Warner Bros. Discovery is seeking to block a subpoena from Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal team, which is demanding access to unaired interviews and journalistic materials from The Fall of Diddy, a docuseries chronicling the disgraced mogul's alleged sexual misconduct. The company filed a motion Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, arguing that the materials are protected under reporter's privilege and not subject to disclosure.
Combs, 55, currently detained in Brooklyn on federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges, has requested raw interview footage involving two individuals featured in the documentary. According to court filings reviewed by RadarOnline.com and The Mirror, his legal team is also seeking notes, diary entries, and any records of financial payments connected to those interviews.
"Mr. Combs seeks outtakes from interviews with two persons featured in the docuseries," wrote Warner Bros. attorney Thomas Sullivan in the court filing. "The interview outtakes it seeks are protected by the reporter's privilege that applies to unpublished newsgathering materials."
Sullivan stated that Combs has "not met, and cannot meet, his burden to overcome that privilege," which shields journalists from disclosing confidential sources or unpublished materials. The company emphasized that turning over the outtakes would undermine First Amendment protections and set a dangerous precedent for news reporting.
The subpoena specifically targets interviews with two unnamed individuals-referred to as Individual A and Individual B. Sullivan wrote that Individual A, a former chef for Combs, discussed her employment and "various rumors she heard about his behavior." Individual B, a former romantic partner, reportedly recounted the history of her relationship with Combs, including "one alleged incident of sexual assault."
Warner Bros. argued that Combs' attempt to obtain this material constitutes a "prohibited fishing expedition" intended to gather potential impeachment evidence for use at trial. "Mr. Combs is seeking potential impeachment material against Individual A or Individual B should either testify at trial," the company wrote. "He doesn't even know if they will testify."
The media company noted that it had attempted to cooperate with Combs' legal team. "Mr. Combs agreed to drop the second and third requests in theSubpoena and WBD agreed to produce a copy of the as-aired documentary," Warner Bros. stated. "At present, the only remaining area of dispute is Mr. Combs' request for the interview outtakes."
Federal prosecutors also filed a letter supporting Warner Bros.' motion to quash the subpoena, asserting that the outtakes would be inadmissible hearsay and irrelevant unless the individuals are confirmed trial witnesses. The final witness list is expected to be released by April 18.
Cassie Ventura, Combs' former partner and a central figure in the allegations, has confirmed she will testify. Identified as "Victim-1" in the indictment, Ventura accused Combs of rape and repeated abuse in a $30 million civil lawsuit filed in November 2023. The case was settled just one day later. Video footage later emerged showing Combs assaulting Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
On Wednesday, April 9, Combs' legal team escalated their defense, filing a 35-page motion accusing federal prosecutors of "polluting" the trial process and attempting to introduce prejudicial evidence. The motion sought to block testimony from "prior bad act" witnesses and clinical psychologist Dr. Dawn Hughes, whom the defense accused of relying on "generalizations" instead of individual assessments.
Allowing such testimony would be "one of the worst abuses of the character evidence rule in the history of American law," Combs' attorneys argued.
Jury selection in the federal case is scheduled for May 5, with opening arguments expected to begin the following week.
