Diddy Faces New Legal Challenges as Gag Order Fails to Silence Accusations

Sean "Diddy" Combs was dealt a major blow in his ongoing legal fights Friday when a federal judge denied the hip-hop mogul a gag order he wanted to impose on potential witnesses and their lawyers

Diddy's bid was denied by Judge Arun Subramanian, who ruled that free speech was "highly protected" in the U.S. and deemed the restrictions "overly broad."

Diddy had argued that public statements by alleged victims and their attorneys could threaten his right to a fair trial.

In an extensive opinion, Judge Subramanian said a local rule doesn't allow broad restrictions on speech that could affect unidentified witnesses. He called Diddy's move "extraordinary" and pointed out courts are traditionally reluctant to issue such orders.

The judge wrote, "Combs's authorities don't support a gag order applicable not only to trial participants but also to any alleged victim and their lawyer."

He added, "Before imposing a restraint on speech, less restrictive alternatives must be considered and rejected."

Diddy also unsuccessfully asked the judge to compel witnesses to take back online statements that he said violated local laws.

The court also rejected Diddy's attempts to access government communications on these statements outside of court.

Subramanian ruled from the bench that "The unprecedented relief that Combs seeks on this motion is unwarranted," adding that "existing measures are already in place to remind all parties of the legal standards regarding public statements about the case."

This is just the latest headache for Diddy amid his various legal troubles.

According to AllHipHop, the result raises concerns about additional allegations being brought to light during the course of the trial.

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Diddy, P. diddy