International Courant
Misa Hylton shares safety video of Diddy raid
Edited dwelling surveillance video exhibits a portion of the Homeland Safety Investigations raid on certainly one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mansions final week after the mom of two of his sons launched it on Instagram. (@MisaHylton/Instagram)
Jeffrey Lichtman, the outstanding protection lawyer retained by Sean “Diddy” Combs’ son Justin, accused federal investigators of leaking particulars concerning the search warrants served on the hip-hop billionaire’s mansions in Miami and Los Angeles and making an attempt to affect public opinion with a present of pressure.
In the newest episode of “Past the Authorized Restrict,” an hour-long present that lined a variety of subjects from landline telephones to the Israel-Hamas warfare, Lichtman spent about six minutes on the Combs case.
His shopper was seen on video of the raid escorted out, pressured to stroll backward together with his fingers on his head.
“The federal government shouldn’t be all the time good and never all the time trustworthy and does not all the time play by the foundations. In actual fact, it oftentimes doesn’t play by the foundations,” he mentioned on the newest episode.
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS ACCUSERS CAN’T BE SILENCED BY NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS IN TRAFFICKING PROBE: EXPERTS
Sean “P Diddy” Combs carries a wine glass and holds a cigarette on the waterfront facet of his Star Island mansion March 30, 2024. The house was raided earlier within the week as a part of a intercourse trafficking investigation. (Backgrid/Mega)
“What bothers me essentially the most about it’s not a lot the search — the overboard search that occurred on Puff Daddy’s two properties — however the truth that the press was actually advised about it both instantly or proper earlier than,” Lichtman mentioned.
“They had been all there, able to report it. They had been all there, advised about it and breathlessly reporting what nameless brokers of legislation enforcement are telling them about what they’re on the lookout for, proof of intercourse trafficking,” he added. “That is dangerous as a result of that is simply an evil factor for our authorities or legislation enforcement to do.”
One former federal legislation enforcement officer argued that the Combs searches created an pointless danger, recalling the notorious ATF raid on the Department Davidians’ Waco, Texas, compound in 1993, which resulted in additional than 70 deaths contained in the compound and accidents to twenty brokers.
Diddy and Justin Combs attend “The Love Album” listening get together Sept. 15, 2023, in New York Metropolis. (Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS PROBE: RECORD LABEL FIRES BACK AFTER MALE MUSIC PRODUCER ACCUSES MOGUL OF SEX ASSAULT
“David Koresh jogged alone each morning. He went to a Starbucks for espresso each day,” mentioned Dave Katz, a former DEA particular agent. “He might have been taken very quietly and privately.”
As a substitute, the standoff grew to become a “press occasion” that resulted in tragedy.
“I do not know who obtained the concept to publicize these types of issues, however it’s outrageous,” he mentioned.
Nobody was damage within the Homeland Safety Investigations raids on Combs’ properties, and lots of consultants argue the present of pressure was obligatory to guard the security of the brokers and native police.
Diddy accuser Rodney Jones’ legal professionals included this picture in a lawsuit. In keeping with courtroom filings, it was taken at a Thanksgiving get together with Jones pictured on the left sitting subsequent to Sean “Diddy” Combs. (Southern District of NY)
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS’ SON HIRES MOB LAWYER AS MOTHER BLASTS FEDS, RELEASING VIDEO OF MANSION RAID
“They’d a good suggestion what was in these residences earlier than they raided them,” mentioned David Gelman, a protection legal professional and former prosecutor who has been on either side of the difficulty. “They must take precautions, however this was approach overboard, and you must have your head within the sand to not see this being simply as a lot if no more for publicity’s sake.”
On the one facet, latest allegations in a sequence of lawsuits allege Combs had weapons within the dwelling and that there may very well be armed people on his property, legal professionals have famous, creating a necessity for legislation enforcement brokers to be protected with tactical gear and huge numbers. Alternatively, critics argue security might’ve been achieved with fewer dramatics.
