Diddy Moves to Squash Sex Trafficking Accusations, Alleging Racial Prejudice

Diddy is seeking to quash a charge in the revised indictment against him, claiming the legislation is “racist.”

The motion, lodged on Tuesday, targets the count of transportation for prostitution, one among three charges including sex trafficking and racketeering. The filing asserts that Diddy faces unprecedented racial discrimination by the government, noting: No individual has faced charges under the century-old Mann Act, specifically designed to curb the interstate transport of women for sexual purposes, like any white person ever has. His defense stated, “Mr. Combs has been singled out because he is a powerful Black man, and he is being prosecuted for conduct that regularly goes unpunished.” “What was racist in its inception has often been racist in its operation.”

The filing also underscores the defense’s contention that all sexual encounters involving Diddy and others were consensual. “The government has concocted a criminal case based primarily on allegations that Mr. Combs and two of his longtime girlfriends sometimes brought a third party — a male escort — into their sexual relationship,” they said. Additionally, the piece reiterates claims that leaks about the case from federal prosecutors to the media have occurred. “The government’s handling of this case demonstrates bias and animus. It has gone out of its way to humiliate Mr. Combs and to prejudice the jury pool with pretrial publicity that plays on racist tropes. It has leaked damaging (and often times false) material to the press,” they voiced.

Prosecution Dismisses Racism Claims as Diddy Awaits Trial

Diddy’s motion to dismiss the charge and racism allegations remains unanswered by the prosecution.

The government has consistently rebuffed assertions of racial bias against the hip-hop mogul. In an October pre-trial session, a prosecutor dismissed similar claims from Diddy’s attorneys as “baseless,” warning they threatened the integrity of a fair trial. Diddy, detained since his arrest last fall, has rejected all charges, asserting that every encounter was consensual. His court date is set for May 5. A conviction could mean a lifetime behind bars.