Judge Mathis Urges Kanye, Diddy’s Friends to Support Him
Judge Greg Mathis says he won’t be attending Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial, but believes those close to the embattled music mogul should be there to offer support.
At the same time, he questioned Kanye West’s motivations for briefly showing up at the courthouse last week.
We caught up with the longtime TV judge on Saturday while he was out on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, where he weighed in on Kanye’s surprise appearance at the federal courthouse in Manhattan on Friday.
Kanye didn’t enter the main courtroom — instead, officials placed him in a separate overflow room to watch the proceedings on a monitor.
After only about 10 minutes, he left, and it’s unclear if the jury was even aware he was present.
Mathis expressed uncertainty over whether Kanye’s visit was a genuine gesture of support or simply a publicity stunt.
Still, he said if Kanye showed up with sincere intentions to comfort a longtime friend, then he has no issue with it.
He emphasized that friends and loved ones of Diddy have every right to attend the trial to offer emotional support, so long as they are not endorsing or excusing the serious allegations the music mogul faces.
Mathis clarified that offering moral support does not mean condoning the alleged behavior.
“If I were a friend or family member, I’d go,” he said. “But no one should be justifying what he’s accused of.”
Commenting on the prosecution’s progress, Judge Mathis said their strongest case so far appears to be tied to the charges of transporting individuals for prostitution, particularly after a witness referred to as “Jane” testified that Diddy paid to fly a sex worker across state lines.
Still, he believes prosecutors will need to present stronger evidence on the remaining three charges to secure convictions.
As the trial unfolds, Mathis says only time will tell whether the government’s case will hold up — but he stressed the importance of allowing the legal process to run its course while still showing compassion where appropriate.
Judge Mathis Urges Kanye, Diddy’s Friends to Support Him