Sean 'Diddy' Combs' 'Freak Off' Videos Could Be Publicly Exposed as Media Fights for Imminent Release of Footage

Sean "Diddy" Combs' alleged "freak off" videos might soon be available for public viewing.

Several top media organizations — including ABC News, The Associated Press, Business Insider, CBS News, The Wall Street Journal and more — are fighting for the ability to view footage of the disgraced rapper's sexual exploits when they are played for jurors inside of a federal district court in Lower Manhattan, according to a letter sent to Judge Arun Subramanian on Monday, May 12.

"The News Organizations recognize that the videos are sensitive and that some or all of the alleged victims or other participants in the Freak Offs may have meaningful privacy interests," lawyers Robert Balin and Alexandra Perloff-Giles wrote on behalf of the outlets listed above, as well as National Public Radio, Inc., NBCUniversal News Group, Newsday LLC, The New York Times Co., the New York Post, Reuters, New York Magazine and The Washington Post.

The attorneys continued: "But given the central role that the videos may play in the determination of Mr. Combs’ guilt or innocence in this case, those privacy interests cannot overcome the public’s powerful First Amendment interest in monitoring the judicial process."

The legal professionals quoted a 1995 2nd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling while stating, "[t]here is a strong presumption of public access to all judicial proceedings, but the public has an 'especially strong' right of access to evidence introduced in trials."

The letter additionally cites a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case, which declared criminal trials "in particular warrant public access, both because ‘the criminal trial historically has been open to the press and general public,' and because 'the right of access to criminal trials plays a particularly significant role in the functioning of the judicial process and the government as a whole.'"

Fighting for access to footage shown during Combs' trial, the letter noted: "The indictment alleges that physical and sexual abuse was common at the Freak Offs and points to videos filmed by Mr. Combs of alleged victims engaged in s-- acts with commercial s-- workers, while the defense contends that the recordings merely capture the 'swinging' lifestyle."

"The News Organizations should be permitted to view the videos for themselves and describe their contents to the public. Open proceedings will give the public ‘confidence in the administration of justice,’ ‘a more complete understanding of the judicial system and a better perception of its fairness,'" the document added.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs ex-girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura opposed the requests made in Monday's letter, arguing that the right to public access is "outweighed by the privacy interests of Ms. Ventura and others depicted in the videos."

"Making the sexually explicit Sealed Videos public will effectively punish Ms. Ventura for testifying and re-traumatize her as the public will watch her abuse when she was at her most vulnerable," her team explained. "It would be profoundly unfair for Ms. Ventura’s brave choice to testify publicly and using her own name to require such a gross invasion of her dignity."