Diddy breaks silence on arrest: I was defending myself, protecting my son

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean "Diddy" Combs was defending himself in an incident at the University of California, Los Angeles, that led to his arrest, a representative for the hip-hop mogul said Tuesday...

Associated Press

Jun 24, 2015

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was defending himself in an incident at the University of California, Los Angeles, that led to his arrest, a representative for the hip-hop mogul said Tuesday.

“The various accounts of the event and charges that are being reported are wholly inaccurate,” Nathalie Moar, a rep for Combs, said in a statement to The Associated Press. “What we can say now is that any actions taken by Mr. Combs were solely defensive in nature to protect himself and his son.”

Combs was arrested Monday for an alleged assault involving a weight-room kettlebell at the athletic facilities of UCLA, where his son plays football, a university statement said.

Combs, 45, was freed late Monday after posting bail, several hours after his afternoon arrest, jail records showed.

University police allege three counts of assault with a deadly weapon, one count of making terrorist threats and one count of battery, according to a UCLA statement.

“We are confident that once the true facts are revealed, the case will be dismissed,” Moar said in the statement.

Officials did not say who was allegedly assaulted or what led to it. No one was seriously injured, police said.

The jail records show that Combs’ bail was $160,000, but sheriff’s officials reached by phone said he posted $50,000. The reason for the discrepancy wasn’t clear.

Combs’ son Justin Combs is a redshirt junior defensive back on the UCLA football team, which has been working out on campus. He has played in just a handful of games in his three years with the team.

The son of another major rap star also plays football for the Bruins. Snoop Dogg’s son Cordell Broadus is a wide receiver who signed with the team this year.

Football coach Jim Mora thanked his staff for their professionalism in handling the situation.

“This is an unfortunate incident for all parties involved,” Mora said in the statement from campus police. “While UCPD continues to review this matter, we will let the legal process run its course and refrain from further comment at this time.”

The arrest, first reported by TMZ, is the latest of several allegations of violence by Sean Combs.

He was acquitted of bribery and weapons-related charges in connection with a 1999 shooting at a New York nightclub. A jury cleared him of firing a weapon during the dispute that wounded three bystanders, as well as bribing his chauffeur to take the rap.

Combs was arrested in 1999 for his involvement in the beating of former Interscope executive Steve Stoute in New York. Combs apologized, the charges were reduced, and he was ordered to attend an anger management class.

Combs and Stoute have since mended their relationship, appearing on stage together at Cannes in 2013.

Earlier this year, an Arizona man accused Combs of punching him in the face at a Super Bowl party. Combs was not arrested.

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AP Music Writer Mesfin Fekadu contributed to this report from New York.