Lawyers representing Sean “Diddy” Combs are intensifying their efforts to secure his release from jail, alleging that federal prosecutors showcased an “edited” video of him assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura to persuade the court to keep him behind bars.

Recent court documents obtained by YSL News on Thursday reveal that Combs’ defense team has raised numerous doubts about the evidence presented by the government, which they claim shows Combs running a sex trafficking operation and argues that he should remain in custody until his trial.

One of Combs’ attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, alleged that the evidence provided by prosecutors last week indicated they “misrepresented and withheld crucial information” during hearings that addressed whether the music mogul should stay in jail while awaiting trial.

A piece of evidence shown to a federal judge included video footage of Combs physically attacking Cassie at a hotel in Los Angeles on March 5, 2016—a clip that CNN released to the public earlier this year.

Shapiro described the footage, which she claimed was a “key piece of evidence” for the prosecution, as an “edited video that left out important scenes and misaligned the event chronology.” She mentioned it was “a manipulated version of the video originally released by CNN.”

When contacted by YSL News, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York refrained from commenting.

Diddy’s defense team employed a forensic video expert to analyze the assault footage

Combs’ legal team hired forensic video analyst Conor McCourt to create a comparison video that examines the evidence presented by the prosecution against Combs concerning the March 2016 incident, alongside two videos that prosecutors shared with the defense on November 13. All clips show Combs’ altercation with Cassie at the Intercontinental Hotel.

McCourt’s findings supposedly indicate that “the video submitted by the government to the Court omits portions that support the defense’s claims, alters the sequence of events significantly, and fails to accurately reflect what occurred.”

Due to these assertions, the defense has called for the judge to hold another bail hearing and “to grant bail under the suggested conditions.”

Combs and his attorneys have continuously contested prosecutors’ claims that the 2016 video serves as evidence of Combs’ alleged involvement in sex trafficking and related offenses. Instead, they argue that the footage depicts a “domestic dispute” and reflects “a troubling snapshot of a mutually consensual relationship over ten years.”

A hearing regarding Combs’ bail application is scheduled for this Friday.

Combs, who has entered a not guilty plea regarding federal accusations of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution, awaits trial in May 2025. Despite multiple efforts by his legal team to secure his release on a $50 million bond, he remains incarcerated. He has also denied all wrongdoing in numerous civil lawsuits filed against him over the past year, alleging rape, assault, and trafficking over several decades.

This recent bail proposal, similar to previous ones, includes a $50 million bond guaranteed by the equity in his and his mother’s homes in Florida, a commitment to round-the-clock monitoring by designated security personnel, restrictions on internet and phone access except during legal consultations, a pre-approved visitor list limited to specific family members, and the surrender of passports belonging to Combs and his family.

This new proposal also indicates Combs’ willingness for “full home confinement” at his $48 million residence in Miami or an appropriate location in New York. Family visits would be supervised by his assigned security, and he would undergo “substance testing” as required.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, the National Sexual Assault Hotline by RAINN provides free, confidential support 24/7 for survivors and their loved ones in both English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org, as well as in Spanish at RAINN.org/es.