A federal judge rejected a request for a gag order by Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team, after they asked the court to bar potential witnesses and their attorneys from speaking publicly about the mogul’s sex trafficking case.
Judge Arun Subramanian handed down the ruling on Friday, Nov. 8, saying witnesses and accusers can continue to exercise their rights to free speech, according to court documents obtained by CNN.
The judge’s decision came after Diddy’s legal team sent an emergency letter to the court on Nov. 3, saying comments made by potential witnesses, particularly music producer Courtney Burgess, were “undermining Mr. Combs’ right to a fair trial.”
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With the judge denying the mogul’s latest request for a gang order, Burgess — who is a grand jury witness — returned to the interview circuit.
Burgess has repeatedly claimed to have been given 11 flash drives containing shocking videos of Diddy at “freak-off” sex parties with eight celebrity “victims,” including “two to three” minors. He also claimed to have an “unedited” version of the late Kim Porter’s alleged book about her on-off relationship with Combs.
Burgess did an interview with YouTuber Shaun Attwood on Saturday, Nov. 9, and reasserted his claims about the videos and Porter’s alleged manuscript.
He also said the feds “confiscated my cell phone and everything in my phone.”
Asked what was on the phone, Burgess insisted he’s not allowed to say because the phone is “state evidence,” but he claimed contents on the device confirm what he’s been saying all along about viewing eight alleged “victims” in the videos.
His attorney Ariel Mitchell offered more details in an Nov. 7 appearance on NewsNation.
Mitchell told host Ashleigh Banfield that Diddy’s legal team was furious after she and Burgess sat down for a previous interview with Banfield, right after Burgess appeared before the grand jury on Oct. 31.
“They were pretty pissed off, to say the least, very upset. And I would assume you’d be upset when you know the truth is coming out,” Mitchell said in the new interview.
She added, “Mr. Burgess actually told me that he believed that the purpose of that gag order letter, that was written by Marc Agnfilo on November 3, was because Diddy knew that it was Courtney who was bringing this information, and [Diddy] said, ‘Well, he finally got me where he wants me.'”
Mitchell also revealed Burgess is scheduled to appear before the grand jury again in the comings days.
“We have to finalize the testimony, so I do believe we may be able to waive our appearance in that where Mr. Burgess might not actually physically have to come back, but there was a rider attached to the subpoena that requested certain documents and videos and evidence that Mr. Burgess had talked about in his interviews prior to the grand jury subpoena and part of what he was supposed to bring. They just need to bring that to completion, and that’s the purpose for us possibly having to testify further,” Mitchell explained.
Combs, 55, has denied all of the allegations made by his accusers.
He was arrested on Sept. 16 in New York City and charged with three counts — racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
A federal judge set a May 5, 2025 trial date for the mogul.
Watch Ariel Mitchell’s latest NewsNation interview below:
