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A trial date of May 5 has been set for hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs to face sex trafficking charges.
Combs appeared before Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan federal court on Thursday. Upon entering the courtroom, he exchanged warm hugs with each of his attorneys and smiled while conversing with them.
The judge also established deadlines for both sides to submit legal arguments that will outline the framework for the trial, which Combs’ legal team hopes to begin in April or May. Another court appearance for Combs is scheduled for December, though the judge indicated it may be canceled if the attorneys agree it’s unnecessary.
The 54-year-old Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges filed against him last month, including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, with allegations dating back to 2008.
During Thursday’s hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson revealed that 96 electronic devices were confiscated during raids in March at Combs’ homes in Miami and Los Angeles, as well as at a private airport in Florida. Additionally, four more devices were seized when Combs was arrested last month.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson said that eight devices seized in Miami contained more than 90 terabytes of data, which she described as “extraordinary.” She noted that delays in extracting some of the information were due to technical challenges.
The indictment accuses Combs of coercing and abusing women over several years, with the help of a network of associates and employees, while silencing victims through blackmail and violent acts, including kidnapping, arson, and physical assaults.
Johnson also reiterated a point made at a prior hearing: the indictment may be revised to include additional charges or defendants.
Late Wednesday, Combs’ legal team filed documents accusing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of leaking a 2016 hotel hallway video to the media. The footage showed Combs allegedly punching and kicking his former protege and girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie. The attorneys argued that the video, aired by CNN in May, along with other alleged government leaks, had sparked damaging and highly prejudicial pretrial publicity, which they claimed could taint the jury pool and undermine Combs’ right to a fair trial.