Judge Rejects Diddy’s Claim of Leaked Cassie Video, Says Guilt Will Be Decided in Court

Sean “Diddy” Combs has faced a legal setback in his attempt to investigate alleged federal leaks of surveillance footage showing him assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. On Monday, December 16, Judge Arun Subramanian rejected Combs’ request for an evidentiary hearing into accusations that federal authorities leaked the 2016 hotel surveillance video to CNN.

According to People magazine, Subramanian ruled that Combs “has not carried his burden” to prove the government was responsible for the leak. The footage, published by CNN five months before Combs’ September 2023 arrest on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, shows the hip-hop mogul grabbing Ventura by the neck, throwing her to the ground, and dragging her down a hallway.

The release of the video came months after Ventura settled her sexual assault lawsuit against Combs just one day after filing it. Following the video’s release, Combs initially denied the allegations but issued an apology in a since-deleted Instagram video.

In an October court filing, Combs’ legal team argued that the Department of Homeland Security had leaked sensitive materials as part of a “smear campaign” to tarnish his reputation and undermine his right to a fair trial.

Federal prosecutors firmly denied the allegations, stating they had no involvement with the leaked footage. “The government did not possess any video of the March 2016 incident at the time of CNN’s publication,” prosecutors wrote in court documents.

Judge Subramanian’s ruling underscored that the courtroom—not media narratives—would decide Combs’ guilt or innocence. “If specific information comes to light that [prohibited information was leaked], action will be taken,” Subramanian stated, reinforcing that the matter would remain impartial under judicial oversight.

Combs, who has pleaded not guilty, remains in custody at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center as he awaits trial. The decision marks another pivotal moment in Diddy’s high-profile legal battle, which continues to unfold under intense public scrutiny.

While Combs’ defense team claims his reputation is being unfairly attacked, the government insists the case will proceed on evidence presented in court alone. As the legal process moves forward, the ruling sets a clear tone: claims of leaks will not overshadow the central task of determining justice through the judicial system.