Diddy's ex-girlfriend's explosive testimony could have been 'puzzling' to jury: expert
The fifth week of Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering case saw the completion of "Jane's" testimony.
Diddy's ex-girlfriend first took the stand on June 5, finishing her testimony on June 13. Testifying under a pseudonym, Jane told the jury about her relationship with Diddy from 2021 until his arrest in 2024. She claimed Diddy forced her into participating in "hotel nights" where the "Last Night" rapper expected her to have sex with a male escort while he watched.
"Overall, the testimony this week from Jane could have been puzzling to the jury," defense attorney John W. Day told Fox News Digital. "Did she pull together for jurors the web of Diddy's control and intimidation that builds the foundation for RICO convictions? She did say she felt like a 'sex worker in my own relationship,' which suggests an element of control on Diddy's part."
"The jury may use her testimony to understand why someone would engage in that type of conduct, and yet they still may feel conflicted about her participation in these sex acts and her relationship with Diddy. She testified as a prosecution witness, but did she raise more questions than she answered in the mind of the jurors about why she continued to engage with Diddy? I believe the testimony from Jane cuts both ways," Day noted.
Jane's dayslong testimony "painted a portrait" similar to that of Diddy's ex, Cassie Ventura. However, one legal expert told Fox News Digital Jane's allegations might not be enough to convince a jury Diddy's behavior was criminal.
"Jane's testimony highlighted the defendant's use of his wealth and resources, factors which were portrayed by the prosecutors as a means to control and force these women into sexual situations with paid male escorts, or, by the defense, to foster loving consensual relationships that happened to include sex with male prostitutes," John J. Perlstein, a Los Angeles based litigator, told Fox News Digital. "I think the most interesting part is that the defendant's conduct isn't in dispute – it's simply up to the jury to decide whether that conduct was, in fact, criminal."
Here's a look at the most explosive moments from Jane's testimony.
Jane's testimony gave the jury insight into how Diddy reacted when surveillance footage of the rapper attacking Cassie Ventura went public in May 2024. Jane said she was dating Diddy at the time and was at his home, where she allegedly witnessed his family come together to make a game plan for his response.
"She said she saw him consult with his team and go into damage control mode to counter the negative publicity," Day, owner of the Santa Fe, New Mexico-based, law practice John Day Law, said.
WATCH: SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS ASSAULTS EX-GIRLFRIEND CASSIE VENTURA IN HOTEL VIDEO SHOWN TO JURY
Jane later explained that she never experienced Combs' alleged violence before the video came out. It wasn't until June 2024 that Jane alleged Diddy first laid hands on her.
"So she [allegedly] experienced domestic violence firsthand in the relationship," Day explained. "In fact, she said that occurred not long after the video of Cassie being assaulted at a hotel showed up on television. It's rare for a witness to provide such a 360-degree view of what role violence plays in a defendant's relationship with women."
At one point in Jane's testimony, she claimed the longest "hotel night" she experienced was during New Year's in 2022. The "hotel night" allegedly lasted three days and involved three different men. After the alleged sex session, Jane confronted Diddy about a trip he took another woman on.
Jane read her text message to Diddy in court. She wrote, "It's not right how you're treating me right now and how you're doing me. We had such an amazing New Year's Eve week together, and the last thing I would expect from you is coming at me sideways about a girl you like. To even be speaking to me about another female, worried about her to me, is something I've never seen before. You completely had your way and more with New Year's Eve week, just to send me home to worry about a doctor's visit, handling entertainment, accuse me of lying, then take another girl on vacation. Ignoring us for days to prioritize that right now shows where your care is, and it's not for me. Cold. I'd never make you feel like that. We have been so good. You were telling me you love me, I'm your baby, how you're not going to use me, all to treat me like this. Why? You have me feeling so taken advantage of and regretting everything."
A legal expert explained why Jane's testimony could be seen as harmful to the prosecution.
"The danger for the prosecution is that jurors might see in this testimony reasons why a person might feel scorned by Diddy and now be happy to seek revenge," Day explained. "This kind of witness testimony is relatable to jurors, whether they have personal experience or know people who have gone through a horrendous moment in a relationship."
"In the minds of a juror, this could be a peg for questioning the credibility of Jane and her motives now that she is a prosecution witness."
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained to Fox News Digital, "Jane was Combs' most recent girlfriend up until the time of his arrest. And there were text messages from her to Combs in which she said she's not a sex robot, porn star or animal and that she didn't want to have sex with strangers. We heard audio of Jane asking the sex workers to wear a condom and Combs telling them not to. That's evidence of force and coercion for sex trafficking."
"We also heard that one of the entertainers sold a sex tape of a freak off to a big media company," said Rahmani, founder of West Coast Trial Lawyers. "That must be the video that one of the victim's lawyers said they had seen. An HSI agent testified about the drugs and guns found when they raided Combs' L.A. home with more than a thousand bottles of baby oil and lube."
Jane testified that Diddy was still paying for her lawyer and her rent. During cross-examination, the rapper's defense confirmed he had never interfered with Jane's representation.
"Another part of Jane's testimony that probably came as a shock to some people was when she said that Diddy is still paying for her lawyer. But lawyers watching the trial understand this type of arrangement is fairly common," Day explained. "It may, however, raise questions with jurors about conflicts of interest and motivation. Jurors might look at this arrangement as questionable and that would affect their perception of what Jane has testified to."
WATCH: DIDDY'S EX-GIRLFRIEND CROSS-EXAMINED AFTER 'GRAPHIC, DAYS-LONG' TESTIMONY
Jane testified Thursday about an alleged violent altercation she experienced at her home in June 2024. Jane testified that she called Diddy a "pedophile" while confronting him about a younger woman and that Combs kicked the doors in her home "literally off the hinges" while following her around. Jane said she felt the fight escalated after she pushed Combs' head into a marble countertop and threw candles toward the rapper. After the rapper allegedly chased Jane through her home, she claimed she made a run for the front door.
"Sean kicked me from the back of my thigh, and then I fell down on my butt," Jane testified. "And then he picked me up in a chokehold and choked me." Jane claimed she ran about six blocks away from the home and waited for approximately two hours before returning. Once home, the fight between her and Combs continued. As the fight turned physical, Jane recalled Combs punching her twice. She ran into the backyard and laid down in the grass, covering her face, head and body with her hands. Combs allegedly punched and kicked her "several times" while in this position before he dragged her back into the home.
Jane claimed she "just kept saying, 'Leave me the f--- alone. Leave me the f--- alone. Just leave. Just leave.'" She added, "And I just kept saying that I hated him."
Jane recalled getting into the shower to clean off. At this point, Combs allegedly slapped her until she lost her balance and fell over.
Jane's cross-examination became heated Tuesday when defense attorney Teny Geragos began questioning Diddy's ex-girlfriend about the money he spent on her and gifts she received from the rapper.
Texts to Combs from Jane about the "Last Night" rapper buying purses for another woman were brought up in court. Geragos commented that Jane also received a bag of her own.
"No, I only got trauma … after three-and-a-half years, I really don't think I garnered anything," Jane told the court.
Geragos asked, "How much do Bottega bags cost?" to which Jane replied, "How much does my body cost?" before asking the court for a break from testimony. When court resumed, Jane apologized to Geragos.
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