Warner Bros. Seeks to Quash Diddy’s Move to Access Raw Documentary Interview Footage

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Warner Bros.’ legal representatives have requested a New York judge to dismiss a subpoena from Sean “Diddy” Combs’ legal team, which seeks access to the uncensored interviews and other relevant materials concerning two individuals featured in the Investigation Discovery documentary The Fall of Diddy. This move comes ahead of Diddy’s trial on charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering.

Combs’ legal representatives issued a subpoena in March, demanding all raw recordings from the interviews of the two persons featured in the four-part documentary series that debuted on January 27th. They also requested any notes or journals sent to the show’s producers, as well as records of any potential payments made to these individuals for their involvement in the documentary that examined the rap magnate’s arrest on charges of federal sex trafficking and racketeering.

On May 5, jury selection for Combs’ trial in Manhattan starts, with various deadlines fast approaching. Consequently, Warner Bros.’ legal team petitioned Judge Arun Subramanian, who is presiding over the case, on Tuesday, requesting he dismiss the subpoena. They cited “journalist’s privilege” as their legal basis for keeping the requested materials hidden from Combs and his lawyers.

In a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, attorney Thomas Sullivan from Warner Bros stated that Mr. Combs is requesting unused footage from interviews involving two individuals in the docuseries. However, these interview outtakes are shielded by the journalist’s privilege that safeguards unpublished news gathering materials.

Journalists are shielded from being forced by courts to disclose their confidential sources or information, stemming from the principle of a free and open press as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Most states, including D.C., have established Shield Laws to uphold this privilege, but at the federal level, there is no corresponding legislation. Previous court rulings and directives from the Department of Justice outline obstacles that must be surmounted before a court can override a journalist’s privilege to safeguard sources.

In a letter to the judge, Sullivan expressed that Mr. Combs fails to satisfy the requirement of proving beyond doubt that he should not be subject to his privileged status.

In a recent correspondence I came across, Sullivan clarified that the pair Combs’ defense team is trying to obtain materials about, who are described but not named as a former chef of the hip-hop and fashion magnate and one of his ex-partners; they’re called Individual A and Individual B in the letter. Sullivan suggests in this communication that Combs and his legal team aim to discover incriminating details from these materials, which could potentially be used against them if they choose to testify against him in court.

As a fan, I’d like to share some insights about the docuseries that sheds light on two significant figures in Mr. Combs’ life – his former personal chef and a former romantic partner. The chef, speaking from her past experience, shares tales about her employment with him, including stories about how he treated her and rumors she heard regarding his behavior during their time together. On the other hand, his ex-partner is featured discussing the genesis and journey of their relationship, including an alleged incident of sexual assault that took place in his circle.

In the courtroom, the studio’s lawyer points out to the judge that testimonies from two individuals related to “The Fall of Diddy” are considered hearsay, which means they cannot be used as direct evidence in the ongoing federal case.

In the letter, Sullivan stated that courts have repeatedly ruled that issuing wide-reaching subpoenas for unreleased journalistic materials solely because they could potentially be relevant is not enough to override a journalist’s right to privacy.

According to Judge Subramanian, Combs has until this coming Thursday to respond to Sullivan’s motion to dismiss. However, an email sent to Combs’ representative by The Hollywood Reporter seeking a comment has yet to receive a response as of Wednesday.

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2025-04-09 21:24