Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs are claiming that the explosive surveillance footage, which showed him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie in 2016, was tampered with by CNN. Legal reps for Cassie are firing back, however, saying that the alarming video “fairly and accurately” captured the abuse the singer allegedly endured during her relationship with the hip-hop star.
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PEOPLE reports that inside docs for the federal sex crime case of the Bad Boy Records CEO, lawyers for the 55-year-old entrepreneur alleged that CNN altered the original footage of the shocking 2016 video, which captured Combs, dragging and kicking Cassie, 38, after she exited a hotel room at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
Diddy’s Lawyers Claimed CNN Edited The Assault Footage
Representatives for Combs claimed that CNN acquired the sole existing copy of the surveillance footage, uploaded it to a free editing software, and altered the original video.
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“All CNN video footage was substantially altered in significant respects,” the letter to New York Judge Arun Subramanian read, according to PEOPLE. “This 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. As a result, the CNN videos do not fairly and accurately depict the events in question.”
Lawyers for the former CÎROC ambassador also alleged that CNN destroyed the original footage “even though it knew about and repeatedly reported about the federal investigation.”
During the March 5, 2016 incident, Combs—dressed in nothing but a towel and socks—ran after the “Me & U” singer as she was waiting for the elevator. When he finally caught up with her, he grabbed the hitmaker by the neck, pushing her to the ground, before violently kicking her as she struggled to grab her purse and suitcase. Combs was later captured throwing an object off a table at the entertainer.
Diddy later apologized for his “behavior” in the footage, calling it “inexcusable.” He added at the time:
“I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. I went and I sought out professional help. I got into going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I’m so sorry…”
Cassie’s Lawyers Say The Video “Accurately” Depicts Combs’ “Depravity”
Source: Variety / Getty
Cassie’s legal team has fired back against Combs’ filing. Douglas Wigdor, the singer’s attorney, insists that the footage is authentic. He believes that the music mogul and his team may be worried about the tape being shown at the upcoming trial scheduled for May 5, Reuters noted.
“It’s not surprising Diddy would make a disingenuous argument to exclude the disturbing video from being shown to the jury in the upcoming trial,” Wiggins told Daily Mail. “I am confident that the video fairly and accurately represents what happened, will be admitted into evidence, and that Combs will be held accountable for his depravity.”
A CNN spokesperson also commented on the claims, telling PEOPLE that the news outlet “never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source.”
They added:
“CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested.”
What do you think of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ claims?
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