Diddy trial live: Hotel rooms cleaned to 'protect' rapper's public image, court hears

Sky News

22-05-2025

We're pausing our live coverage
That concludes our live coverage of the eighth day of the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
If you're just checking in, here is a recap of the testimony from today's witnesses.
George Kaplan, former assistant to Combs The court heard how Kaplan set up hotel rooms for Combs, including clothes, candles, baby oil, Astroglide [lubricant], and that Combs would host a female partner;
After Combs left, it would be Kaplan's job to collect his belongings, clear up the baby oil and tidy away "lots" of liquor bottles, the court heard;
Kaplan said it was implied his job was to protect Combs and his public image;
Combs threatened his job on occasion, he added.
Gerard Gannon, Homeland Security agent Gannon gave more details on what was found during the raid of Combs' property;
Residue that tested positive for cocaine and ketamine was found inside a Gucci bag, as well as MDMA pills, a meth fragment, and evidence of ketamine and xanax, the court heard;
The court was shown a photo of a closet in a hallway containing 25 bottles of baby oil and 31 bottles of Astroglide lubricant;
Male escort Sharay Hayes has previously testified that baby oil was used during sexual encounters with Combs and his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura;
Guns and bullets were also found;
Defence lawyer Teny Geragos tried to show that the guns were kept safely stored and the magazines were not loaded into the receivers;
He seemed to suggest investigators manipulated what they found for the photos and arranged them in a way that looked nefarious.
Dawn Hughes, clinical and forensic psychologist Hughes was giving evidence as a blind witness, so she had not reviewed evidence in the case and was not there to comment on specifics;
Instead, she outlined the nature of abusive relationships and how they can impact victims;
She talked about how it was common for victims to stay in abusive relationships and to delay disclosing abuse until some time after it had occurred;
Substance abuse was a very common coping mechanism to numb the pain, she said;
PTSD could make recalling information difficult, she said.
In pictures: Seized guns and messages scrawled on Diddy's mirror
We can now bring you some more images submitted by the prosecution, taken during a Homeland Security raid of Sean Combs' property.
Messages scrawled on a mirror read "What do you want?" and "you a legend".
Other photographs show weapons and pills that the court heard were seized during testimony earlier today.
Jury dismissed
That's all the testimony we'll hear today. Former Combs assistant George Kaplan will be back on the stand tomorrow.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said she has 30 minutes of questions left before the defence team take over.
Assistant describes preparing hotel rooms with baby oil for Combs
George Kaplan, a former assistant to Combs, is still on the stand, describing how he travelled with the musician by private jet.
He would set up hotel rooms for Combs, including clothes, candles, baby oil, Astroglide [lubricant], adding that Combs would host a female partner at the hotel.
After Combs left, it would be Kaplan's job to collect his belongings, take the baby oil away, tidy away "lots" of liquor bottles, the court hears.
Kaplan says it was implied his job was to protect Combs and his public image, because hotels would sell photos to embarrass celebrities.
On a couple of occasions, Combs had Kaplan bring him drugs, he says, though he never asked him to get a specific type of drug.
Former assistant: 'Angry Combs threatened my job'
Former assistant George Kaplan says Combs threatened his job on occasion, maybe monthly.
The court hears Combs would say he was only surrounded by the best and those who were not performing wouldn't last.
His tone was motivational, sometimes angry, Kaplan says.
Former Combs assistant takes stand
George Kaplan, a former employee of Sean Combs, is taking the stand.
He explains how he worked at the musician's homes and in Los Angeles, carrying and unpacking his bags, making sure his homes were organised, setting up hotel rooms, making sure all Combs' toiletries were available and his office was ready, and working late nights at the studio.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey is first to question him.
Several objections made to line of questioning
There have been several sidebars as prosecutors object to a line of questioning where defence attorney Jonathan Bach is probing what trauma expert Dr Dawn Hughes discussed with prosecutors in her meetings before she appeared to testify.
Hughes then confirms that she is testifying as a blind expert, without knowledge of the particulars of the case.
Jury sent to break room as 2015 webinar discussed in court
The jury are sent to a side room while the judge, prosecution and defence discuss whether a piece of evidence will be included in the trial.
The defence want a webinar from 2015, given by Dr Hughes, to be shown to the jury.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Bach argues the webinar was training for advocates of abused women, and therefore puts her testimony into perspective.
The prosecution argues the webinar is not relevant and does not indicate any bias on the part of Dr Hughes, adding it will be confusing for the jury.
The judge agrees and rules on the side of the prosecution.
The jury return to court.
Cross-examination focuses on memories and reasons for taking legal action
Under cross-examination by Combs's defence, Dr Dawn Hughes is asked about the reasons people talk to civil lawyers to bring lawsuits in cases of alleged abuse.
She says people go to such lawyers to right a wrong, and adds she does both civil and criminal work.
Asked if memories can be fragmented, she agrees that they can.
Jonathan Bach follows this with a question about people having hazy memories. He suggests someone could recall details they didn't before after consulting a civil lawyer.
The prosecution objects, and the judge sustains their protest.
Bach changes tack a little, saying people could have new memories after speaking to a lawyer for all kinds of reasons.
Dr Hughes suggests memories can be recalled differently over time.
Bach asks if memories change over time, and Dr Hughes agrees that they do.
Defence focuses on general nature of expert's testimony
Defence attorney Jonathan Bach is back cross-examining trauma expert Dr Dawn Hughes.
She is asked if a psychologist should only form an opinion after interviewing them.
There are other guidelines, that is part of one, she replies.
Bach suggests she did not, in this case, do a comprehensive evaluation.
"I was not asked to do that," she replies.
Asked if she has given the same testimony in other court cases, she says it is her area of expertise.