Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in a Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, where Judge Arun Subramanian cautioned the defense team to avoid any “last-minute surprises” ahead of his trial for sex trafficking and racketeering.
Dressed in a khaki prison jumpsuit, the music mogul attended a status conference in the case, where the judge outlined plans for a clear motion schedule to be in place by January 3. Subramanian emphasized the importance of a smooth pretrial process, saying, “to avoid any kind of surprise at the last minute.” Combs is set to return to court on March 17, with the trial scheduled to begin in May.
Combs has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September and has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and related offenses. Prosecutors allege that the charges stem from incidents involving coerced participation in “freak offs” — performances involving male sex workers and women.
This marks Combs’ first court appearance since November 22, when he was denied bail over concerns of potential witness tampering. Although Combs initially appealed the decision, he has since withdrawn the appeal and will remain behind bars through the holiday season.
In Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Subramanian denied a defense request for an evidentiary hearing into allegations that prosecutors leaked evidence to the media. The claims included accusations that surveillance footage of an alleged 2016 assault of singer Cassie Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel was leaked to CNN. Subramanian rejected the request, stating, “Combs has not carried his burden to show that the government leaked it to CNN.”
Meanwhile, Subramanian recently approved Combs’ access to a jail-issued laptop for reviewing discovery materials in preparation for trial.
The court also addressed earlier concerns over Combs appearing in shackles, which his defense team argued could bias potential jurors. As a result, the judge allowed him to appear unshackled during hearings.
