The federal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs is scheduled to begin May 5, a judge in New York City said Thursday, as federal prosecutors and defense attorneys argued in court over whether details in the sex trafficking case against the embattled hip-hop mogul have been leaked.

Marc Agnifilo, an attorney for Combs, asked U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian in Manhattan to issue a gag order, accusing federal agents of leaking grand jury information and making prejudicial comments to the media.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson argued that the defense was simply trying to exclude a “damning piece of evidence” disguised as media statements.

Among the defense's alleged leaks was a video aired on CNN in May showing Combs hitting his then-girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, in 2016 – which Combs, the Grammy-winning founder of Bad Boy Records , prompted him to apologize and express remorse after the video was released.

“None of the leaks came from the prosecutor’s office,” Johnson said.

Subramanian postponed the decision on a silence order and said he would consider an order prohibiting the public release of information that undermines a fair trial.

Meanwhile, Johnson said the government could take three weeks to present its case against Combs, 54, who pleaded not guilty last month to charges of sex trafficking, extortion and transportation to engage in prostitution. However, the length of the trial could change if a possible superseding indictment is filed, she told Subramanian.

Agnifilo, Combs' attorney, said the defense case could take about a week. Combs, wearing a beige shirt and pants, appeared worried at times in the crowded courtroom and addressed his supporters in the gallery, including his mother, Janice Small Combs, and his children.

Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn since his arrest on Sept. 16, after two different judges denied him bail twice. While another bail appeal is pending in New York's 2nd District Court, Subramanian ordered Combs to remain in custody because he has not made that request.

The Manhattan district attorney's sprawling criminal case is the most serious Combs faces in a lengthy legal saga that includes a new wave of lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and misconduct over the decades. A federal indictment alleged that Combs staged and recorded forced sexual acts at gatherings known as “freak offs.”

If convicted, Combs faces life in prison.

Erica Wolff, an attorney for Combs, said he “strongly and categorically denies as false and defamatory any allegation that he sexually abused anyone, including minors.”

Many of the lawsuits were filed in New York City, where under the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Act a person can still file a sexual abuse complaint even after the statute of limitations has expired. Combs settled a complaint last year in which Ventura accused him of rape and abuse. A lawyer said Combs “vehemently denies” allegations related to the case.

Agnifilo has also denied the criminal charges.

“He will fight this with all his energy and all his might and with the full trust of his lawyers,” Agnifilo told reporters last month. “And I expect a long fight with a good result for Mr. Combs.”

In a joint letter this week from Combs' attorneys and prosecutors to the trial judge, his defense team said it “continues to assert its right to a speedy trial and intends to request a trial date in April or May 2025, consistent with that.” . “Court hearing plan.”

But prosecutors told Subramanian that there was “extensive” evidence, including “several terabytes of electronic material,” that they had already turned over to the defense.

Items already filed include a full set of search warrants for the case, a phone seized from Combs in March and reports on his iCloud accounts.

Johnson said Thursday that prosecutors plan to complete investigations for the trial by the end of the year. Ninety-six devices related to the case were seized from Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami, as well as from Combs himself at a Miami airport, she added.

It could take longer to extract data from them, in part because a handful of the devices were found smashed, Johnson said.

A discovery conference hearing was scheduled for Dec. 18.

At the end of Thursday's hearing, Combs waved to his family, blew them a kiss and submitted a prayer request before being led out.

While speculation swirls about other celebrities who could be linked to the allegations against Combs, another defense attorney, Anthony Ricco, later told reporters that his client was “doing well.”

“Today his family was here to support him,” Ricco said. “We really want to put an end to all the clowning behavior we see on the internet. This is a serious matter with serious consequences and we are all dealing with it accordingly.”