Diddy‘s sex trafficking trial is officially under way, and his defense team is coming to the table with the accusation that ex-girlfriend Cassie physically abused him in their relationship.
According to TMZ, the topic came up in the courtroom on day four of the trial after prosecutor Emily Anne Johnson told Judge Arun Subramanian that Victim 1 (who is believed to be Cassie) will not be cross-examined about certain medical issues.
The judge replied saying that whatever issues prosecutors do touch on, the defense can also do so and cross-examine the witnesses on the topic(s).
It was then that Diddy’s attorney Marc Agnifilo said the defense “is going to take the position there was mutual violence in their relationship, hitting, on both sides. DV [domestic violence].”
He added, “We are absolutely going to admit to domestic violence. But at what point does it become coercive?”
In response to the judge asking whether “you’re arguing that they are just violent?” Agnifilo responded, “Right. We’re saying it’s relevant.”
While the abuse Cassie allegedly endured is not part of the charges Diddy’s facing, video of him beating her at the Intercontinental Hotel in L.A. in 2016 will be used in the trial in an effort to paint a picture of the embattled mogul’s personality – something he tried to exclude.
Diddy filed formal request that the judge excludes the tape on April 17.
His team revealed their plans to do so in a letter, where they claimed that “CNN purchased the only known copy of the Hotel’s surveillance footage, uploaded that footage into a free editing software, altered the video and then destroyed the original footage, even though it knew about and repeatedly reported about the federal investigation.”
The altering, his team says, includes “covering the time stamp and then changing the video sequence. It also includes speeding up the video to make it falsely appear that the actions in the video are taking place faster than they are.”
They argue that it is not an accurate representation of what really happened, and revealed plans to file a motion to exclude the video from the trial. Should what they allege be true, Diddy’s motion may be granted as courts rarely allow edited video evidence.
However, in a statement to HipHopDX, representatives for CNN said: “CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source. CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.”
Johnson said in court this week that she plans to submit two cellphone videos and the corrected CNN footage of the beating.
NEWS
Lola Young has joined forces with Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to release a new T shirt for the charity’s Lifelines collection.
The shirt supports CALM’s suicide prevention work, with proceeds helping to fund vital resources such as its helpline and CALMzone mental health app.
CALM introduced the Lifelines range last year, with Fontaines D.C., Blossoms and Inhaler also contributing their own designs to the collection.
Young’s design includes the words, “There’s a flicker of light. There’s always morning after the night”, taken from her track ‘Flicker Of Light’.
“I wrote this song about realising there is hope. I have often felt like there isn’t, but there is always a reason to keep going,” Young said. “That’s even when you don’t want to get out of bed, you do, and that is amazing, and you’re still here, and you’re still alive, and if anything, that’s something to be proud of.”
CALM CEO Simon Gunning also shared his appreciation for the collaboration, saying: “We couldn’t be more grateful to Lola for supporting ‘Lifelines’ and showing just how powerful music can be as a force for good.”
Priced at £30, the T shirts come in both standard and boxy fits and are available to purchase here.
Young has regularly spoken about her experiences with mental health. She returned to performing earlier this year after calling off her 2025 tour because of exhaustion. The decision followed her collapse during a performance in New York City. During her time away, she later discussed receiving support for addiction and attending AA meetings as part of her recovery.
In an interview with NME in May, Young explained that she believes “all healing journeys are never ending”, although she is now “definitely in a much better place”. She also said she feels “excited and ready to perform and to release music”.
Reflecting on the encouragement she received after publicly discussing those challenges, Young said: “My fans inspire me in the same way I hope to inspire them. I feel like I’ve never tried to be especially honest… it just comes very naturally to me.”
“I don’t really have any other choice but to be honest, so if people connect to that, and that’s amazing.”
Several musicians have also applauded the ‘Messy’ singer for honestly addressing the pressure placed on touring performers. Lily Allen said she was “in awe” of the BRIT and Grammy winner, while Victoria Canal credited Young with bringing greater attention to the damaging impact demanding tour schedules can have on artists’ mental wellbeing.
When NME asked whether musicians were beginning to establish firmer boundaries around their health, Young replied: “I never intended it to start a movement, but I hope that it does in some way.”
