Sean 'Diddy' Combs' mother calls out 'public lynching' amid his sex trafficking charges
The mother of disgraced rap mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who's facing charges of sex trafficking and others, called out the "public lynching" of him.
PEOPLE Magazine reported that Janice Combs, in a statement issued through her lawyer, said she's "profoundly saddened" by the allegations against Diddy, and he deserves a chance to "prove his innocence" in court.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Janice is quoted as saying.
She, however, acknowledged that her son is not perfect. She referenced the leaked 2016 surveillance video that showed Diddy physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
"He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have," Janice said. "My son may not have been entirely truthful about certain things, such as denying he has ever gotten violent with an ex-girlfriend when the hotel’s surveillance showed otherwise.”
But the mother noted that sometimes the truth and a lie "become so closely intertwined that it becomes terrifying to admit one part of the story, especially when that truth is outside the norm or is too complicated to be believed."
Diddy settled the lawsuit with Cassie instead of contesting it, and Janice said it resulted in a "ricochet effect," accusing the federal government of using the decision against her son "by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”
The rapper is facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges but could face life imprisonment if convicted.
But Janice said it's "truly agonizing to watch the world turn against [Diddy] so quickly and easily over lies and misconceptions, without ever hearing his side or affording him the opportunity to present his side.”
“Watching the world make jokes and laugh at my son’s life crumbling before our eyes," she said, "is something I can never forget."
Over 100 individuals, including dozens of children, are suing Diddy, saying they're victims of rape, sexual assault, and sexual exploitation at his hands.
Janice said they're making false allegations for a "quick payday" after supposedly seeing how he settled his lawsuit with Cassie.
“This injustice has been unbearable for our family," she said. "The worst part of this ordeal is watching my beloved son be stripped of his dignity, not for what he did, but for what people choose to believe about him.”
“My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side,” she added. “I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated.”
Diddy is in federal custody in Brooklyn after being denied bail twice.