Diddy is reportedly looking for a Black female attorney to join his legal team, led by Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. TMZ reports that the Bad Boy mogul could be interested in diversifying his panel of counselors, considering both Agnifilo and Geragos are white men. He’s already attempted to use race as a key part of his defense strategy.
In February, Diddy’s team suggested race was a contributing factor in the prosecution’s allegation that he violated the Mann Act. They noted that it was originally named the White-Slave Traffic Act, saying it has “a long and troubling history as a statute with racist origins, used to target Black men and supposedly protect White women from them.” The prosecution vehemently denied the idea at the time, with Acting United States District Attorney Matthew Podolsky saying race played “no role whatsoever.” Instead, Podolsky alleged that the Mann Act violation is “overlapping and intertwined” with other counts in the state’s case.
Diddy’s Trial Date
The possible update to Diddy’s legal team comes just weeks away from his trial date. Jury selection in the case will begin on May 5th. It isn’t the only last-minute drama surrounding the trial either. On Monday, Diddy appeared in court to plead not guilty to two new charges the prosecution brought against him. They include one charge of alleged sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and another for transportation to engage in prostitution. The state made the accusations in its third superseding indictment since Diddy’s original arrest. Of the newest charges, his legal team said: “These are not new allegations or new accusers. These are the same individuals, former long-term girlfriends, who were involved in consensual relationships.”
Authorities initially arrested Diddy on charges of alleged sex trafficking and racketeering in September of last year. He’s remained behind bars in Brooklyn for the duration of the months since. The court has denied him an opportunity to get out on bail on several occasions.
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