Janice Small Combs, the mother of Sean “Diddy” Combs came to the defense of his son in a statement sent to the press.
The musician and producer is currently in federal custody while awaiting trial in the Southern District of New York on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty.
Combs is also facing several civil lawsuits accusing him of a range of sexual misconduct and other illegal activities.
Janice Combs released a statement on Sunday through her attorney: “I come to you today as a mother devastated and deeply saddened by the allegations made against my son, Sean Combs,” the text began.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not by the truth, but by a narrative created from lies,” she wrote. “Witnessing what appears to be a public lynching of my son before he has the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words.”
The case put the spotlight on the music mogul’s alleged lifestyle out of public view. In their indictment, federal prosecutors cited the alleged “Freak Offs,” Sean Combs’ name for elaborate sexual performances in which he is accused of drugging and coercing victims into prolonged sexual acts with sex workers, beginning around 2009.
Janice Combs also addressed security camera video obtained by CNN which showed Sean Combs attacking his then-girlfriend, singer Cassie Ventura, in 2016 in a Los Angeles hotel.
“My son may not have been completely truthful about certain things, such as denying that he had ever been violent towards an ex-girlfriend when the hotel security camera showed otherwise,” she wrote in her statement. “Sometimes truth and lies become so closely intertwined that it becomes scary to admit part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or too complicated to be believed.”
Sean Combs initially denied Ventura’s abuse allegations, which were included in a lawsuit she filed before the video was made public. After the video was released, he apologized.
Combs shared a video on social media days after the recording surfaced in which he said: “I was disgusted when I did that. I’m disgusted now. I went and sought professional help. I started going to therapy, going to rehab. I had to ask God for his mercy and grace. I am really sorry. But I am committed to being a better man every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m really sorry.”
His mother wrote that she believes her son’s “civil legal team chose to settle his ex-girlfriend’s case rather than fight it to the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son , interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”
“It is important to recognize that none of us, regardless of our status, are immune to fear or mistakes,” she wrote. “Not being completely forthright about an issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and serious accusations leveled against him.”
Last week, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, along with AVA Law Group, announced that he had been hired by at least 120 men and women “to pursue cases in civil courts” against Combs.
THE CNN reached out to Combs’ attorneys for comment on his mother’s statement.
Case of Sean Combs, P. Diddy, will become a Netflix documentary
This content was originally published in Mother of Sean “Diddy” Combs comes to her son’s defense: “He’s not a monster” on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
I’m Robert Neff, a professional writer and editor. I specialize in the entertainment section, providing up-to-date coverage on the latest developments in film, television and music. My work has been featured on World Stock Market and other prominent publications.