Diddy
Ex-Attorney Quit Over Defense Strategy Battle
Published
Diddy has one much less lawyer combating for him heading into his federal trial, as a result of his authorized staff could not get on the identical web page relating to the very best protection for him … TMZ has realized.
Sources with direct data of Anthony Ricco‘s exit from Diddy’s camp inform us there had been an influence wrestle happening between lead lawyer Marc Agnifilo and him for a number of months, and it lastly got here to a head.
As we reported, Ricco shook up Diddy’s staff Friday morning by informing the choose he might now not “successfully” defend his consumer — however his submitting lacked element about why he was leaping ship.
We’re instructed the battle inside staff Diddy centered across the intercourse trafficking allegations, and there was disagreement on easy methods to deal with that a part of the federal indictment after they go to trial.
For his half, Agnifilo has repeatedly denied the trafficking cost, and as an alternative says the so-called freak offs at all times concerned consensual intercourse between Diddy, a girlfriend and a 3rd celebration. As we reported, Agnifilo filed a movement to dismiss depend 3 of the indictment, which is all concerning the Mann Act … the transportation of people to “have interaction in prostitution.”
Our sources say Ricco grew annoyed when his efforts to talk on to Diddy about authorized methods have been thwarted by co-counsel, and that is why he felt he could not correctly defend the hip hop mogul.
We’re additionally instructed Ricco strongly believed they would not be able to go to trial by May 5 — the scheduled begin date — and thought they need to ask the choose for extra time. His co-counsel strongly disagreed, push got here to shove and Ricco peace’d out.
TMZ.com
Our sources related to Diddy instructed us Ricco’s departure is far ado about nothing, saying lead protection attorneys Agnifilo and Teny Geragos have been rock stable for nearly a yr now.
We reached out to Diddy’s reps for remark, however no phrase again but.
Agnifilo made it clear in TMZ’s “Downfall of Diddy” documentary, he needs to go to trial “as quickly as doable” — and, in at this time’s submitting, Ricco instructed the choose his departure wouldn’t delay Diddy’s protection.