Legislation enforcement brokers had been photographed exterior Diddy’s Beverly Hills property March 25. Homeland Safety raided a number of of the rapper’s properties. (HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Photographs/Getty Photographs)
RAPPER SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS’ HOMES RAIDED BY HOMELAND SECURITY
“It isn’t like they’ve executed something fallacious. It is simply the optics of it,” mentioned Lara Yeretsian, a outstanding California protection legal professional whose previous shoppers have included the late hip-hip icon Nate Dogg and Michael Jackson. “I don’t know what proof they’ve gathered and what stage of the investigation that they’re at, however we all know that what we’ve watched made it appear to be they’re going after a bin Laden. “
The raids despatched a transparent message, she added.
“Somebody thought that it was obligatory for the media to cowl it – and since there was a message,” she mentioned. “And the message is we deal with him as the best stage of felony.”
HSI didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
HSI officers searched Diddy’s dwelling in Miami. (Getty Photographs)
Lichtman, who beforehand represented John Gotti Jr. and the cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, argued that authorities leaks poison the general public notion of defendants earlier than trial.
“By utilizing the press to leak what they’re on the lookout for, they’re simply dirtying a doubtlessly future jury pool,” he mentioned, in response to studies that legislation enforcement sources had confirmed the search warrants had been a part of a human trafficking investigation.
Combs has additionally been accused of trafficking in a sequence of lawsuits, together with one from a lady who alleges she was within the eleventh grade when a pair of Dangerous Boy Information executives flew her in a non-public jet from Michigan to New York Metropolis to fulfill Combs for an evening of medication, alcohol and sexual assaults.
Singer and mannequin Cassie Ventura and rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs arrive for the Clive Davis get together on the eve of the sixtieth Annual Grammy Awards Jan. 28, 2018, in New York. Ventura sued her ex-boyfriend Combs in November, alleging sexual assault and bodily abuse. They settled a day later, however then extra accusers got here ahead with comparable claims. (Jewel Samad/AFP by way of Getty Photographs)
Lichtman additionally tore into one other lawsuit, through which Justin Combs has been named a co-defendant, as “totally bonkers.” Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, a music producer who labored on Diddy’s newest report, “The Love Album,” is accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting him, masking up a capturing and different misdeeds.
SEAN ‘DIDDY’ COMBS’ ACCUSER ADDS CUBA GOODING JR. TO SEXUAL ASSAULT LAWSUIT
“It is clearly written in an effort to get as a lot publicity as attainable, not just for the case, however for the lawyer whose title I do not even keep in mind, actually some maniac,” Lichtman mentioned. “And the feds, the concept that they’re taking that stuff as gospel, which it very effectively could also be they’re, is nearly exhausting to consider.”
Jones’ legal professional, Tyrone Blackburn, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Tactical automobiles strategy Diddy’s mansion on this nonetheless from surveillance video posted to Instagram by his ex, the style designer Misa Hylton. (@misahylton/Instagram)
“It was additionally good for Diddy’s son to get Jeff Lichtman concerned,” Gelman mentioned. “It doesn’t matter if he’s charged or not. The feds will definitely attempt to query him.”
Hiring a lawyer, he famous, does not show guilt or innocence.
Regardless of the federal investigation, Combs has not been charged with against the law and denied all accusations of wrongdoing.
His legal professional referred to as Jones’ lawsuit “pure fiction.”
Officers in tactical gear and carrying rifles eliminated the sons of Sean “Diddy” Combs in the course of the execution of a search warrant final week on this nonetheless from surveillance video posted to Instagram by their mom, the style designer Misa Hylton. (@misahylton/Instagram)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Lil Rod (Rodney Jones) is nothing greater than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly on the lookout for an undeserved payday,” Combs’ lawyer, Shawn Holley, beforehand advised Fox Information Digital. “His reckless name-dropping about occasions which might be pure fiction and easily didn’t occur is nothing greater than a clear try to garner headlines.”
Michael Ruiz is a reporter for Fox Information Digital. Story suggestions may be despatched to [email protected] and on Twitter: @mikerreports
‘Diddy’ probe: Son’s lawyer slams feds for ‘dirtying’ jury pool, leaks
World Information,Subsequent Large Factor in Public Knowledg
