Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial updates: SDNY to rest Tuesday; defense not calling witnesses
This is week seven of testimony in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs.Jun 23, 12:51 PMJury reviews Combs' alleged texts about escorts, 'freak-offs'
Through a combination of text messages, travel records, hotel receipts and other records, the prosecution showed the jury what they argue were the logistics involved in the alleged arrangements made for male escorts for Sean Combs to participate in sexual encounters.'Hey in NYC have entertainment for after midnight?' Combs wrote in a text message to a woman at a male escort service.'Will be there in ten mins with the cash,' one of Combs' bodyguards wrote in a message to 'Jane,' a former Combs girlfriend who testified under a pseudonym. "Jane" messaged back: 'OK great. Room 508. Do you have a key?'
The jury was shown invoices from hotels where prosecutors said the alleged sexual encounters occurred. The jury saw one bill for $2,490.17 from the Trump International Hotel from a stay there in September 2023.In one audio message, Combs allegedly said, 'There's no more baby oil.'The jury was shown records from 'Jane's' travel, including a car service and a Jet Blue flight arranged by a woman who handled travel for Combs.The jury also was shown messages about IV fluids Combs and 'Jane' received to help them recover from the sexual encounters. 'Extra Benadryl,' Combs' former assistant, Brendan Paul, said in a text message. The IV drip also included sodium chloride, B12, zinc, vitamin C and amino acids, according to the messages presented by prosecutors.The jury also saw a text to Combs from his then-chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, from September 2023. 'Next time you leave when you're randomly partying you have to tell us. Can't just uber lit with a guest. That's when bad s--- happens. You know this,' the message said. 'Puff, seriously that is reckless.'Combs responded in part, 'I love you to death, but you have to stop.'Federal prosecutors said they were able to identify more than 40 arranged sexual encounters with male escorts -- referred to at various times during testimony as 'freak-offs,' 'hotel nights' or 'wild king nights,' depending on the witness -- that allegedly took place between 2021 and 2024, including one prosecutors say happened just weeks before Combs' arrest in September 2024. Combs has maintained that all encounters were consensual.
Jun 23, 10:15 AMSean Combs likely won't testify in his own defense
Given that the defense said this morning that it will rest its case without calling witnesses, that likely implies that Sean Combs will not testify in his own defense.It is likely that Judge Arun Subramanian will ask Combs at some point to formally confirm the choice.The jury at Combs' trial is now seeing sexually explicit videos depicting him, his former girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane,' and a male escort.Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Joseph Cerciello, a summary witness for the government, testified that he reviewed 'multiple hours' of explicit videosFederal prosecutors said they were able to identify more than 40 arranged sexual encounters with male escorts -- referred to at various times during testimony as 'freak-offs,' 'hotel nights' or 'wild king nights,' depending on the witness -- that allegedly took place between 2021 and 2024, including one prosecutors say happened just weeks before Combs' arrest in September 2024. Combs has maintained that all encounters were consensual. The jury was shown video excerpts along with travel records, hotel invoices and money transfers collected during the investigation. Federal prosecutors are hoping to convince jurors that the sexual acts depicted in the videos were the result of alleged coordinated criminal activity by Combs, his chief of staff, his assistants, his travel manager, his finance people and his bodyguards, all of which Combs has denied.
Jun 23, 9:16 AMProsecution expects to rest Tuesday; defense not calling witnesses
Federal prosecutors said Monday that they now expect to rest their case on Tuesday once special agent Joseph Cerciello of Homeland Security Investigations concludes his testimony.The defense said it plans to rest without calling any witnesses, only submitting some evidence.Given the revised schedule, the judge will hold a charging conference Wednesday followed by summations on Thursday.
Jun 23, 8:39 AMProsecution expected to rest their case today
Federal prosecutors in New York expect to rest their case against Sean "Diddy" Combs today, relying on the testimony of nearly three dozen witnesses and hundreds of exhibits to try to prove their contention that the hip-hop impresario ran a criminal conspiracy that trafficked women and transported prostitutes.The final witness for the prosecution, Joseph Cerciello of Homeland Security Investigations, walked the jury through reams of travel records, hotel invoices and money transfers that prosecutors hope will convince the jury that Combs and his associates trafficked his ex-girlfriend, who testified earlier under the pseudonym 'Jane.'Combs' former assistant, Brendan Paul, who was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony, previously told the jury that he bought and carried drugs for Combs. Paul was arrested in March 2024 for cocaine possession while aboard a private plane with Combs.'Was the cocaine yours, Mr. Paul?' prosecutor Christy Slavik asked.'No,' Paul testified in response.'Whose cocaine was it?' Slavik followed up.'Mr. Combs,' Paul testified.The drug charges against Paul were dropped last year after he completed a pre-trial intervention program.The criminal enterprise Combs is accused of operating committed drug offenses, according to federal prosecutors. Combs has conceded that he used illicit drugs but has denied running a criminal enterprise. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the government's charges.Paul also told the jury that Combs wanted his assistants to 'move like SEAL Team Six' and anticipate his every need. He testified that it was part of his job to buy a pound of marijuana every two months and to procure a powdery mix of ketamine and molly, known as tusi, that was 'dyed pink for the aesthetic.'Paul further testified that he set up hotel rooms for so-called "freak-off" sexual encounters, which he knew as 'wild king nights,' stocking items like lubricant and baby oil. The jury saw photos of the items arranged in Combs' Los Angeles homes.On cross-examination, Paul testified that he never noticed 'Jane' being hesitant or apprehensive about participating in what she called 'hotel night' sexual encounters.Once prosecutors rest their case, defense attorneys have said their case will likely take a day or two to present.
Jun 23, 5:05 AMRead updates from week 6
Click here to catch up on everything from the sixth week of the Sean Combs trial.
Click here to read the rest of the blog.
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