Sean Diddy Combs has confirmed that he rejected a plea deal from prosecutors ahead of his upcoming criminal trial.
The rapper and businessman appeared in court on Thursday, May 1, where the judge asked him to respond to reports about the deal.
Diddy said he turned it down and understands the risk of facing more prison time if found guilty.
This was the final hearing before the trial officially began. Jury selection is set to start on Monday, May 5, at 8 a.m. and is expected to last three days.
In court, Diddy was described as looking calm and in good spirits. He waved to people in the gallery and spoke with his lawyers throughout the hearing. However, those in the room also noticed that he looked thinner and paler than usual.
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Diddy’s legal team says the case has been blown out of proportion. They argue that he is not guilty of sex crimes and that his private lifestyle involved only adults and consent.
They said his actions were not criminal and reflect a lifestyle that many others also follow.
Prosecutors see things differently. They are asking the judge to allow testimony from a person who says they went through a medical procedure related to the sex trafficking charges.
Details of the procedure have not been shared, and the judge has not yet made a ruling on whether the testimony will be included in the trial.
The prosecution also asked to present a private video as evidence. They do not want the video played for the public due to its sensitive content. The judge is still reviewing this request.
During the hearing, the judge gave the prosecution a win. They will be allowed to use hotel security footage that shows Diddy assaulting singer Cassie in a hallway.
His legal team had tried to block the video, questioning whether it was real. Despite this, Diddy had already admitted fault in the past and apologized for what happened in the clip.
