Diddy expert claims horrific Cassie abuse video was altered

Sean “Diddy” Combs is facing an upcoming trial on sex trafficking charges. There is now a fierce argument over whether a video showing him assaulting Cassie Ventura in 2016 should be allowed as evidence. Diddy’s lawyers say that multiple versions of the video cannot be trusted because they have been significantly changed and distorted, making them unfit for use in court.

As reported by USA Today, the main piece of evidence in question is a 48-second clip, which was part of about ten and a half minutes of hotel surveillance footage that CNN released in May 2024. Diddy’s defense team argues that the version CNN released is unreliable because it was edited using multiple camera angles, making the events appear out of order and creating a misleading story that unfairly makes Diddy look bad.

Their expert, Conor McCourt, a former New York City Police officer, supports this claim. McCourt analyzed two key versions of the video, which were the one released by CNN and another recording made on an iPhone 6 that captured the hotel surveillance footage. He has found a way to show they were allegedly altered.

Diddy video featuring Cassie Ventura under scrutiny

McCourt found major differences between the videos. He says the CNN version shows signs of “transcoding,” a process that converts video files and, in his opinion, added, removed, and duplicated frames. This made the video play faster than normal, which could make the movements of the people in it look unnatural.

He also pointed out issues with the iPhone 6 video, saying it seems to distort Diddy’s size, making him look bigger and more threatening than he really was. Another problem is that the time stamps on the videos don’t match up. McCourt found at least three instances where the same moment in the assault appears with different time stamps in different videos, as well as cases where the same time stamp shows different events. These inconsistencies make it impossible to know the true order of what happened.

Warning: Video of Diddy assaulting Cassie below.

The defense has also accused CNN of buying the original video, altering it, and destroying the original files. CNN denies changing the video and says the source kept the original, but Diddy’s legal team argues that the inconsistencies McCourt found prove the footage is unreliable. Prosecutors say they have a copy of the original footage, likely referring to the iPhone 6 video, but McCourt’s analysis suggests even that version is distorted.

This is a classic tactic where a defense team tries to make any damning evidence appear unreliable. This can mean the team uses any means at their disposal, and the team is likely trying to get any form of that video thrown out because it would hurt to be shown in court.

The video shows Diddy, wearing only a towel, running down a hotel hallway to confront Ventura, who is carrying a duffle bag. He then attacks her, pulling her hair, throwing her to the ground, kicking her twice, and dragging her back toward a hotel room before letting her go. While Diddy’s team admits the assault was serious, they argue it was part of a “domestic dispute” and does not prove the larger sex trafficking operation prosecutors accuse him of running.

They say the incident was a tragic moment in a long-term, consensual relationship that involved infidelity from both sides. Diddy’s lawyers want the judge to exclude all versions of the video from the trial because McCourt concluded that “none of the available video files are accurate and reliable copies of the original.” If the judge does not agree to exclude the video, the defense has asked for a pretrial hearing where McCourt can explain his findings in detail.