A federal judge in New York on Friday allowed a video depicting Sean Combs kicking and dragging then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016 into his upcoming sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial. "The defense can't show the footage is inadmissible," Judge Arun Subramanian said in a ruling from the bench. "There's no unfair prejudice to Mr. Combs." The defense had argued the video, first obtained by CNN, had been manipulated. CNN has denied it was manipulated. Also, during Friday's hearing, a defense strategy came into sharper focus when Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, suggested he would describe Combs as a "swinger" to explain why he invited prostitutes to join his sexual activity, as has been alleged by prosecutors.
During an April 25 court hearing ahead of the rapper’s sex trafficking trial—which is set to begin jury selection May 5—Judge Arun Subramanian has decided, per NBC News, to allow a graphic video of Combs attacking his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at Los Angeles’ Intercontinental Hotel in March 2016.
The defense argued the video, initially published by CNN, had been digitally altered. The prosecution claimed minor adjustments had been made and noted the person who shot the video would be testifying during the estimated two-month trial. Diddy's team also began to mount the rapper's defense against the sex trafficking charges lobbed at the disgraced music mogul, claiming he was just a "swinger." The argument provided by the defense comes as the prosecution revealed Diddy rejected a plea deal offer. "There’s a lifestyle, call it swingers or whatever you will, that he thought was appropriate because it was common," Marc Agnifilo said at Friday's hearing. "Many people think it’s appropriate because it’s common." Judge Subramanian ruled he would allow the "swingers" defense but emphasized Diddy's legal team could not name other high-profile individuals who engage in the "lifestyle" as an example.
