Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers say the music mogul narrowly avoided a stabbing while locked up at MDC Brooklyn.
According to TMZ and Inner City Press, attorney Brian Steel revealed during Diddy’s sentencing hearing that the hip-hop icon has been a target in jail, with other inmates viewing him as a way to gain clout if they could harm him.
Steel claimed a guard intercepted one such attempt, stopping an inmate armed with a shank who was allegedly planning to attack Diddy.
“Sean is not a typical person in custody, everyone knows him,” attorney Brian Steel told the court. “It’s a trophy for them, they get recognition if they harm him.”
Steel said the near-stabbing has left Diddy shaken, claiming he hasn’t slept more than two hours at a time since his arrest. “He eats out of bags, he eats chips all day long,” Steel added, noting that at times Diddy has confided in him: “It’s not worth going on, there’s nothing here, there’s no more hope.” Steel said the thought of causing more pain to his family has kept him from giving up.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik, however, painted a very different picture, accusing Diddy of arrogance and pointing to his alleged post-sentencing plans. “The defendant doesn’t appreciate or understand the gravity of his criminal conduct,” she argued. “He has booked speaking engagements in Miami for next week. That is the height of hubris, your honor.”
Diddy’s lawyer Marc Agnifilo countered by requesting a 14-month sentence—essentially time served—while prosecutors are pushing for more than 11 years. Agnifilo linked Diddy’s violent past to childhood trauma, saying: “Domestic violence tends to come from childhood trauma. It’s very clear that Sean Combs has genuine psychological challenges.”
