Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mom, Janice Smalls Combs, spoke out in defense of the embattled music mogul as he faces trial for sex trafficking and racketeering, plus numerous allegations of sexual assault.
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Janice said in the statement shared with Page Six via her lawyer on Sunday.
“To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.”
“It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Janice said in a statement shared by her lawyer Sunday.Getty Images
Janice also referenced the surveillance footage that showed Diddy beat his then-girlfriend, Cassie, at a hotel in 2016.
“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not. He has made mistakes in his past, as we all have,” she continued in the statement, which Diddy’s rep confirmed the authenticity of to Page Six.
“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.”
“To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words,” she continued.WireImage
Janice addressed the allegations of violence against her son, specifically the 2016 hotel surveillance video of him physically abusing then-girlfriend Cassie.Invision
Janice also addressed why she personally believes that Diddy, 54, settled with Cassie out of court in November 2023.
“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,” she said.
“This is why I believe my son’s civil legal team opted to settle the ex-girlfriend’s lawsuit instead of contesting it until the end, resulting in a ricochet effect as the federal government used this decision against my son by interpreting it as an admission of guilt.”
Cassie, 38, filed the lawsuit against her ex last November, accusing him of rape, sex trafficking and repeated physical abuse.
“I am not here to portray my son as perfect because he is not,” Janice said of the embattled music mogul.Briquet-Gorassini-Gouhier-Guibbaud-Orban-Wyters/ABACA/Shutterstock
Cassie accused Diddy of rape, sex trafficking and domestic violence in a November 2023 lawsuit. They settled within 24 hours.WireImage
Janice also came to her son’s defense regarding the numerous sexual assault allegations against him.
“Not being entirely straightforward about one issue does not mean my son is guilty of the repulsive allegations and the grave charges leveled against him,” she continued.
“Many individuals who were wrongfully convicted and later exonerated had their freedom taken from them not because they were guilty of the crimes they were accused of, but because they didn’t fit the image of what this society considers to be a ‘good person.’ History has showed us how individuals can be wrongfully convicted due to their past actions or mistakes.”
