The federal case against Sean “Diddy” Combs” bears more than a passing resemblance to the case against R. Kelly. Not only are both men rappers who were charged with sex crimes, and Diddy is now housed in the same prison that once held R. Kelly, but both were also charged with racketeering, running a criminal enterprise. Now one of R. Kelly’s attorneys has spoken out on the case against Diddy and she suggests he may have one path that could reduce the charges against him that wasn’t open to R. Kelly.
Nicole Blank Becker, one of R. Kelly’s attorneys, recently spoke to Fox News and discussed the similarities between the two cases. However, there is also one significant difference between the two. Blank Becker says R. Kelly didn’t have many celebrities in his inner circle, but Diddy does. She said…
Kelly kept his grassroots friends, people that had worked for him. It wasn't celebrities, he didn't branch out and do things because his gift, for lack of better words, was singing… P. Diddy surrounded himself always with the best of the best. The actors who are the best actors, the elite.
The lawyer suggests that Diddy could potentially make things better for himself by telling authorities what he knows and what other major celebrities were involved in his “freak offs” the parties where women were allegedly forced or coerced into sexual activity for an audience. Blank Becker thinks that Diddy could try to name names in order to reduce the heat on himself. She continued...
I would say that it is very possible, when Diddy recognizes that they have as much information as they do – all of which he is not going to even know for quite some time – he may be trying to figure out, ‘Hey, I give you this info, what's that going to do for me?’ And I wouldn't be surprised if those types of negotiations occur and continue. It’s just so fascinating to watch it, not know what it is, and then all of a sudden we can kind of put the pieces together.
Diddy was known for throwing lavish parties that major celebrities attended, but it’s unclear who exactly was involved in the alleged sex trafficking other than Diddy himself. That is certain information that prosecutors would like to have, so it’s possible Diddy could use it to bargain. Most of Diddy’s celebrity friends have remained quiet since his arrest.
According to Blank Becker, the biggest hurdle to that idea is that federal rules don’t require prosecutors to turn over discovery in the case to the defense until just before the trial begins, so Diddy doesn’t know what prosecutors know and what they don’t. Authorities may have already made deals with others to testify against Diddy, and if that’s already happened, he won't be able to use those same names to help himself.
Even if Diddy was able to shield himself from some federal charges by naming other celebrities, that would only deal with some of the star's legal troubles. Numerous lawsuits against Diddy have continued to be filed claiming a variety of wrongdoing including sexual assaults.
