Sean “Diddy” Combs is requesting a laptop in prison as he stares down a potential lifelong sentence.
Lawyers for the rapper, 55, alleged that the government provided the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn with a laptop for him to use in reviewing discovery and taking notes on his defense. However, in the nine days since the approval, Diddy has not been given access to the computer, according to a letter from his attorneys written to federal judge Arun Subramanian and obtained by Us Weekly.
The letter explained that on Wednesday morning, December 4, the government decided Diddy would be allowed to access the laptop, but only under one of two conditions: in the video-teleconference room in the presence of other legal staff or in the legal visiting room between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., but not both.
“These restrictions are untenable and from what we understand, not required of any other inmate on Mr. Combs’ unit,” the letter stated. “They significantly limit the time available for Mr. Combs to use the laptop and force Mr. Combs to choose between using the laptop and meeting with his attorneys (who often meet with Mr. Combs over video-teleconference).”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Ordered to Stay in Jail Until Trial
Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, the two lawyers who wrote the letter, added that there is “no justification” for those restrictions.
“To be clear, the discovery provided on Mr. Combs laptop does not contain any evidence designated as ‘attorneys’ possession only’ and therefore does not contain anything that could potentially risk the safety or privacy of alleged victims or witnesses,” they wrote.
They also accused the government of trying to monitor Diddy’s handwritten notes, further necessitating a laptop that would not be surveilled.
“Moreover, given the government’s efforts to surreptitiously monitor and record his handwritten legal notes, Mr. Combs’ need for a laptop to take legal notes free from government surveillance is heightened,” they said.
The letter concluded by stating that the laptop would be used for Diddy’s legal defense and is no different from the rights afforded to any other inmate.
Diddy’s Lawyers Claim His Rights Were Violated With Jail Cell Search
“There is no conceivable reason why the government should know who and when Mr. Combs meets with in connection with his legal defense,” the letter read.
Diddy pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution in September. He has maintained his innocence and has been denied bail four times. His trial is set to begin on May 5, 2025.
In a statement to Us in September, Agnifilo maintained that Diddy’s persecution was “unjust.”
“He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal,” he said. “Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
