Sean “Diddy” Combs stays in jail in Brooklyn after being denied bail a number of instances. He stands trial in Might on federal prices that, if convicted on all counts, might end in a prolonged jail sentence for the rapper and mogul. Nonetheless, even when he is ready to keep out of jail, he nonetheless has severe authorized challenges forward of him, as he’s the defendant in a number of lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault.
It’s been a number of years because the #MeToo motion has been front-page information. Throughout to cultural commentator Jamilah Lemieux’s dialog with Fortune, she claimed the motion that sprung up round allegations of assault from Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein led to the Combs’ alleged victims being prepared to talk out and transfer ahead with their lawsuits.
It was the primary important reckoning with sexual assault that we’ve ever had on this nation. That motion gave [Combs’] victims the braveness to return ahead.
The #MeToo motion definitely highlighted a state of affairs that had lengthy been at nighttime. After the primary public allegations have been made towards Harvey Weinstein, many extra ladies publicly claimed to have been assaulted by him, or being in conditions which they have been afraid of that chance.
Following that, extra ladies spoke out about conditions the place individuals in positions of energy had allegedly used that energy to coerce them. The problem is definitely mentioned extra overtly at this time than ever earlier than. Even when the motion was immediately influential on the alleged victims deciding to return ahead, it nearly definitely helped create an atmosphere the place talking publicly was seen as extra acceptable.
Whereas lots of the lawsuits at present filed towards Diddy adopted his arrest, the tipping level might have been when a video was leaked displaying the rapper assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. She additionally filed a lawsuit towards him, which has since been settled.
In the identical approach that the primary allegations towards Harvey Weinstein led to accusations, the identical might have been true right here for Diddy. Each the video proof and the legal prices might give some the boldness to talk out.
Greater than two dozen lawsuits have reportedly been filed towards Diddy since his arrest and lawyer Tony Buzbee, who represents a number of of the plaintiffs, has claimed we might see as many as 200 earlier than it’s all mentioned and performed.
The one query is whether or not Diddy will probably be free whereas he is coping with the lawsuits. Diddy has continued to disclaim the allegations within the varied complaints, in addition to the costs towards him in federal courtroom. 2025 would be the yr through which the legal questions are answered and among the lawsuits may additionally see their day in courtroom.