Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is aiming for a trial on sex trafficking charges in the spring, according to his attorneys who addressed a judge on Wednesday.
In a joint letter, his legal team and prosecutors indicated a preference for a trial in April or May, outlining what they plan to discuss at a hearing scheduled for Thursday in Manhattan federal court.
While prosecutors confirmed their readiness for trial, they did not specify a preferred date.
Combs, 54, has been in custody since his arrest on September 16, facing allegations of years of physical and sexual abuse against women.
He has entered a not guilty plea.
The indictment claims that Combs used a network of associates and employees to coerce and abuse women, employing tactics such as blackmail, kidnapping, arson, and physical violence to silence his victims.
His attorney, Marc Agnifilo, argued that prosecutors are attempting to criminalize consensual sexual relationships that Combs has had.
Agnifilo stated that Combs intends to prove his innocence during the trial.
In their joint letter ahead of Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors noted they have started providing defence attorneys with a substantial amount of evidence, including several terabytes of electronically stored information related to Combs and others.
Items already shared include a complete set of search warrants, a phone belonging to Combs that was seized in March, and reports on two of his iCloud accounts.
Prosecutors also informed the judge that they are in the process of copying data from over 40 devices and five additional iCloud accounts associated with Combs.
Source: Africanews
