Sean Combs Accuser Clayton Howard Seeks to Drop 12-Hour Confinement Claim in Lawsuit Revision
Clayton Howard has submitted a court filing seeking permission to revise his complaint against Sean 'Diddy' Combs and singer Cassie. The proposed changes would eliminate an allegation that he was held against his will for roughly 12 hours during a 2016 trip to Miami, as well as drop certain state-level claims.
A plaintiff pursuing civil claims against music mogul Sean Combs has formally asked a judge for leave to amend his legal filing, acknowledging that certain earlier assertions were inaccurate, according to reporting by AllHipHop.
Clayton Howard, who is representing himself in the ongoing civil action against Combs and recording artist Cassie, submitted a request to substitute his proposed sixth amended complaint. Howard stated in a signed declaration that he took another look at his assertions after reading formal replies submitted by the defense and comparing his recollections against the record of Combs's criminal proceedings.
According to AllHipHop, Howard wrote in his sworn declaration that the proposed revision directly corrects statements in an earlier exhibit that he ultimately concluded were inaccurate. The pending motions to dismiss in the case are aimed at Howard's fifth amended complaint, while the plaintiff is seeking permission to enter a revised sixth version.
Among the key changes in the requested revision is the complete removal of an assertion that Howard was subjected to an approximate 12-hour confinement in a room following an incident in Miami in December 2016. In his prior complaint, Howard had alleged that his attendance at the Miami gathering did not encompass being stripped of his identification, mobile phone, and garments, witnessing violence, or being locked in a room for roughly half a day. AllHipHop reported that the updated draft would eliminate those confinement allegations alongside claims that members of Combs's private security detail confiscated his personal possessions.
In addition to dropping the Miami confinement narrative, Howard is also seeking permission to abandon his California state sexual-assault claim entirely. Furthermore, the proposed filing would narrow his New York trafficking claim so that it applies solely to Combs, according to the AllHipHop report.
The push to modify the complaint followed formal filings lodged on October 7 by defense attorneys representing both Combs and Cassie, who each asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit outright without granting Howard further opportunities to amend his claims.
Cassie's legal counsel, Mélodie C. Han, contended in court papers that Howard's allegations failed to establish any link between the singer's actions and unlawful coercion. Han's legal team asserted that Howard's own narrative indicated his involvement was motivated by financial compensation rather than force or fraudulent inducement, while also pointing out that the alleged confinement took place after the encounter had concluded under Combs's direction.
Separately, Jonathan D. Gottlieb, an attorney representing Combs, maintained in defense papers that Howard did not demonstrate how any alleged restraint or drugging led to a commercial sex act, as reported by AllHipHop. Gottlieb additionally argued that the plaintiff had improperly attempted to name Bad Boy Entertainment and corporate entity CeOpco as defendants without pleading specific factual allegations explaining their respective corporate roles in the disputed events.
Howard has asked the court to incorporate new details regarding staff coordination of encounters, though he noted in his submission that both defense legal teams remain opposed to his latest motion to amend, AllHipHop reported.