Sean "Diddy" Combs asks judge to drop key gov't witness in his federal case -- alleging the 'expert' testimony is based on opinion, not evidence.
The move comes as part of a legal strategy to combat charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and illegal transportation of individuals for sexual activity.
In a motion filed in federal court obtained by AllHipHop, Diddy's legal team is targeting Dr. Dawn Hughes, a forensic clinical psychologist known for her work in domestic abuse cases.
She testified as an expert witness for Amber Heard in the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard defamation trial, specializing in intimate partner violence, traumatic stress, and anxiety disorder.
The defense argues that Hughes plans to testify about "coercive control," a term frequently used in similar legal contexts but criticized by Diddy's lawyers as lacking a universally accepted definition in both legal and scientific communities.
In a 25-page filing, Diddy's attorney, Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, claimed that Hughes had not interviewed the women allegedly abused by Diddy in the suit and also had failed to address psychological diagnostics within her profession.
As a result, they argue that her testimony would consist of unsubstantiated opinions rather than expert analysis.
"The government wants an expert so that it can waive her testimony in summation like a magic wand to cure the glaring defects in its fact witnesses' credibility," Shapiro asserted.
She emphasized that Hughes' anticipated testimony could unfairly influence jurors by framing Diddy's actions within a broader narrative of abuse before any evidence is presented.
HHughes'sDefinition of Coercion
Hughes will also touch on the types of behaviors that might define an abusive relationship, such as controlling and manipulative tendencies.
But Diddy's defense says that would prejudice the jury by inferring guilt without evidence.
Hughes' definition of coercion raises red flags for Diddy's team because it deviates from the legal standard.
They argued that money set aside for a partner, or gifts or favors after an argument, are not coercion by any definition permissible by law.
The prosecution, however, maintains that Hughes' insights will help jurors understand complex victim behaviors that are often misinterpreted.
Her previous testimonies in high-profile cases involving figures like Harvey Weinstein and Johnny Depp have raised questions about her objectivity.
Diddy has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His trial is scheduled to begin on May 5.
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