A federal judge overseeing the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces sex trafficking and other allegations, has rejected the music mogul’s request to postpone the trial by two months, stating he had sufficient time to prepare.
On Monday, the rapper and record producer entered a not guilty plea to two additional charges introduced in the criminal racketeering and sex trafficking case: a new charge of sex trafficking and another for transportation with the intent to engage in prostitution.
Judge Arun Subramanian emphasized that the high-profile trial involving Mr. Combs, 55, accused by multiple women of trafficking and sexual exploitation, will proceed on schedule on May 5.
The trial is anticipated to last between eight to ten weeks.
Mr. Combs nodded affirmatively as the judge reminded those present that he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“It’s unclear why… there isn’t sufficient time, especially considering that Mr. Combs now has four law firms representing him,” the judge remarked during a pretrial session at a Manhattan courthouse.
Marc Agnifilo, Mr. Combs’s lead attorney, argued that additional time was necessary to review new evidence.
In response, the judge remarked, “The new conduct (alleged) is not new.”
Mr. Combs appeared in plain prison scrubs, his hair and beard showing signs of grey as he swayed gently, at one point turning to blow a kiss to his mother, Janice.
Also present in the courtroom was attorney Brian Steele, who recently secured a successful plea deal for artist Young Thug, who was facing decades in prison.
Mr. Steele remained silent during the hearing.
Public allegations against Grammy winner Mr. Combs have intensified since late 2023, when singer and actor Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, claimed he subjected her to over a decade of coercion through physical force and drugs, including a rape incident in 2018.
In addition to the federal criminal proceedings, Mr. Combs is confronted with numerous civil lawsuits accusing him of severe abuse, allegedly facilitated by a loyal network of employees and associates.
The rap superstar, who has been incarcerated since September, has begun to show visible signs of aging.
Known also as Puff Daddy and P Diddy throughout his career, Combs founded Bad Boy Records and played a pivotal role in launching the careers of prominent rappers and R&B artists, including Mary J Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G., and Usher, in the 1990s and 2000s.
However, prosecutors allege that his purported abuse involved women participating in recorded sexual acts termed “freak offs” with male sex workers, some of whom were transported across state lines.
Mr. Combs has been held in a Brooklyn jail since September.
