Janice Smalls Combs, the mother of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, recently spoke to the media regarding the challenges her son is facing. In her statement, she acknowledged that while her 54-year-old son may have lied about a domestic violence incident that was captured on video, it does not imply that he is guilty of the sexual assault allegations he faces.Several attendees of Diddy’s parties have expressed that they were not surprised by the charges brought against him, according to reports from . However, Janice firmly defended her son, stating, “My son is not the monster they have painted him to be,” as quoted by Fort Lauderdale attorney Natalie G. Figgers. Here is the full statement that she released:
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. 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. 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. 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.
It is important to recognize that none of us, regardless of our status, are immune to fear or mistakes. 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. 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.
I ask his supporters, fans, colleagues, friends, and the public, to not judge him before you’ve had the chance to hear his side. I beg you to think about those who have been wrongfully persecuted, to remember that not everyone who has made mistakes in life deserves to have their entire existence judged by a single action or a few mistakes. My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of Janice Smalls Combs and the Combs’ family.
Janice’s statement also referenced a 2016 video, which was published by CNN in May. The footage appears to show Diddy violently assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie at a hotel in Los Angeles. In the video, Diddy can be seen grabbing Cassie by the neck, shoving, dragging, and kicking her. Following the release of the video, Diddy issued a public apology, though he did not directly mention Cassie.
In November 2023, Cassie filed a lawsuit against Diddy, accusing him of sexual assault and physical abuse spanning over a decade. Diddy denied the allegations, and the lawsuit was settled within a day
