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Evidence found in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ jail suggests he was trying to influence witnesses in a New York sex trafficking and racketeering case and blackmail others, prosecutors say. insisted. The suspect allegedly tried to evade detection by federal authorities by making three-way calls and using other inmates’ phone access codes.
In a motion filed Friday, federal prosecutors allege that Combs used covert methods to contact people outside of prison, and that evidence collected shows that “defendant’s goal was to “There is a clear inference that the purpose of the attack is to intimidate victims and witnesses into silence or to provide testimony helpful to the defence.” This allegation is common in mob trials and Mexican Mafia-style cases. ”
But in a motion filed Monday, the music mogul’s lawyers claim that what investigators actually seized from his cell at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center was an “attorney-client agreement,” including Combs’ handwritten notes. He claimed that it was “privileged material.”
“This search and seizure violates Mr. Combs’ Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendment rights,” his attorney said in a statement. “The targeted seizure of pretrial detainees’ work products and privileged materials produced in preparation for trial is an outrageous government action that amounts to a substantial due process violation.”
Lawyers said they learned the note had been seized from Combs’ cell 30 minutes before midnight Friday when prosecutors filed a motion citing the note as evidence against Combs’ release.
In a new filing Monday, prosecutors said they had not looked at any legal files in his cell to determine whether there was anything privileged that should be kept private. Investigators handed over photos taken of items inside the cell to the “filter team.” The team redacted anything that appeared to be privileged and provided that information to prosecutors.
The motion comes as a federal judge is scheduled to decide again this week whether Combs, who has been in jail since his arrest in September, should be released to home detention on $50 million bail. It was done.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, extortion and transportation for the purpose of prostitution. Combs and his associates are accused of luring female victims, often under the guise of romantic relationships, and using force, threats of force, coercion and drugs to coerce them into having sex with male prostitutes. . You weirdo. ”
Federal prosecutors reiterated their opposition to granting bail on Friday, alleging that Combs used family members to tamper with witnesses and try to influence potential jurors from his cell. He said he was concerned that Combs’ behavior would worsen outside.
Combs’ notes were recovered from the defendant’s cell “during a pre-planned sweep of BOP facilities across the country,” prosecutors said.
Former federal prosecutor Neema Rahmani said prosecutors had reason to believe Combs was obstructing justice from prison and had made a similar argument at a previous bail hearing, saying the judge He said there is a good chance that the seized evidence will not be destroyed.
“An inmate has no Fourth Amendment expectation of privacy in prison. Guards can search his cell without probable cause or a warrant,” she said. It added that there is a process for handling potentially privileged material discovered during searches.
“Federal authorities typically conduct investigations using teams of ‘dirty’ or ‘dirty’ investigators who have not worked on the case. That way, the “clean” team will not be disqualified from the case if they view privileged material. ”
In a partially redacted filing Friday, prosecutors said the evidence seized shows a pattern of influence by Mr. Combs while in custody and that Mr. Combs “provided powerful testimony against him.” The complaint alleges that he made “constant efforts to contact potential witnesses, including victims of abuse, who may be able to testify.”
They said Combs used the phone access codes (known as PAC numbers) of eight other inmates to contact several people, including his sons, and made “three-way calls to contact other individuals.” He is accused of going. Prosecutors also allege Combs used a third-party communications service called ContactMeASAP to contact unauthorized individuals.
They referenced a phone call with “Witness 2,” and their correspondence and personal notes reveal a “strong inference” that “the defendant paid Witness 2 after he posted his testimony.” He said it became.
Prosecutors also cited an October phone call between Combs and one of his sons. Although the specific text of the phone call was redacted, prosecutors said it was “clear that the defendant’s purpose was to intimidate victims and witnesses into silence or provide testimony that would help the defense.” “He provides a reasonable inference.”
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