As music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs braces for a high-profile federal trial in 2025, his legal team is fighting to keep a piece of damning video evidence far away from the courtroom—and the public spotlight.
The footage in question? A now-infamous hotel surveillance video released by CNN in May 2024. In it, the Bad Boy Records founder is seen chasing after his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, down a hallway at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles on March 5, 2016. Wearing nothing but a white towel and socks, Diddy catches up with her, grabs her by the neck, throws her to the ground, and kicks her while she lies motionless. He then snatches her belongings before hurling an object in her direction.
It’s a brutal and hard-to-watch scene—one that echoes Ventura’s disturbing allegations in a 2023 lawsuit that has since been settled out of court.
But now, Diddy’s attorneys are arguing that the video shouldn’t be allowed as evidence. In a court filing made on April 17, they claim the footage is “inaccurate,” “manipulated,” and “taken out of sequence.” Their motion to exclude it accuses CNN of presenting an altered version of the tape and asserts that the original has either been destroyed or is unavailable.
“There is no longer any dispute that the CNN footage…is wholly inaccurate,” the filing reads, alleging the network sped up and edited the footage, creating a false narrative of what really happened.
The motion takes it further, casting doubt on two additional iPhone clips said to show the same incident, arguing those too are “inadmissible” and “inauthentic.” Diddy’s lawyers insist that federal rules require a higher standard of proof for video evidence due to its potential to influence a jury dramatically.
“Recorded evidence predictably has a dramatic impact on the jury,” the defense claims. “The government has not proffered any competent evidence through which it could authenticate these videos.”
Diddy’s camp is now requesting a pre-trial hearing where their expert—video technician and former NYPD officer Conor McCourt—can testify about what they describe as serious issues with the footage.
According to McCourt, the videos are riddled with distortions. In sworn testimony, he says the clips appear artificially sped up and suffer from resolution inconsistencies. He even alleges that Diddy appears “larger and wider” than he actually was in 2016.
McCourt claims none of the copies released to the public are originals, stating they’re all transcoded and missing significant chunks of time due to timestamp breaks. “The possibility of editing cannot be ruled out,” McCourt concludes.
CNN, however, is not backing down. A spokesperson told PEOPLE that the network never altered the footage and confirmed the original was safely retained by its source. “CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested,” the network emphasized.
Public reaction to the video release was swift and intense. Cassie’s attorney, Douglas H. Wigdor, praised her bravery in the aftermath of the disturbing footage going public.
“The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behavior of Mr. Combs,” Wigdor said. “Words cannot express the courage and fortitude Ms. Ventura has shown.”
Facing mounting pressure, Diddy issued a public apology just two days after CNN released the video. In an emotional video posted to his social media, he admitted his actions were “inexcusable.”
“I take full responsibility,” he said. “I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. I’ve gone to therapy, to rehab. I’ve asked God for mercy and grace. I’m sorry.”
Still, Cassie’s legal team responded coldly to the statement, calling it self-serving and too little, too late.
As Diddy remains incarcerated at MDC-Brooklyn, awaiting his eight-week trial now set to begin May 5, 2025, this latest courtroom maneuver adds yet another layer of drama to an already explosive legal saga.
The federal case against him includes serious charges—racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors say the hotel video is not just about assault but fits a broader pattern of predatory behavior, even referencing it in connection with alleged “freak offs” involving forced sex acts with male escorts.
While prosecutors have yet to respond to the latest motion, the stakes are sky-high. If the court agrees to exclude the footage, it could drastically change the landscape of the trial. If not, the video could become one of the most impactful—and chilling—pieces of evidence presented to the jury.
As the countdown to trial begins, all eyes remain on Combs, whose once untouchable image has now become a courtroom spectacle of epic proportions.
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