By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-17 20:11:58 | Updated at 2025-01-17 23:26:00
3 hours ago
Attorneys for Sean 'Diddy' Combs are demanding to access a cache of videos they say will prove ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura had consensual sex with the Bad Boy mogul.
In the latest episode of DailyMail.com's podcast The Trial of Diddy, criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor David Gelman, said the the rapper's legal team could use the tapes to undermine Cassie's credibility or possibly get a better plea deal for himself.
'Let's just say that [Cassie's] participating in things and looks like she's having a really good time,' Gelman said. 'That obviously won't look good for her and her claims of what he did.
Former federal prosecutor David Gelman told The Trial of Diddy podcast that Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal team will go after Cassie Ventura's credibility as the former Bad Boy rapper fights criminal charges of sex trafficking and racketeering
Cassie Ventura, 38, and Combs dated from 2007 to 2018. The beautiful songstress burst into the music scene with songs like "Me & U" and "Long Way to Go", which were both released under Diddy's Bad Boy Records
Speaking on the podcast, he continued,'If I'm in Diddy's [legal] team, that's how I'm going to be looking at it and that's going to the my theme at the trial. "Look, it's disgusting. It's not for everybody, but this is what Diddy was into. And the other individual, Cassie, she was into it as well. They're two consenting adults."'
Combs, 55, remains locked up at Brooklyn's infamous Metropolitan Detention Center in New York after he was arrested on Sept. 16, 2024 and indicted on racketeering and sex trafficking charges.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He is facing life in prison of he is found guilty of the racketeering charges.
The federal indictment was brought after investigators swooped on the rap star's Miami and LA homes where prosecutors say they found, '1,000 bottles' of baby oil and lubricant allegedly used in 'freak offs'.
Combs and Shawn 'Jay-Z' Carter also have been sued by a woman who claimed she was 13-years-old when she was allegedly raped by both men. Carter has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing
Combs attorneys said they haven't been able to have full and unrestricted access to the nine videos because of a protective order was placed on the materials.
Under the protective order, the videos are held by federal prosecutors and are only available to Combs' team for inspection with law enforcement supervision.
However, defense attorneys said they have only been able to access the footage twice since Combs was sent to jail.
Gelman said Combs' team could be placing pressure on prosecutors to release the sex tapes to negotiate a better plea deal.
'Potentially this is probably a negotiation plea as well,' Gelman told The Trial of Diddy podcast. 'I don't know if there's been any offers extended to Diddy and his legal team for a potential plea, and if there are, I'm sure they are incredibly long, probably looking at life in prison. So this maybe a ploy for [Comb's attorneys] to lower that number.'
Gelman continued: 'If they get this and it show Cassie is potentially enjoying on the videos ... they will be able to go after her credibility. The government will know that and they'll think, "You know, maybe if we give a better deal, we don't have to have her go on the stand and she doesn't have to then answer question that maybe she won't look good to a jury."
'It could be a negotiation ploy. I wouldn't put it past them.'
Combs is also facing over 20 civil suits from alleged victims in New York, California and Nevada.
The "Bad Boy for Life" rapper settled a lawsuit against him filed in November 2023 by Ventura, but details of the settlement have not been released because of an non-disclosure agreement.
Ventura alleged Combs had raped and abused her for years during their on-again-off-again relationship.
Shortly after the suit was settled in 2024, CNN released a video of Combs attacking Ventura in a LA hotel. The footage seemingly showed Combs dragging and kicking Ventura in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in 2016.
Gelman said Ventura's settlement could come up in Combs' criminal case.
'I don't know if that's going to be allowed, but if it's allowed, Diddy's attorneys are going to tag it,' the former prosecutor told DailyMail.com.
He added that Combs' defense attorneys could ask Ventura, "Why did you settle with Diddy? Why didn't you go to trial?' This again goes to her credibility.
'Credibility is everything when you are going to trial and when you have a main witness who has credibility issues, which Cassie may or may not. ... Diddy's attorneys are going to attack it left and right.'
For all the latest updates on this case, search for The Trial of Diddy wherever you get your podcasts now.
