The trial towards Sean “Diddy” Combs on fees of intercourse trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to have interaction in prostitution began on Monday, and already there are stunning claims being introduced towards the hip-hop mogul.
Because the trial towards Sean “Diddy” Combs started in New York Metropolis on Monday, Could 12, the hip-hop mogul maintained his innocence towards fees of intercourse trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
If convicted on all fees, which additionally embrace arson and bribery, Combs may face a compulsory 15 yr jail sentence, with the potential for life behind bars.
Because the prosecution argues coercion, the protection is countering with consent. However either side agreed that in an effort to unravel the case, there could be a whole lot of witnesses and a whole lot of stunning particulars about Combs’ sexual proclivities.
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DAY ONE
First Witness: Cassie Video
After opening statements on Monday, the prosecution wasted no time in laying the groundwork for his or her bigger case towards Combs. It begins with the viral video of ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura’s assault captured on resort safety footage in 2016.
So as to add context to the video, the prosecution known as Los Angeles Police Division Workplace Israel Florez, who was working as assistant safety director on the InterContinental Lodge in Century Metropolis. In response to Florez on the stand, he was the the one who responded to a “lady in misery” name that day.
Florez described the scene on the sixth ground when he stepped off the elevator, as detailed by CNN and ABC7, he mentioned he noticed each Combs and Ventura and rapidly acknowledged Combs, who he mentioned was “in a towel and a few socks.”
Combs hit Florez with “a devlish stare,” per his testimony. “He was simply me,” he claimed. As for Ventura, he mentioned that she seemed scared and had her hoodie pulled up. “She was just about simply coated up. I could not see her face. She was just about within the nook,” he mentioned.
He additionally observed the flower vase that decorates the hallway was destroyed. Within the video performed for the jury, Combs might be seen grabbing Ventura as she dug via a bag by the elevators and starting to tug her again to their room.
Quickly after, Ventura seems once more on digital camera utilizing a cellphone on the wall, which Florez mentioned is what contacted him to reply. Within the reflection of a mirrored wall within the footage, Combs might be seen pacing within the towel after which throws the vase that Florez described, shattering it.
Florez mentioned that Ventura advised him she simply wished to get her cellphone and bag so she may depart. He testified that Combs advised her, “You are not going to go away.” Florez mentioned he advised Combs that she may depart if she wished.
He mentioned he escorted the couple again to their room and stood with the door open whereas Florez grabbed her issues. He testified that there was one other man within the room “sitting on the nook of the mattress,” however that he didn’t interact within the scenario in any respect.
After Ventura left the room, Florez testified that Combs “was just about holding a sack of cash and he mentioned, ‘right here care for this for me, do not inform anybody.'” He said that he declined the cash, including that the injury to the resort could be mirrored on their invoice.
Ventura is seen in safety footage not earlier than launched strolling out of the room and down the corridor. Florez adopted shortly behind. He mentioned he later observed Ventura had a “purple eye.” Florez mentioned when he tried to speak with Ventura, she didn’t reply to his questions, simply saying, “I need to depart, I simply need to depart.”
He mentioned he returned to the room with one other safety guard to remind Combs of the resort guidelines, alleging that the rapper opened his door and grabbed the opposite guard’s cellphone, asking if he was recording. Florez claimed he pinned Combs to the wall and demanded he return the cellphone
Florez mentioned that he didn’t file a police report on the time as a result of nobody wished to press fees. He additionally mentioned that he didn’t see the complete surveillance footage of the altercation within the hallway till in any case events had left the resort.
The protection cross-examined Florez, calling out his description of a “devilish stare” from Combs as not a element he put in his official report of the incident. He additionally did not point out a further man within the resort room or something about Ventura having a discolored eye.
Florez mentioned of the look, “It was my opinion however not a part of the incident so not within the report.” He mentioned that Combs was calm and cooperative all through his encounter with him as why he didn’t name for help on the matter.
The protection famous that within the incident report, Florez wrote of Combs that he “grabbed his hand and advised him to again off,” however didn’t say he “pinned” him to a wall.
Protection Opening Assertion
Combs’ protection group acknowledged that he could have sure unorthodox sexual pursuits, calling him “difficult.” They argue that he could also be violent and have a mood — particularly when ingesting or doing medication — and even come throughout as a “imply” individual, however he isn’t on trial for these items.
Within the opening statements, protection lawyer Teny Geragos mentioned the federal government has no enterprise scrutinizing Combs’ bed room habits, in keeping with TMZ’s ongoing protection. She mentioned this case is about “love, jealousy and grownup selections.”
He’s “not charged with being imply, he is not charged with being a jerk,” she insisted.
On the identical time, the protection acknowledged that Combs is “very flawed” and that there was home violence within the case of Cassie Ventura, and that he’ll take accountability for a few of his actions, as warranted, all through the trial.
Geragos mentioned in courtroom, per ABC7, “What he understood was that [Ventura] was a prepared participant of their intercourse life.” She claims that Ventura is motivated by cash in bringing this case ahead.
“Home violence is just not intercourse trafficking,” she argued, whereas additionally calling the viral video from 2016 of Combs assault Ventura “indefensible.”
Geragos went on to explain the connection between Combs and “Jane” as “poisonous” and “dysfunctional,” however asserted that she, too, was a consensual participant in all sexual exercise: “Being a prepared participant in your personal intercourse life is just not intercourse trafficking.”
“You aren’t right here to evaluate him for his sexual preferences,” Geragos advised the jury of 12, describing Combs as dwelling a “swingers’ way of life.” She argues the ladies have been all concerned with Diddy consensually as adults, and have been getting a whole lot of advantages via these relationships.

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Prosecution Opening Argument
In the meantime, the prosecution laid out a narrative of “freak offs” that concerned compelled intercourse with male escorts, with Diddy watching, and different behaviors. They threw out phrases like kidnapping, arson, drug distribution, intercourse crimes, bribery, and obstruction.
They argued that Combs was aided and abetted by an inside circle that helped him perpetuate “crime after crime” over a span of years, with Combs on the middle. He “known as himself the king and anticipated to be handled like one,” mentioned prosecutor Emily Johnson.
Prosecutors mentioned that their case will primarily deal with two ladies, the aforementioned Cassie Ventura and one other lady who has chosen to stay nameless — she shall be known as Jane all through the trial.
Throughout his two-year relationship with Ventura, Johnson alleged that Combs compelled Ventura to have intercourse with male escorts, recorded it, after which used the recordings as blackmail towards her. She claimed that in a single incident, Combs had a intercourse employee urinate in Ventura’s mouth.
In an incident separate from the violent viral hallway beating seen on video, the prosecution detailed one other alleged encounter, claiming that Combs went “on the hunt” after he realized Ventura was seeing one other lady. He allegedly took a gun, discovered her, and beat her severely, in keeping with Johnson in courtroom.
As for the “freak offs,” the prosecution argued that Combs would drug ladies, together with Ventura, and drive them into undesirable intercourse acts. The prosecution is alleging that Combs typically assaulted Ventura beforehand to “present who was in cost.”
There shall be many items of fabric proof introduced in relation to those “freak offs,” together with precise video and associated textual content messages, invoice, and reported injury to resort rooms.
The prosecution argued that the racketeering conspiracy cost comes from Combs working together with his high-level staff and bodyguards to “commit totally different crimes, kidnapping, arson, distributing medication to different folks, exploiting staff for labor.”
In case you are experiencing home violence, name the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is offered 24/7 in additional than 170 languages.

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