Diddy's ex-assistant says he 'brainwashed' her when she sent messages of support and love
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial.
The fourth week of testimony in Diddy's sex trafficking trial commenced with one of his former personal assistants, a woman identified in court by the pseudonym 'Mia,' taking the stand for a third and final day. Her testimony, including allegations of forced labor, is an element of the federal prosecution's racketeering conspiracy charge in which the music mogul is accused of directing a ' criminal enterprise. '
Amid Mia's testimony, an internal courthouse feed briefly displayed her image on an overflow room's video screen, despite a judge's order that her face not be shown or even drawn by courtroom sketch artists. Upon returning from a break, prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that she felt defense lawyer Brian Steel's line of questioning had been sarcastic and humiliating to Mia. Subramanian said he didn't believe Mia was being mistreated, but warned Steel to ask a question and move on, or he would step in.
Here's what else to know about today's testimony:
Steel revisited a text in which Mia wrote that she wanted to harm herself and that 'my life is over' after being let go from her job in 2017. She denied that she lied on the stand when she testified last week that Diddy sexually assaulted her. Steel also showed messages from 2018 to 2020 in which she expressed affection toward her former boss.
Mia responded that 'I was brainwashed' by Diddy, which, she said, prevented her from coming forward earlier about the alleged sexual abuse. 'It's been a long process,' she said. 'I'm still untangling these things. I'm in therapy.'
After Mia, the government briefly called Sylvia Oken, area director of sales and marketing at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where Diddy allegedly caused damage to rooms. Oken said he used the aliases 'Phillip Pines' and 'Frank Black' for reservations.
By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas and Jing Feng
A female juror could be seen smiling, seeming to enjoy Steel's cross-examination of Mia. At times, the juror would widen her eyes and furrow her brow, appearing to be skeptical of some of Mia's testimony.
After the jury was dismissed, Comey alerted Subramanian that Mia's face was shown to the overflow room in an exhibit. The judge asked if it was redacted footage that should have been aired or if the incorrect version was used. Prosecutors didn't have an answer.
👨⚖️ Analysis: Why stay?
By Danny Cevallos
On cross-examination, Steel circled back to Mia's 'kill myself' text message. And Mia didn't shy away from it either, testifying: 'My entire world was being ripped away from me immediately. And even, in hindsight, that world was awful. I didn't know it at the time, so that's why it felt like everything was ending.'
This is one of those situations where the testimony could go either way for the jury. If a juror believes an employee can quit in the face of intolerable work conditions, then that's bad for the government. In fact, the more hostile the environment described by Mia, the less believable she is.
But on the other hand, lots of people, including the jurors, can understand having to stay at a bad job. Not only do regular people have bills to pay, but psychologically, leaving a job is a major life change — and usually an unpleasant one. It raises an interesting question: Can employees be as trapped in a work 'relationship' as a partner can be trapped in a domestic relationship?
🗓️ What's next
Tomorrow: Eddy Garcia, a security supervisor at the Los Angeles hotel where Diddy was seen on security video assaulting longtime girlfriend Casandra Ventura in 2016, is expected to take the stand tomorrow. He was in court briefly today to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. Another of Diddy's accusers, who is going by the pseudonym 'Jane,' could take the stand later this week, prosecutors said.
PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧
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