Diddy’s defense attorneys have officially petitioned to have a psychologist’s testimony dismissed from court, claiming it constitutes “junk science.”
Through a letter written by attorney Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, which Complex obtained, Diddy’s legal representatives in his sex trafficking and racketeering case have challenged expert psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes’ courtroom testimony. “Hughes and the government continually violated the Court’s ruling limiting the scope of Hughes’ testimony,” the letter states, claiming Hughes stretched her responses “beyond the four corners of the prosecutor’s questions” while disregarding court-established boundaries. The defense team also criticized her testimony regarding memory, labeling it “junk science that will confuse rather than help the jury.”
The correspondence, directed to Judge Arun Subramanian, requests that the testimony covering assault victim memory and related topics be removed from court records since it doesn’t qualify as “not proper expert testimony.” The defense compared her testimony to “a Rorschach inkblot calculated to support any argument the prosecution may need to make in summation.” Dr. Dawn Hughes holds board certification as a forensic psychologist and has previously testified in high-profile cases including R. Kelly’s federal trial and the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard proceedings.
Throughout her testimony, she never evaluated Diddy or every witness who appeared at trial. Her lengthy discussion covered “coping strategies, delayed disclosure, and memory,” though she was prohibited from addressing “coercive control” or Diddy’s potential motivations. The fallen music executive’s legal team claims Hughes disregarded the court’s directive to avoid discussing “interpersonal violence,” since she began her testimony by identifying it as her area of expertise.
“The idea that mere fragments of long forgotten events, or memories retrieved from long ago, are just as accurate or reliable as coherent memories of more recent events is junk science,” the letter to the judge explains. “Hughes knows that. That’s why she couched her testimony in terms of a lack of evidence in the literature.” Shapiro additionally stated that Hughes’ testimony was “unfairly prejudicial, confusing, and misleading.”
Hughes’ testimony marks the most recent controversy in this prominent case, occurring just days after Kid Cudi’s dramatic courtroom appearance. During the rapper’s time on the witness stand, he claimed Diddy invaded his home upon discovering his connection with Cassie, accused him of torching his vehicle, and likened him to “a Marvel supervillain.”
