'Truly agonising to watch': P Diddy's mother defends rapper against 'repulsive' allegations, says he deserves his day in court

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' mother, Janice Small Combs, has defended the hip-hop mogul who has been arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. Janice released a statement on Instagram on Sunday through her attorney, Natalie G. Figgers, and on behalf of the Combs family. In her statement, she said her son is being judged by a narrative created by lies and deserves a fair trial to share his side of the story.

Read P Diddy's mother's statement below:

In the statement, Janice said, ¡°It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies. To bear witness to 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.¡±

Janice seemingly admitted to the 2016 Cassie Ventura assault video in the statement and added, ¡°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 said. ¡°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.¡± For the unversed, the legal trouble for the rapper began in November 2023 when he was sued by singer and dancer Cassie, his former partner, who alleged years of abuse. The lawsuit was filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act, just before it expired.

She further mentioned, ¡°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."

She added, ¡°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.¡±

Defending Diddy regarding the various allegations he is facing, Janice mentioned, ¡°Not being entirely straightforward about one issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and the grave charges levelled against him."

Janice argued that just because her son lied about certain things, it does not make make his guilty of ¡°repulsive allegations and the grave charges levelled against him.¡±

She said, ¡°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 shown us how individuals can be wrongfully convicted due to their past actions or mistakes.¡±

She concluded with the words, ¡°It is truly agonising to watch the world turn against my son so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or allowing him to present his side.¡±

More about the P Diddy case

P Diddy was arrested on September 16, facing charges of racketeering and human trafficking, followed by an additional 120 lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to NBC sources, Diddy is currently incarcerated at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, sharing the same unit as Sam Bankman-Fried, the embattled cryptocurrency entrepreneur.

While he has been denied bail twice, his legal team maintains his innocence. "Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts," his attorney Marc Agnifilo said before adding, "These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court."