Diddy files motion to exclude Cassie assault video from upcoming trial

Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team is fighting to keep damning video evidence out of his upcoming federal trial.

According to a court filing obtained by People magazine on Thursday, April 17, the rapper’s lawyers claim a now-infamous video aired by CNN showing Combs physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 is “inaccurate” and “inadmissible.”

“There is no longer any dispute that the CNN footage… is wholly inaccurate, having been altered, manipulated, sped-up, and edited to be out of sequence,” the motion states.

Combs’ attorneys also allege CNN paid for the footage, presented it out of order, and destroyed the original copy.

The footage, first released by CNN in May 2024, appears to show Combs chasing Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel, grabbing her by the neck, kicking her, and throwing objects — actions that mirrored allegations from her now-settled sexual assault lawsuit.

Combs' team argues the footage and other clips filmed on an iPhone 6 should be deemed inadmissible due to a lack of authentication.

“Relevant evidence must be authenticated before it can be admitted,” the motion continues. “The government has not proffered any competent evidence through which it could authenticate these videos.”

Forensic video analyst Conor McCourt added in sworn testimony that the footage was “significantly sped up” and possibly altered, saying, “none of the available video files are accurate and reliable copies of the original.”

Diddy’s trial is set to begin May 5, though his team is pushing for a two-month delay.