Judge grants Diddy a legal victory over prosecutorial misconduct allegations.

A federal judge has announced that he will not consider any evidence gathered from the search of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ jail cell during his next bail hearing, marking a victory for the music mogul.

Judge Arun Subramanian also ordered the prosecution to provide copies of the 19 pages of notes collected during the search.

Sean Combs, 55, appeared in court on Tuesday, November 19, visibly unshackled and appeared more at ease compared to previous hearings. He entered the courtroom dressed in a khaki jumpsuit and shared a hug with his lawyers.

A hearing was scheduled following prosecutors’ claims in a filing late Monday that Combs’ attorney-client privilege was violated when items were taken from his cell during a Bureau of Prisons search. Sean Combs’ lawyer described it as “outrageous government behavior” and a “violation of due process.”

Additionally, the defense argued that the seized items included notes Combs wrote to his attorneys about defense strategies.

During a court hearing Tuesday, Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, noted, “When we visit him in prison, we have lists, everything in these books are things that we discuss. Trial strategy, who should we talk to, to undermine a witness. “credibility. We are discussing everything with Mr. Combs.”

Prosecutors argued that most of the items seized during the operation — believed to have been prearranged at the facility before Combs’ arrest — were not relevant to the case and did not specifically target any inmate, thus lacking legal privilege.

During the hearing, Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik revealed that the notes taken from Combs’ cell were mostly about personal topics such as birthdays and “inspirational quotes.”

Slavik also emphasized that “the investigation is still very active.”

In response to the defense’s motion leading up to the hearing, prosecutors clarified that the notes discovered in the cell were initially reviewed by a “Filter Team” before being turned over to the prosecution team handling Combs’ case.

Additionally, in a separate motion, Combs’ attorneys asked that he be allowed to appear in court without restriction for all future hearings.

They argued that being seen in handcuffs could lead to “juror bias”, especially given the extensive media coverage surrounding the case. Subramanian approved the request ahead of Tuesday’s hearing.

Combs faces charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation for the purpose of prostitution after authorities alleged he orchestrated elaborate sex events known as “smash” and coerced women into engaging male sex workers.

The Bad Boy Records founder has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in September. He was twice denied bail by two different judges who expressed concern about the possibility of witness tampering.

A third bail hearing is set for Friday, November 22.