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Diddy will finally stand trial on rape and sex trafficking charges next week.
And it seems that his defense team might have a very unorthodox strategy in mind.
According to a new report from TMZ, Team Diddy has lined up a medical professional — a professor at Columbia, no less — who will testify that the music mogul had a “mental condition bearing on the issue of guilt.”
Diddy’s ‘mental capacity’ comes into question
The documents pertaining to Diddy’s latest pretrial hearing were heavily redacted before they were obtained by TMZ.
So while the nature of Diddy’s alleged “mental condition” is unclear, the site reports that the docs do mention “evidence of the effects of drugs and alcohol on a defendant’s memory or cognitive function.”
In other words, it looks as though the defense is planning to claim that at the time of the alleged incidents, Diddy was incapacitated by booze and drugs.
It wouldn’t be the first time that Diddy used intoxication to defend his actions.
When video that allegedly showed Diddy assaulting former girlfriend Cassie Ventura leaked last year, the rapper explained that he was “f–ked up” on various substances at the time of the incident.
This time — and again, we’re just speculating here — it sounds like Diddy is planning to argue that he was so inebriated that he couldn’t have performed the actions he’s accused of.
However, he might not get a chance to make that argument in court.
Prosecutors clap back against Diddy’s intoxication claim
Prosecutors are asking the judge to prevent Diddy’s team from using his past substance abuse as a line of defense.
The prosecution points out that the defense is required to give proper notice before offering any “evidence of the effects of drugs and alcohol on a defendant’s memory or cognitive function.”
The prosecution’s filings also state that the defense is planning to present evidence of the “defendant’s inability to control [his] behavior,” another indication that this all has to do with booze and drugs.
What’s next for Diddy?
Diddy’s trial is set to begin on May 5.
The disgraced mogul previously asked the judge to delay the start in order to give his legal team more time to prepare, but that request was denied.
If convicted on all charges, Diddy faces life on prison.
We of course will be keeping a close eye on the trial, and we’ll keep you updated as it all unfolds.
