Sean "Diddy" Combs Speaks Out in Court With 4-Word Message
Originally appeared on E! Online
Sean "Diddy" Combs is speaking out amid his criminal trial.
The rap mogul—who has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution—verbally addressed those inside the New York City courtroom where he was being tried on May 20.
"I love you all," Combs said aloud as court adjourned for the day, before adding under his breath, per People: "Yeah. Love."
He went on speak to a woman in the gallery, telling her in what appeared to be a reference to his 31-year-old son Justin Combs, "Please let Justin know I'm thinking of him."
But this was not Combs' first public declaration of love in his trial. As seen in courtroom sketches from his May 13 appearance, the 55-year-old made a heart gesture with his hands as he was led to his seat at the defense table.
While Combs has yet to take the stand, several notable figures from his past have already testified in the proceeding—including ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
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In her testimony, Ventura said she participated in hundreds of sex parties known as "freak offs" with hired escorts at the instruction of Combs. The "Me & You" singer said she would have to perform even when she was suffering from painful urinary tract infections (UTIs), alleging that Combs threatened to release footage of her from the sexual encounters should she stop participating in them.
"I would get sores on my tongue from the freak offs from taking drugs," Ventura, 38, recounted in her testimony, according to NBC News, "from oral sex, also from having my mouth on things where there was oil and Astroglide and lubricants."
Ventura ultimately left Combs in 2018 after more than a decade of dating.
"It was always in the back of my mind that I would somehow be hurt by him," Ventura testified. "Sean is a really polarizing person. He was very charming, it was hard to decide in that moment when he was telling you what he wanted. I just didn't know what would happen."
For more details about Combs' court trial, keep reading.
(E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
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AP reporters go behind the story in discussing coverage of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs case
NEW YORK (AP) — Hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been charged in federal court with sex trafficking and racketeering and has pleaded not guilty. The trial has generated salacious headlines and massive coverage. In this episode of 'The Story Behind the AP Story,' reporters Larry Neumeister and Michael Sisak share their coverage of the case as the trial unfolds and witnesses take the stand. The episode contains sound and descriptions that some listeners may find graphic or violent. Listener discretion is advised. ___ Julie Walker, Host: I'm Julie Walker. On this episode of 'The Story Behind the AP Story,' we go inside the Sean 'Diddy' Combs case. He's charged in federal court with sex trafficking and racketeering and has pleaded not guilty. The trial has generated salacious headlines and massive coverage. (SOUND OF AP RADIO REPORTS ABOUT THE TRIAL) The trial began in May, and the judge has said he expects to wrap up the case by July 4th. We'll hear from AP reporters who have been in court with Combs as the trial unfolds and witnesses take the stand. To kick us off Larry Neumeister explains what the case is about. Larry Neumeister, reporter: So, when the feds go after somebody, they look for what kind of charges are federal crimes. And in this case, sex trafficking, bringing people across state lines to do illegal sex acts, or racketeering, which can involve many different things, including that 2016 tape of Cassie being beat up by Sean Combs by the elevator bank in that Los Angeles hotel. That, actually, is a centerpiece of the evidence against Combs in this case. And a lot of charges like domestic violence are all kind of things they could have brought against Sean Combs years ago. Well, there's a statute of limitations that would rule out certain charges, and certain charges just — there is no federal domestic violence charge. That's something that is brought more locally or statewide. 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WALKER: So how is the jury taking all of this all in. We've got eight women and four men, plus the six alternates. NEUMEISTER: One thing I've seen with this jury that I've hardly ever seen with a jury is incredible attention to every witness. They turn in their chairs, they're pointed toward the witness, they're scribbling notes like mad. I've never seen so much as a juror yawn, although I did see Kid Cudi — he was yawning several times. WALKER: Because cameras are not allowed in the courtroom, the only thing that those not attending the trial can see are sketch artists' depictions of Combs, and we see a very different Diddy. SISAK: Sean Combs, according to his assistant who testified, was using just for men to hide gray hair. And he had jet black hair up until the time he was arrested and put in jail last year. And then we also learned that hair dye is not allowed in jail. So in court, he has had this gray salt and pepper hair, goatee. He has been allowed to wear for the trial, sweaters, button-down shirts, khakis and the like. It's a stark difference in look. NEUMEISTER: You can't have dye, right, Mike? I'll tell you though, the guy is so involved with his defense, it's like off the charts, kind of amazing. I don't think I've ever seen this to this degree before. There was a witness, it was Kid Cudi, where at the end of his testimony, the prosecutors got him to say he believed Sean Combs was lying when he said he didn't know anything about his car when he brought it up. Kid Cudi's car was exploded in his driveway one day with a Molotov cocktail and absolutely destroyed. And so he had a meeting with Sean Combs some weeks after that and at the very end of the meeting, he said, brought up the car. And Sean Combs said, 'Oh, what are you talking about? I don't know anything about that.' 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