NEW YORK — A May 5 trial date was set Thursday in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking case, and a prosecutor argued that the jailed hip-hop mogul's lawyers were trying to exclude a 'damning piece of evidence' by claiming it was leaked by the government.

Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson struck back against the defense's claims during Combs' first appearance before Manhattan federal court Judge Arun Subramanian, who will preside over his trial. Combs' mother flew in from Florida for the proceeding, sitting behind him with his children and other family members in the courtroom gallery.