The high-stakes sex trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs in New York entered its sixth week, marked by significant courtroom developments as the prosecution moved closer to concluding its case. While the week was shortened by a holiday and a juror’s illness, key evidence was presented, and an anonymous juror was dismissed amid questions of candor and residency. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Focus on the Jury Box
The week began with Judge Arun Subramanian dismissing one of the anonymous jurors. The juror had reportedly given conflicting statements about his residency during selection and subsequently, raising “serious concerns” about his truthfulness and basic qualification to serve on a New York federal jury while potentially residing in New Jersey. Combs’ defense lawyers strongly opposed the dismissal, arguing it altered the jury’s composition late in the trial, though the judge stated the jury remained diverse. Separately, the judge issued a stern warning to legal teams regarding potential sanctions after details from a sealed proceeding concerning another juror were leaked to the media.
Video Evidence Takes Center Stage
A pivotal moment in the sixth week involved the presentation of video recordings related to alleged “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.” After weeks of testimony describing these drug-fueled sexual encounters, jurors were shown approximately 20 minutes of video originally recorded by Combs. Prosecutors presented about two minutes, arguing the footage, which allegedly showed Combs’ employees and associates recruiting sex workers, managing payments, and handling logistics like drugs and supplies, supported the sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges by demonstrating coercion.
Conversely, the defense played about 18 minutes of the same recordings during their limited turn. Their assertion, as stated in their opening, was that the videos served as “powerful evidence” that the sexual conduct in question was entirely consensual and not based on coercion. While the content remained private to the court, reports indicated some jurors appeared to avert their gaze from the screens while listening via headphones.
Text Messages and Records Revealed
The prosecution relied on “summary witnesses” to guide the jury through extensive records. A paralegal specialist and a Special Agent testified, presenting charts and reading text messages and reviewing flight and hotel records. Key communications revealed included:
Discussions among Combs’ staff in December 2019 referencing people who looked like escorts (“cowboys”) and Combs’ activity levels.
Messages from March 2016 detailing planning for “hotel nights” involving Combs and then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, including adding an escort’s name to a hotel file and needing supplies like baby oil for “Wild King Nights” – events reportedly involving sex, drugs, and alcohol requiring significant cleanup.
Texts noting high hotel damage charges attributed to Combs.
Messages discussing purchasing thousands of dollars worth of drugs from a dealer, including Combs reportedly requesting 15 MDMA pills.
A May 2017 message from Cassie Ventura stating, “No one deserves being dragged by their hair. I locked the door for my safety,” and staff offering assistance.
Messages referencing potential needs for “king stuff” involving assistant Brendan Paul.
- Texts exchanged in February 2024, months after Ventura’s lawsuit, showing Combs repeatedly contacted a former employee identified as “Mia,” expressing a desire to “clear up a few things.”
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Testimony from the Special Agent also linked flight records, hotel reservations paid for by Combs’ American Express card, and videos to Combs, Cassie Ventura, and alleged escorts, specifically relating to transportation charges.
Key Witness Testimony
Brendan Paul, a former personal assistant to Combs, testified under immunity. He recounted the demanding nature of working for Combs, describing expectations of long hours and constant availability. Paul testified to picking up drugs for Combs multiple times and stated he understood the need to keep Combs’ drug use low-profile due to his celebrity. His employment ended following his March 2024 arrest at a Miami airport on drug charges, which he claimed stemmed from cocaine mistakenly placed in his bag. The charges were dropped, and Paul stated he has not seen Combs since.
Though her extended testimony concluded near the start of the week, former girlfriend “Jane” also provided context, having testified about feeling forced into multi-day “sex marathons,” mirroring earlier testimony from Cassie Ventura regarding similar “freak-offs.” Jane’s testimony spanned six days in total.
Defense Strategy Hinted
Toward the end of the sixth week, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo indicated the defense presentation would be brief, potentially lasting only one or two days in the following week. This concise approach has led to speculation that Combs himself may choose not to testify, a common strategy for defendants to avoid cross-examination.
Other Notable Aspects
Rapper Kanye West made an appearance at the courthouse during the week, stating his support for Combs, although he was initially denied entry to the main courtroom. The trial has also introduced specific terminology into the courtroom lexicon, such as “freak offs,” “movie nights,” and “love contract,” as witnesses describe the alleged activities.
As the prosecution prepares to rest its case, the sixth week underscored the nature of the evidence being presented against Sean Combs, focusing on detailed communications, financial records, and video footage that prosecutors argue support the charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The defense maintains that any sexual activity was consensual.