Sean “Diddy” Combs’s mother has issued a statement defending him against sex trafficking charges and sexual misconduct allegations.
The rapper and music mogul – also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy – has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts including sex trafficking and is facing allegations of sexual misconduct from 120 new accusers – 25 of whom were children at the time of the alleged offences.
The 54-year-old is currently awaiting a criminal trial having been denied bail at $50m (£37.8m).
Combs’s mother Janice Smalls Combs has released a statement through her attorney, Natlie G. Figgers, which was shared with The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Ms Combs wrote.
“To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words,” she continued.
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“Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.
“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not. He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have.”
She went on to say he “may not have been entirely truthful about certain things,” referencing the fact he denied being violent towards ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, and settled her lawsuit out of court months before CNN aired hotel security footage showing Combs punching and kicking her and throwing her to the floor.
Ms Combs said she believed the federal government used his decision to settle out of court “by interpreting it as an admission of guilt”.
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The federal government has charged Combs with sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution after arresting him on 16 September.
The indictment alleges Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfil his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” from at least 2008.
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Then on 1 October Houston attorney Tony Buzbee revealed he would be filing lawsuits on behalf of 120 accusers – 60 males and 60 females – making claims of sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.
Mr Combs has denied all claims against him.
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“It is important to recognize that none of us, regardless of our status, are immune to fear or mistakes,” Ms Combs wrote.
“Not being entirely straightforward about one issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and the grave charges leveled against him.”
She said “watching the world make jokes and laugh at my son’s life crumbling before our eyes is something I can never forget” and that it was “truly agonising to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily”.
Ms Combs also claimed those making accusations against him were “seeking a financial gain, and not justice” and that the federal government was “using these lies to prosecute my son”.
Mr Buzbee, who has said he expects the 120 lawsuits to be filed next month, said the alleged sexual offences carried out against his clients has left them “injured, scared and scarred”.
Ms Combs concluded: “My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side. I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated.”
Sky News has contacted Ms Combs’s attorney Natlie G. Figgers for further comment.
Ms Combs’s full statement
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Ms Combs’s full statement read:
“I come to you today as a mother that is devastated and profoundly saddened by the allegations made against my son, Sean Combs. It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies.
“To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.
“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not. He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have. My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise.
“Sometimes, the truth and a lie become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed. This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.
“It is important to recognize that none of us, regardless of our status, are immune to fear or mistakes. Not being entirely straightforward about one issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and the grave charges leveled against him.
“Many individuals who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated had their freedom taken from them not because they were guilty of the crimes they were accused of, but because they didn’t fit the image of what this society considers to be a ‘good person.’ History has showed us how individuals can be wrongfully convicted due to their past actions or mistakes.
“Watching the world make jokes and laugh at my son’s life crumbling before our eyes is something I can never forget. It is truly agonizing to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side.
“These lies thrown at him are motivated by those seeking a financial gain, and not justice. These individuals saw how quickly my son’s civil legal team settled his ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit, so they believe they can receive a quick payday by falsely accusing my son. False allegations of sexual assault thwart true victims of sexual violence from getting the justice they deserve.
“To make matters worse, the federal government is now using these lies to prosecute my son. This injustice has been unbearable for our family. The worst part of this ordeal is watching my beloved son be stripped of his dignity, not for what he did, but for what people choose to believe about him.
“I ask his supporters, fans, colleagues, friends, and the public, to not judge him before you’ve had the chance to hear his side. I beg you to think about those who have been wrongfully persecuted, to remember that not everyone who has made mistakes in life deserves to have their entire existence judged by a single action or a few mistakes.
“My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side. I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated.”