The sex trafficking trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs is nearing its end on Thursday as New York prosecutors and Combs’ legal team make their closing arguments — without the hip-hop mogul ever taking the stand.
The court indicated that prosecutors would get four hours on Thursday, and then Combs’ attorneys will take their turn on Friday, followed by an hour of prosecution rebuttal. The judge will then instruct the jury on relevant legal standards they should apply to reach a verdict. Jury deliberations might not start until next week.
As closing arguments began, a prosecutor told the jury that Combs used “power, violence and fear” to rule a criminal enterprise, which facilitated brutal sex crimes as well as kidnapping and arson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said Combs “doesn’t take no for an answer” and “counted on silence and shame” to allow his abuse to continue. She also said he used a “small army” of employees to harm women and then cover it up.
Combs, 55, has denied the allegations. He is facing 15 years to life in prison if he’s convicted. The high-profile trial, which began May 12, is one of the most closely watched celebrity cases in recent years.
After calling on 34 witnesses over seven weeks — including Combs’ ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura Fine, and rapper Kid Cudi — the prosecution rested Tuesday. The defense also rested that same day without calling any witnesses, presenting its case for less than 30 minutes.
As is common after prosecutors rest at criminal trials, Combs’ lawyers made arguments to toss out the charges, arguing the charges weren’t proven. The judge said he’ll rule at a later date.
Charges against Sean “Diddy” Combs
Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts.
The first count is racketeering conspiracy, which alleges he “abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct.”
Prosecutors allege Combs relied on employees, resources and influence of his business empire to create a criminal enterprise that engaged in, or attempted to engage in, “sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for the purposes of prostitution, coercion and enticement to engage in prostitution, narcotics offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
The other four counts allege sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Prosecutors said in a court filing Wednesday that jury instructions would not need to address allegations regarding attempted arson, attempted kidnapping, or aiding and abetting sex trafficking, since the government “is no longer planning to proceed on these theories of liability.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs decided to not testify
Combs told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian on Tuesday that after thorough discussions with his attorneys, he decided he wouldn’t testify.
“That is my decision, your honor,” Combs said, adding: “That is solely my decision.”
Prodded by the judge, he clarified further: “I mean, it’s my decision with my lawyers. … My decision to make. I’m making it.”
Combs has been active in his defense, often writing notes to his lawyers and sometimes helping them decide when to stop questioning a witness. Earlier this month, Subramanian threatened to potentially have Combs removed from court after the judge said Combs kept making expressions to the jury, including looking at them and “nodding vigorously” during the testimony of graphic designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a friend of Ventura Fine’s.
Prosecutors say Combs used connections to orchestrate “freak-offs”
During the first week of the trial, Cassie Ventura Fine was called to the witness stand and testified that Combs pressured her into participating in “freak-offs,” drug-fueled episodes where Combs is accused of forcing attendees to perform sex acts with hired sex workers.
Prosecutors have cited the events as evidence of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, alleging that Combs relied on employees, associates and his business accounts to fly male sex workers to Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, where his staff set up hotel rooms for the encounters and cleaned up afterward.
Over the decade of her on-and-off relationship with Combs, from 2007 until 2018, Ventura Fine said she was part of hundreds of such events.
She also testified that Combs was psychologically and physically abusive, as seen in security footage of a 2016 Los Angeles hotel incident in which Combs is shown punching and kicking her.
Other early witnesses included a former security director at the hotel who testified that Combs bribed him over the incident, but he didn’t accept. Another witness was a manager for a male stripper show who said he was contracted by Combs and Ventura Fine in 2012 to participate in “freak-offs.”
Combs’ attorneys presented the jury with mostly loving messages between Combs and Ventura Fine and argued that she was a willing participant. They said Combs’ sexual habits and his “kinky” swinger lifestyle don’t amount to sex trafficking.
Another ex-girlfriend of Combs, who testified for six days under the pseudonym “Jane,” said she felt pressured by Combs to do “hotel nights” with him. She testified she told Combs many times she didn’t like the hotel events involving drugs and, at times, multiple male entertainers.
The defense countered with messages about her setting up these nights, seemingly excited. Jane said she has been putting them into perspective after beginning therapy three months ago, saying she did them because she loved Combs and it’s what he expected of his partner.
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Alice Gainer and
contributed to this report.
