Sean “Diddy” Combs has been portrayed as a rule-breaker during his time at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC), but his legal team says the facts tell a different story.
According to documents obtained by AllHipHop, Diddy’s defense argued that the government was using a “materially false narrative” about his jailhouse conduct to justify intrusive surveillance and searches that violated his constitutional rights.
Diddy’s attorneys are pushing for a court-ordered evidentiary hearing to determine the extent of alleged government misconduct, including using privileged communications and defense materials.
“The truth will only be fully revealed if the government’s claims can be tested through cross-examination of witnesses who have actual knowledge of the material facts,” Diddy’s lawyer, Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, wrote.
At the center of the controversy is an October search of his unit, which the government initially claimed was part of a routine sweep to ensure prison security. Diddy’s legal team countered that the search was anything but routine.
“The search of Mr. Combs’s unit…was conducted not for legitimate institutional security reasons, but because [prosecutors] were interested in searching Mr. Combs,” Shapiro said.
Shapiro contends that prosecutors staged the operation to collect evidence tied to Diddy’s defense strategy, a move his lawyer called a blatant violation of attorney-client privilege.
The filing further alleges that the government’s actions extended to monitoring Diddy’s legal communications.
“Investigator-1 admits he listened to Mr. Combs’s calls, including with his counsel, and that all those recordings, including the ones with attorneys, are being furnished to the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” the disgraced mogul’s attorneys stated.
Prosecutors also claim Diddy misused other inmates’ phone access, engaged in unauthorized messaging, and orchestrated a social media campaign with the involvement of his children.
Despite offering a $50 million bail package with strict conditions, including 24/7 surveillance, his release was denied due to concerns about potential witness tampering and his ability to interfere with ongoing investigations
Despite months of surveillance, the filing notes, “To this day, the BOP has not taken any actions to discipline Mr. Combs for any purported violations of MDC policies.”
Diddy’s attorneys are asking the court to direct the government to cease its alleged violations of his rights, including monitoring his legal notes and communications.
They also want the feds to cough up evidence they believe will expose the full scope of the misconduct, including emails and surveillance footage related to the October search.
With the trial set for May 2025, Diddy’s lawyers are urging the court to act swiftly to address what they describe as “grave violations” of his constitutional rights.