Diddy’s legal team is aggressively pushing back against the now-infamous hotel hallway video showing him physically attacking Cassie — claiming the footage is misleading, manipulated, and should never be shown in court.
According to TMZ, the Bad Boy mogul’s defense has submitted sworn testimony from Conor McCourt, a former NYPD officer and video forensics specialist, who analyzed both the CNN-released surveillance clip and an iPhone recording of the playback. His conclusion? The footage cannot be trusted.
McCourt argues:
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The video appears sped up due to transcoding, a digital process that alters frame speed.
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The iPhone recording distorts perspective, making Diddy look “larger” and “more menacing.”
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Inconsistent timecodes and breaks in the footage suggest important moments may be missing or altered.
“The video files are not accurate or reliable copies of the original,” he claims.
Diddy’s team has also accused CNN of mishandling the evidence — claiming the network:
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Purchased the only known copy of the hotel’s surveillance footage.
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Used free editing software to alter it.
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Destroyed the original after making edits.
In a statement to HipHopDX, CNN denied all accusations:
“CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage, which was retained by the source.”
While this specific incident is not among the criminal charges Diddy currently faces, prosecutors intend to use it to establish a pattern of alleged violent behavior.
Diddy’s attorneys are seeking to exclude the footage entirely. If they prove the tape was materially altered or incomplete, the court may rule it inadmissible, as courts rarely accept edited or tampered evidence.
Jury selection begins May 5, with opening statements scheduled for May 12. One thing’s clear: the fight over this footage could determine how much of Diddy’s past the jury is allowed to see.
