Notable People
In 2001, Diddy walked away from serious criminal charges. Johnnie Cochran Jr. and Benjamin Brafman, his lawyers, made it happen.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appeared in court on May 5, 2025. The appearance is the first of many that will follow over the next eight to ten weeks. The rap mogul stands accused of sex trafficking and racketeering. To defend himself, he has amassed a team of lawyers, but he opted not to utilize any of the legal representation he used in 2001 when he last stood inside a New York City courtroom accused of serious crimes. Do you know who represented Diddy at his 2001 criminal trial?
Who represented Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in his 2001 court case?
Diddy might be facing a mountain of trouble right now, but it’s not the first time he’s had a criminal case to contend with. In 2001, Diddy stood trial for gun possession and bribery charges. The charges stemmed from a nightclub shooting on December 27, 1999, at Club New York in Manhattan.
Diddy, up-and-coming rapper Shyne, and Jennifer Lopez were all picked up in connection with the shooting incident. The music mogul and Shyne were both charged. Diddy hired Benjamin Brafman and Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. to represent him. At the time, Cochran was just a few years out from helping to secure a not-guilty verdict in O.J. Simpson’s murder trial. Cochran, a brilliant strategist, led the defense team during Simpson’s televised trial. Brafman, similarly known for his trial strategy, was well-known in New York circles when Diddy hired him.
Where are his lawyers from the 2001 court case now? ‘
Diddy has found himself back in court more than 20 years after he was acquitted on gun charges. The crime is much different, and the stakes much higher, but he has opted not to fall back on the team that helped him walk free once before. Instead, he has amassed a large team of legal experts, hoping the charges won’t stick this time. Still, you might be wondering where those first lawyers are now.
Both Johnnie Cochran Jr. and Benjamin Brafman were well-respected and seasoned lawyers when they represented Diddy, and both continued to take on high-level cases in the years after Diddy’s 2001 acquittal. Brafman has represented everyone from mob bosses to celebrities like Michael Jackson and Harvey Weinstein in recent years. He was also involved in civil cases. He recently represented Diddy in a civil lawsuit filed by Cassie Ventura.
While Brafman has maintained a working relationship with Diddy, Cochran died before Diddy’s latest troubles came to light. The renowned lawyer died on March 29, 2005. He was 67. According to the Spokesman-Review, He died from complications of an inoperable brain tumor that doctors discovered 15 months earlier. Two years after his death, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles established the Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Brain Tumor Center.
