In a pivotal ruling on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ordered prosecutors in Diddy‘s sex crimes case to destroy copies of the rapper’s handwritten notes, seized during a recent jail search. Reports indicate that the decision comes as the court weighs whether these notes can be used in preparation for his forthcoming sex trafficking trial.
The judge, speaking in Manhattan federal court, instructed that the notes should not be referenced by the prosecution while he evaluates the defense’s claim that the documents are protected by attorney-client privilege, a legal safeguard for confidential communications between lawyers and their clients. “Get rid of them,” Subramanian instructed prosecutors, emphasizing he would retain a copy of the notes while he assesses whether they can be used in building the case. He also noted that a designated team within the U.S. Attorney’s Office, tasked with reviewing documents for attorney-client privilege, could retain the notes.
On Monday, attorneys representing the embattled music mogul called for a hearing to investigate how prosecutors obtained what the defense termed Diddy’s “privileged notes to his lawyers concerning defense witnesses and defense strategies.”
Diddy’s legal team argued that the October 28th cell search was a direct violation of his constitutional rights, calling it an “outrageous” abuse of power by the authorities. On Tuesday, attorney Marc Agnifilo slammed the search as a “complete institutional failure,” pointing out that the alleged seizure of Puff’s notes undermined his right to a fair trial and breached protections against self-incrimination and unlawful searches.
Search Reveals Diddy’s Notes, Sparking Obstruction Claims
In a letter sent to the judge on Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York clarified that a search had been carried out at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where the mogul is currently detained. The operation was part of a broader “safety and security initiative” that had been planned long before his arrest in September.
Prosecutors stated that a Bureau of Prisons investigator conducted a search of Diddy’s cell, uncovering a manila folder labeled “legal,” along with a notebook, address book, and other personal items. The investigator photographed the notebook and address book, forwarding the images to a “filter team” that later cleared some for use by the prosecution. The government argued that the photos, which reveal Diddy’s personal notes on everything from his business dealings to music releases and family matters, do not qualify as “privileged” materials in his defense.
Furthermore, prosecutors have claimed that Puff documented plans to pay off potential witnesses and gather compromising information on them, suggesting a possible obstruction of justice. They argued that this could waive attorney-client privilege. At Tuesday’s hearing, prosecutor Mary Slavik indicated the investigation is ongoing, with the possibility of additional charges being filed.
Since his arrest in September on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and facilitating prostitution, the mogul has remained in custody. He has denied all allegations of sexual assault and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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