be released from jail on conditions that include a $50 million bond.