Diddy's lawyers challenge search warrants, aim to suppress evidence in new filing
Evidence federal prosecutors obtained through searches of Sean "Diddy" Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami and elsewhere must be suppressed because the warrants that authorized those searches were unconstitutional, defense attorneys argued Sunday in a new court filing.
The defense argued the warrant applications for the Diddy's houses, iCloud accounts, phones and hotel room were overbroad, excluded facts that could have been favorable to Combs and "presented a grossly distorted picture of reality."
The heavily redacted defense motion does not publicly reveal the specifics of what prosecutors allegedly omitted but said the warrant applications eliminated important context that the magistrate judge who approved them should have seen, including about a certain witness that the defense contended had reason to fabricate and embellish.
"But it worked -- the government got its warrants, leaked damaging information, and then executed its military-style raids at Combs's residences," defense attorneys said in the filing. "Here, rather than giving the reviewing magistrate a fair summary, the government hid exculpatory evidence to bolster its case."
The defense said some of the most salacious details recounted in the search warrant applications came from an unnamed Producer-1 whose accusations "were never credible." What Producer-1 told investigators is redacted but the defense said he "had relayed stories about his time working for Combs."
The motion said the government does not plan to call Producer-1 to testify.
The motion sought to suppress all evidence obtained through these searches or grant a hearing to examine the government's conduct in obtaining the warrants.
No comment from federal prosecutors who will instead offer a formal reply in court papers.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges that are based on the accounts of at least three women. The defense has argued that at least one of those women, Cassie Ventura, was a willing participant in the alleged "freak-offs" and not a coerced participant as the prosecutors suggested.
The music mogul has denied all allegations made against him. Combs' attorneys have previously told ABC News, "Mr. Combs has full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process. In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone -- man or woman, adult or minor."
