NEW YORK -- Federal prosecutors say lawyers for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs are trying to “hijack” the music mogul's criminal case from them by asking a judge to force early disclosure of evidence, including his accusers’ identities. The prosecutors urged a judge in papers filed late Wednesday to reject the requests, saying the effort to reveal the identities of prospective witnesses, in particular, was “blatantly improper.” They said it was inappropriate for defense lawyers to seek the disclosure of victim identities and details about other evidence that would preview the government's case.
Defense lawyers also have asked for a gag order to stop accusers' lawyers from commenting publicly and have claimed government leaks to the media have threatened the rapper's chance at a fair trial. Prosecutors said the requests were “a thinly veiled attempt to restrict the Government’s proof at this early stage of the case and to hijack the criminal proceeding so the defendant can respond to civil lawsuits. This demand should be squarely rejected, especially in light of the risk it poses to witness safety.
” Prosecutors added: “As the defendant well knows, there is zero legal authority for his attempt to co-opt this criminal proceeding to defend against civil litigation.” Combs, 54, has remained in a federal jail in Brooklyn since his Sept. 16 arrest , awaiting a trial scheduled to start on May 5.
Part of the grounds on which a judge rejected a bail package suggested by his.