Diddy Shocks The Courtroom With A New Look At Federal Trial's Arraignment

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares 3.8K Views
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Diddy Courtroom New Look Federal Trial Arraignment Hip Hop News
Jan 04, 2005; Miami, FL, USA; Sean P. Diddy Combs on the sidelines during the 2005 Orange Bowl between the USC Trojans and the Oklahoma Sooners at Pro Player Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images (©) Copyright 2005 by Matthew Emmons / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The big debate in this federal trial right now revolves around the footage of Diddy assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016.

Diddy recently pleaded not guilty to his federal charges in his criminal trial, which accuses him of sex trafficking, workplace abuse, and more. While the big story most fans care about revolves around case updates themselves and situations like the Cassie incident, other Internet users couldn't help but notice that he's rocking a bit of a different look now. Sean Combs attended his arraignment in New York court on Friday (March 14), reportedly showing off a gray hair and gray beard. Per eyewitness reports from the Daily Mail, he also put on some weight, and was still in a good enough mood to smile at and wave hello to his children Christian and Chance in the courtroom.

In other news, Diddy has a new trial date, as U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian set jury selection for May 5 of this year. Then, trial will tentatively begin on May 12, although we wouldn't treat this as gospel considering the breadth of this case. After all, with so much to take into account and so many fights between both sides up to this point, the procedural and fair aspects of this trial must undergo rigorous scrutiny for the sake of transparency that could provoke more delays down the line.

Diddy Jury

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Mar 27, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Sean “Diddy” Combs introduces a tribute to “The Godfather” during the 94th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For example, one big piece of debate between prosecutors and defense attorneys is the potential use of CNN's footage of Diddy assaulting Cassie in 2016. Prosecutors claim that they have the original copy of the footage plus the CNN version, whereas the defense accused the outlet of altering and destroying the original copy in a way that misrepresents what actually happened. CNN denied this claim outright. Moreover, Judge Subramanian ordered both sides to file motions if they were unable to reach a compromise, which he would obviously prefer.

Meanwhile, other logistical and procedural matters concerning this trial will go over much more smoothly, in all likelihood. Diddy's team requested a sequestered jury to limit external media influence on the jury's opinions and to question each potential juror individually. Before May 12 rolls around, we're sure that plenty more will change about this case and maybe even the Bad Boy mogul's look.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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