Diddy‘s attorney, Marc Agnifilo, is speaking up in his client’s defense following the disgraced mogul being arrested Monday (Sept. 16) on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Agnifilo is now asserting that the violent footage of Combs attacking ex-girlfriend Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway was preceded by the “Me & U” singer hitting him in the head with a cellphone after discovering he was cheating with another woman. Reporter Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press shared Agnifilo’s statements from outside of court via X/Twitter.
“Two people were in a hotel room. An issue that Mr. Combs had more than one girlfriend, okay? Victim-1 was looking through his phone and saw that – then hit him in the head with a cellphone, and took his clothing. So he comes out in a towel,” Agnifilo described. He went on to claim that, while the pair were “in love,” they both cheated on each other, asserting that Cassie cheated on Puff with her current husband, Alex Fine.
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 27: Cassie (L) and recording artist Sean “Diddy” Combs attend the Clive Davis and Recording Academy Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Jay-Z on January 27, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
“These two people were in love. Victim-1 ended up marrying the trainer that Mr. Combs got for her. They had been cheating on each other for years. But now she had two kids with the trainer. Years later, she realized she had a good thing with Mr. Combs.”
He added, “Mr. Combs is not a perfect person. These toxic relationships were mutual. Now he is trying to be better for the rest of his days. If there’s one thing we’ve seen, we should stand with people who are trying to get the help they need.”
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 17: Lawyer for Sean Combs, Marc Agnifilo, speaks outside U.S. District Court on September 17, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images).
The 2016 footage was released by CNN May 17, 2024. It featured Cassie attempting to escape with a bag, heading towards the hotel elevator before Diddy, wrapped in nothing but a towel, ran down the hallway and threw her to the ground. He also kicked her while she was down and threw what appeared to be a vase in her direction.
Cassie’s husband, Fine, spoke out following the release of the footage, taking abusive men to task.
“Men who hit women aren’t men. Men who enable it and protect those people aren’t men. As men, violence against women shouldn’t be inevitable, check your brothers, your friends, and your family. Our daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives should feel protected and loved. Hold the women in your life with the upmost regard. Men who hurt women hate women,” Fine, 31, wrote at the time.
Puff has plead not guilty to all charges and will not be granted bail.
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