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Sean "Diddy" Combs' defense attorneys have introduced a controversial new strategy, claiming the music mogul may not have possessed the mental capacity to commit alleged crimes due to substance abuse. This development emerged in court documents filed April 27, 2025, just days before his high-profile trial is set to begin.
Prosecutors swiftly filed a motion to block testimony from psychiatrist Dr. Elie Aoun, who would potentially testify about Combs' diminished capacity. "The noticed testimony relates to the defendant's diminished capacity to form the mens rea required to commit the charged offenses," prosecutors wrote in documents obtained by People magazine.
The legal battle centers on the concept of "mens rea" - Latin for "guilty mind" - which constitutes a critical element in criminal proceedings. As the Legal Information Institute explains, prosecutors must prove beyond reasonable doubt not only that a defendant committed an alleged act, but did so with a culpable mental state.
"If a defendant intends to introduce expert evidence relating to a mental disease or defect or any other mental condition of the defendant bearing on the issue of guilt, he must provide notice to the government," prosecutors argued in their objection filing.
Combs, 55, currently remains detained without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He faces serious federal charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and fraud, carrying a minimum 15-year prison sentence if convicted.
Marc Agnifilo, Combs' attorney, previously defended his client in a September 2024 statement: "Sean 'Diddy' Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man and proven philanthropist. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal."
This latest defense strategy follows earlier claims by Combs' legal team characterizing the prosecution as racially motivated. In February court filings, they argued the Mann Act of 1910 has historically targeted Black men, claiming "no white person has ever been the target of a remotely similar prosecution."
The 14-page indictment alleges Combs "abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him" to fulfill his "sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct" with incidents dating back to 2009.
This case has drawn intense public scrutiny, particularly following leaked security footage showing Combs physically assaulting former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway.
