MORE ABOUT DIDDY TRIAL
The music entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs is about to go to trial for a crime that might change his life.
At a charge conference, the judge, the prosecution, and the defence talked about how to tell the jurors what to do before they start deliberations, which will happen either at the end of the week or on June 30. U.S. attorneys said they would “streamline” the instructions for the jury by getting rid of several of their racketeering arguments that were tied to attempted kidnapping and arson.
The back-and-forth happened a day after the prosecutors finished their case on June 24. During Combs’ trial, which lasted almost seven weeks, a number of people from his personal and professional life, including ex-girlfriends Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine and “Jane,” Danity Kane alum Dawn Richard, and rap peer Kid Cudi, gave testimony. Prosecutors called more than 30 witnesses in all.
As testimony came to an end, lawyers for the U.S. prosecution focused on graphic evidence from Combs’ alleged “freak off” sex parties, such as videos, text messages, and bank records. Prosecutors said that Combs and his workers were directly involved in putting together the extravagant sexual shows, collaborating with escorts, Combs’ partners, and other people.
The defence, on the other hand, didn’t bring any witnesses to the stand and finished their case in less than half an hour. Their primary points were about amorous and sometimes sexual texts between Combs and Ventura Fine. Combs, who is 55 years old, was arrested in September and accused with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transporting people to work as prostitutes. He has said he is not guilty.
The judge gives Diddy’s defence team an extra night before they make their closing argument.
Judge Arun Subramanian agreed to a request from Combs’ team to wait until Friday morning, June 27, to start its closing argument after the June 25 hearing about jury instructions ended at 7:30 p.m. ET.
She was worried that putting it off would waste the jury’s time and that the defence was playing games to sit with the prosecution’s closing argument overnight and figure out how to respond. Subramanian, on the other hand, said he thought the deal would be good because the defence is no longer worried about the case going past the July 4 holiday.
Prosecution told jury sex trafficking can happen without completed commercial sex act
Lawyers for Combs and the prosecution are still making their claims to the court about how he should tell the jury about the music mogul’s charges as the night goes on.
Madison Smyser, the prosecutor, said it’s crucial for jurors to know that sex trafficking can happen even if a commercial sex act isn’t finished. She talked about the time hotel security cameras caught Combs tossing Ventura Fine to the ground near an elevator and then dragging her.
Ventura Fine said this happened during a freak off, when Combs struck her and she tried to flee. Smyser stated that the prosecution might say in its closing that the purported occurrence showed sex trafficking, even if there wasn’t a commercial sex act that followed.
Alexandra Shapiro, Combs’ lawyer, said that the instruction will “severely prejudice” Combs, even though it is in line with current law, because the prosecution has tried its case against Combs as if a commercial sex act is necessary. Smyser said that Combs’ defence team has known since the start of the investigation that some sexual activities for money may not have been finished.
To make things easier, prosecutors dropped some claims of kidnapping, arson, and sex trafficking.
Court filing on June 24 that said prosecutors are dropping some of their claims about Combs’ supposed crimes before the closing arguments on June 26. U.S. lawyers wrote a letter to a judge requesting jury instructions for deliberation that included the specifics.
In particular, they don’t want jurors to think about claims that Combs was involved in criminal racketeering by trying to kidnap people in California and New York and starting fires in California. These were both connected to an alleged break-in at Kid Cudi’s residence and an explosion in his automobile.
That doesn’t mean that all of the accusations against Combs are false. The accusation against him says that he was part of a criminal conspiracy to conduct arson and kidnapping, and that he did both of those things. Combs is also still facing several sex trafficking allegations.
The prosecutors said they were dismissing the charges because the court wanted to “streamline” the directions he would provide to the jurors following the closing remarks.
What is happening in the Diddy trial today?
Subramanian is having a charge session with the lawyers for Combs and the prosecutors. That’s where both sides talk about and argue on the instructions that will be delivered to the jury. Combs has sounded interested at times as his lawyers have gone over the instructions page by page, nodding when they asked for technical revisions or additions.
What is Diddy’s net worth? Still wealthy, but now worth almost half as much: Forbes
Forbes magazine said that Combs’ net worth was $400 million in 2024. This is a big decline from the $740 million it was in 2019. Forbes noted that Combs and his crew later said he was a billionaire, but they didn’t provide any proof to back up their claim.
Combs’ most valuable personal item is probably his 17,000-square-foot, 10-bedroom mansion in the upscale Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles. It is worth more than $61 million, according to public records and news accounts. It was searched as part of a criminal investigation and put up for sale in September.
Is Diddy in jail?
The discredited music mogul remains in jail and has been unable to get out on bail, even after many tries. He is still in the Special Housing Unit of the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. Since his arrest on September 16, 2024, he has been in jail.
Why didn’t Diddy’s lawyers call any witnesses?
Prosecutors spent weeks summoning scores of witnesses to back up their case against Combs. His ex-girlfriends, business partners, federal agents, security guards, and others all testified in front of the jury.
But his lawyers finished their case in less than 30 minutes and didn’t call any witnesses. Why?
One thing to keep in mind is that defendants in criminal cases don’t have to show evidence, and judges tell juries not to hold that against them. Prosecutors have to prove their cases beyond a reasonable doubt in order to get a guilty judgement.
Combs’ lawyers haven’t said why they didn’t summon any witnesses. But they can think the prosecution haven’t met that standard, or they don’t want to risk introducing a witness who could make the jury less likely to believe their client.
Has the jury in the Diddy trial come to a decision?
No, Combs’ criminal case has not yet come to a conclusion.
After the prosecutors and Combs’ lawyers gave their final arguments on June 24, the trial will now move on to the jury’s deliberations. The closing arguments are set to start on Thursday, June 26, and last until the next day.
Teny Geragos, the defence attorney, said that both the prosecution and the defence lawyers think their arguments will run about four hours apiece.
On Wednesday, June 25, prosecutors and Combs’ lawyers will meet with Judge Subramanian to talk about jury instructions. This conference is about jury deliberations. The jurors won’t be there for the talk.
