Diddy’s lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, is opening up about the music mogul’s life behind bars, his mindset, and the rumors of a possible pardon from former President Donald Trump as he remains detained at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC).
In a new interview with Variety, Agnifilo described Diddy’s incarceration as deeply isolating, revealing that he hasn’t felt sunlight or been outdoors since his confinement began.
“One of the horrible things about the MDC is not going outside ever,” Agnifilo explained. “He hasn’t been outside since September. He hasn’t had sun on his skin. It’s sort of like sensory deprivation. The light’s always the same, it’s artificial light, there’s no breeze, there’s no wind, there’s very little change in temperature. So, he wants to get out and be with his family.”
Speculation has swirled recently that Diddy’s team was working on securing a pardon from Trump, who has said he’s “seriously considering” it. But Agnifilo was firm in denying any involvement.
“I am not involved in [pardon efforts] in the least. I have literally no idea,” he said. “There are times I think there’s nothing to it, and there are times I think it’s just rumor mill stuff. But, I do not purport to know the president’s mind. I really don’t know.”
When asked about Diddy’s music career, Agnifilo said the Bad Boy Records founder is focused on personal growth rather than creative work for now. Still, he hasn’t ruled out a return to music in the future.
“I think those things [like putting out music] are way down the road,” Agnifilo said. “He’s a man who made something out of nothing once, when he was a much younger man. And this situation gives him the chance to make something special out of his life. One of the things he tells me — and this is his exact phrase — is: ‘I have more to give.’ I don’t think he’s looking at life selfishly.”
Agnifilo added, “He looks at life as a gift he’s been given, and he wants to live it to the fullest. The work that he didn’t do in his early 20s, I think he’s going to do it now. Sometimes — not all the time — he looks at [these consequences] as a blessing. Like, this gives me a chance to be a complete person and to work on the things that are lacking in me.”
According to Agnifilo, Diddy has been writing “a lot” of essays during his time in MDC, some of which he described as “beautiful and poignant.” He’s also attempting to launch inmate programs at the facility, which Agnifilo says is severely lacking in rehabilitative resources.
Diddy’s sentencing is set for October 3.
