Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accuses Tony Buzbee of “egregious misconduct”
Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs is targeting Tony Buzbee, the lawyer representing many of his alleged sexual assault victims. The Bad Boy boss’ legal team filed a new motion on February 25th, opposing Buzbee’s request to represent a client in the Southern District of New York while not being licensed there.
Combs was charged with racketeering, sex trafficking by force and transportation for purposes of prostitution in September and is currently jailed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. His trial is set to begin on May 5th.
In the latest filing, the rapper’s defence team are against the pro hac vice admission from Buzbee. “In our collective decades of practice, undersigned counsel have never opposed a pro hac vice application, and we do not do so lightly here,” it reads. “But Buzbee’s egregious misconduct warrants denial of the privilege of appearing in this district.”
According to USA Today, the filing references several Southern District of New York civil suits where Buzbee failed to state that he hadn’t received permission to represent his clients.
Earlier this month, Buzbee voluntarily dismissed a lawsuit that claimed Combs and Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter raped a 13-year-old girl in 2000, with Carter calling it a “cash grab.” Speaking on the case, Combs’ team said, “Complete dismissal without a settlement by the 1-800 attorney is yet another confirmation that these lawsuits are built on falsehoods, not facts.”
The filing reads, “For nearly five months, Buzbee has filed case after case in this district against [Combs] in the name of anonymous plaintiffs without seeking admission of any kind and without disclosing his lack of admission.”
Combs pleaded not guilty to the charges against him in September and has been denied bail three times. If found guilty, he faces up to life in prison. He’s been adamant about his innocence in each lawsuit filed against him.
“Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process,” one of their statements read. “In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone—man or woman, adult or minor.”