Sean "Diddy" Combs just took a major hit in court—right before his much-anticipated federal sex trafficking trial is set to kick off. On Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian ruled against Diddy’s request to keep a video showing him physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, out of the trial. The defense had argued the footage was digitally altered, but prosecutors countered that only minor edits had been made, and the person who recorded the video will take the stand during the months-long trial. One thing’s for sure: the jury is going to get an unfiltered look at some very raw moments.

Meanwhile, Diddy’s legal team is rolling the dice on a defense that’s raised more than a few eyebrows—claiming the embattled rapper is simply a "swinger." According to defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, this so-called "lifestyle" was supposedly common and, in their view, acceptable. The judge will allow this line of defense, but Diddy's lawyers have been barred from dragging any other famous faces into the mix to prove their point. Looks like the high-profile party guest list stays confidential.

This isn’t the only setback for Diddy. Just last week, Judge Subramanian denied his lawyers’ request for a two-month delay, despite their argument that they needed more time to handle the latest superseding indictment—filed April 3, with new charges and victims added on. The trial is still locked in to start May 5, ready or not.

The latest indictment accuses Diddy of trafficking a woman identified as "Victim 2" across state lines for prostitution between 2021 and 2024, in addition to his previous not guilty plea on other sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Prosecutors are painting a picture of a music mogul who used his businesses—from Bad Boy Entertainment to Combs Global—as part of a criminal enterprise, allegedly involving threats, abuse, and coercion to get what he wanted. The government even claims he forced employees into long hours and, in one case, into a sexual encounter with himself.

With Combs denying all allegations and maintaining his innocence, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If convicted, he faces at least 15 years and potentially life behind bars. The accusations against him are as serious as it gets, with a long list of charges including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transporting people for prostitution.

This trial is shaping up to be one of the wildest—and possibly most revealing—legal battles the music world has seen in a long time.

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs Hit Hard Before Trial as Judge Allows Video and Unusual Defense