Grand jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs case to hear new evidence: sources

NEW YORK -- A federal grand jury in New York will hear new evidence in the criminal case against Sean "Diddy" Combs, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The grand jury is expected to convene Thursday, the sources said.

The sources declined to describe what the new evidence is or who might be called to testify about it.

Federal prosecutors have previously raised the possibility of additional charges against Combs.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York declined to comment.

His trial is scheduled for May, but prosecutors have suggested the timing or duration of the trial could change if they opt to add charges.

Combs has denied all of the allegations against him -- in both criminal and civil cases. In the wake of the criminal case, many individuals have filed civil lawsuits against the music producer.

In a statement Monday, his defense attorneys hit back against new allegations included in a civil suit against the rapper -- including one involving the sexual assault of a 10-year-old boy -- accusing the plaintiff's lawyer of lacking credibility.

"The lawyer behind this lawsuit is interested in media attention rather than the truth, as is obvious from his constant press appearances and 1-800 number," the statement said. "As we've said before, Mr. Combs cannot respond to every new publicity stunt, even in response to claims that are facially ridiculous or demonstrably false."

The defense attorneys said they and Combs "have full confidence in the facts and the integrity of the judicial process."

"In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs never sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone -- man or woman, adult or minor," the defense attorneys said.

As for the criminal case, Combs has already pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and prostitution charges and is being held without bail, over the objection of his attorneys.

As part of his defense, Combs' attorneys have asked the judge to order federal prosecutors to disclose the identities of his accusers, and on Wednesday a judge ruled that a Tennessee woman who claims in a civil lawsuit that Combs sexually assaulted her when she was a 19-year-old college student in Brooklyn cannot proceed with her case anonymously, finding the woman's arguments "wholly meritless."

"Simply put, allegations of sexual assault, by themselves, are not sufficient to entitle a plaintiff to proceed under a pseudonym," Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil wrote in the ruling.

The woman alleged a security guard took her into a private room at a party Combs hosted, and that the guard told her, "You know what you are here for."

In asking to mask her identity, the woman argued she could be harmed if her name were to be published, but the judge was ultimately not convinced.

"Combs has had no contact with Plaintiff for the approximately 20 years since the alleged rape and Combs is currently detained pending trial. As such, counsel has not identified any present threat of physical harm to Plaintiff," the decision said.

The judge also said Combs is entitled to investigate his accuser and her credibility.

This ruling could impact a number of other cases brought by accusers who have sued Combs under a pseudonym.