An attorney representing Sean “Diddy” Combs blasted federal authorities on Tuesday for using “military-level force” during raids on the hip-hop mogul’s homes in Miami and Los Angeles.
Combs is being investigated for sex trafficking allegations. His attorney insisted the Bad Boy Records founder is innocent and criticized federal agents for the way they treated Combs’ children and household staff.
“Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs’ residences,” attorney Aaron Dyer told TMZ. “There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated.”
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On Monday, March 25, the Homeland Security Investigations Human Trafficking Task Force conducted simultaneous raids on Combs’ homes as part of an investigation led by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
L.A. news station Fox 11 flew a helicopter over Combs’ $40 million L.A. estate as heavily-armed agents escorted people out of the home in handcuffs, including Combs’ sons Justin and King Combs.
Dyer accused federal authorities of tipping off the media about the raids.
“This unprecedented ambush — paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence — leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits,” Dyer said.
The attorney noted that no one was arrested, including Diddy.
“There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations. Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name,” Dyer said.
Urban Hollywood 411 went Combs’ home in L.A. on Monday, which is located in the wealthy Holmby Hills neighborhood.
An LAPD squad car blocked off the street for several hours as federal agents searched the mansion. Several tour buses drove through the neighborhood and stopped for tourists to take pictures of the police activity and the crowd of reporters and photographers.
Residents, some of whom had private security details patrolling their properties, stopped to ask members of the media what was going on.
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ridley Scott (Gladiator) drove up, got out of his car, and pleaded with officers to let him through the yellow crime scene tape surrounding the neighborhood. Once officers gave him the greenlight to return home, Scott declined interviews and brushed past reporters.
Combs is at the center of civil lawsuits from four women and male music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones alleging sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other crimes.
Jones’ attorney Tyrone A. Blackburn released a statement in response to Monday’s raids, saying: “It’s about damn time. Sometimes justice delayed is not justice denied, so long as justice ultimately arrives.”
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