Puffy: 'i'm Innocent'

A stone-faced Sean "Puffy" Combs met with the media today to deny any involvement in the shooting Sunday night at a Manhattan nightspot. At a press conference held this afternoon at New York's W Hotel, the rap mogul admitted to being at Club New York at the time of the incident, but asserted he "had nothing to do" with the shooting that left three people injured.

Flanked by his lawyer, Harvey Slovis, Combs added that he "[did] not own a gun nor did [he] have possession of a gun [Sunday] night." The statement contradicted several eyewitness accounts, which allege that the rapper pulled out a semi-automatic weapon at the club after shots were fired.

When asked about such reports, Slovis told the attending media, "Every time someone lies, you [the press] take it as true." The attorney also did not allow those present to pose any questions directly to Combs, who sat silently for most of the conference.

As earlier reported, Combs was charged Sunday with criminal possession of a weapon, which was found in his vehicle. According to Slovis, the gun was not used in the shootings.

Combs was released this morning on $10,000 bail. He is due to appear in court Feb. 14.
<P align=right><i>-- Julie Taraska, N.Y.