Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial continues after Capricorn Clark describes relationship with Cassie Ventura

CNN

28-05-2025

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Title: Partial female DNA profile found on bottle in Kid Cudi's Porsche, arson investigator says
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The bottle, cloth, and lighter were tested for DNA, but only the bottle returned results, arson investigator Lance Jimenez said.
He confirmed that a partial DNA profile consistent with a female contributor came from the bottle, but said he didn't know exactly what that meant.
Earlier, Jimenez testified that he does not have any expertise in DNA testing or analysis.
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Title: Kid Cudi's car was targeted, arson investigator says
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Los Angeles arson investigator Lance Jimenez testified that he believes someone targeted Kid Cudi's Porsche.
He noted that it was not easily visible from the street and parked in an affluent neighborhood with low crime activity. Another car parked in the driveway at the time was not harmed, he testified.
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Title: Arson investigator said Molotov cocktail in Kid Cudi's Porsche caused smoldering fire
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Arson investigator Lance Jimenez said the Molotov cocktail in Kid Cudi's Porsche didn't cause the damage it could have.
The gasoline didn't spread fire throughout the car because the cloth fell out of the bottle that didn't shatter, causing only a smoldering fire.
Had the fire bomb exploded as intended, Jimenez said, the car parked a few feet from the house would have likely spread to the nearby foliage and eventually the home.
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Title: LAPD, LAFD testimony could aid prosecution in proving racketeering charge, legal expert says
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A Los Angeles police officer and a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator took the stand today to provide testimony that could help the prosecution prove the racketeering conspiracy charge against Sean 'Diddy' Combs with regards to Kid Cudi's arson and break-in allegations, trial attorney Kelly Hyman said.
Yesterday, former assistant to Combs Capricorn Clark provided details during her testimony about Cassie Ventura's relationship with Kid Cudi, whose name is Scott Mescudi, and how that did not sit well with Combs. Clark testified that she was kidnapped and taken to Mescudi's home by Combs, which Hyman said could also be key in proving the racketeering conspiracy. However, these allegations were not brought to police or made it to court. However, Hyman said, the prosecution witnesses from the LAPD and LAFD can still help prove the charge.
'So it's important to remember that when Kid Cudi took the witness stand he testified that he believed that Diddy caused the harm to his car, the arson,' Hyman told CNN. 'So when the prosecution now has the people from the LA Police Department and also the fire department, they can discuss exactly what happened to the car to help substantiate the prosecution's position.'
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Title: Kid Cudi's Porsche had severe damage, but not typical of Molotov cocktail incidents, investigator says
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Arson investigator Lance Jimenez said there was 'severe damage' to Kid Cudi's Porsche, but not nearly the kind of catastrophic damage he normally sees from fully operational Molotov cocktails.
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Title: Jury shown more images of Kid Cudi's destroyed car
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The jury is now being shown photos of the damage to the Porsche, including one that shows the Molotov cocktail bottle on the drivers seat.
Kid Cudi last week accused Sean 'Diddy' Combs of being involved in the destruction of his Porsche, which was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail outside of his home. During his testimony last week, the jury also reviewed photos of the destroyed car.
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Title: Arson investigator testifies Kid Cudi's Porsche showed signs of fire damage
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Arson investigator Lance Jimenez said the Porsche was parked close to the garage.
He observed a cut in the canvas roof of the vehicle and burn patterns throughout the seats, the center console, the interior roofing, and some of the carpet.
'There was a bottle on the front seat and there was like a cloth, a handkerchief, on the center console that was burned,' he said. He noticed a disposable lighter outside of the car, a couple of feet from the driver's side.
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Title: Fire official says he investigated 2012 fire that destroyed Kid Cudi's Porsche
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Los Angeles Fire arson investigator Lance Jimenez testified that he responded to Kid Cudi's home on January 9, 2012 to investigate the fire set to the rapper's Porsche.
The rapper testified last week that he got a call from his dog sitter one morning in January 2012 and was told that his car was on fire. During his testimony, the jury reviewed photos of the destroyed car.
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Title: An arson investigator is the next witness
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Arson investigator Lance Jimenez is now on the stand.
Jimenez has worked for the Los Angeles Fire Department since 2003.
Judge Arun Subramanian qualified Jimenez as an expert in fire cause and origin determination.
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Title: LAPD officer testifies Kid Cudi was "flustered" after 2011 incident
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Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Ignacio testified that Kid Cudi was 'flustered, real flustered,' but did not report a gun being involved or that any property was stolen from the home.
Ignacio is off the stand. The prosecution did not conduct a redirect examination.
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Title: Police report from alleged break-in at Kid Cudi's home didn't mention a gun, officer says
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Officer Christopher Ignacio is testifying about the alleged break-in at Kid Cudi's home.
He said he didn't remember if anyone told him a gun was involved in the incident, but he confirmed he didn't reference a gun in his report.
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Title: Defense cross-examines LAPD officer
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Defense attorney Brian Steel is cross-examining Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Ignacio.
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Title: Los Angeles officer describes the scene when he arrived at Kid Cudi's home
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Officer Christopher Ignacio, with the Los Angeles Police Department, is describing the scene when he arrived at Kid Cudi's home in 2011.
Ignacio said he noticed the a black Escalade that was parked outside of the home when he pulled up drive by the home about 15 to 20 minutes later. When he ran the license plate, the vehicle's registration tied back to Bad Boy Productions Inc.
Ignacio said he entered the home. The door was unlocked, he testified.
No one was home, but the officer noted several high-value watches and purses. Some were wrapped and some were unwrapped, Ignacio testified.
Ignacio said Kid Cudi eventually came back to the house, and they filed a trespassing report.
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Title: LAPD officer testifies he responded to Kid Cudi's home in 2011 and saw a black Escalade flee
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Officer Christopher Ignacio has been with the Los Angeles Police Department for about 16 years.
Ignacio responded to Kid Cudi's home the morning Sean 'Diddy' Combs allegedly broke in December 2011. At the time, he was on patrol in the Hollywood division, which included Kid Cudi's house.
He and his partner responded to a radio call for a possible burglary at the home at 8:20 a.m.
Ignacio testified that he noticed a black Escalade parked outside Kid Cudi's home when he arrived. The SUV took off up the hill as the marked police vehicle, with lights and sirens on, pulled up behind it.
He said he took note of the license plate but couldn't see any passengers through the tinted glass. Ignacio testified that he didn't pursue the Escalade because there wasn't a crime at that point.
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Title: Jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial enters the courtroom
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The jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial is entering now.
The prosecution calls Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Ignacio to the stand.
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Title: One of Cassie Ventura's friends is expected to take the stand today
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Prosecutors and defense attorneys debated this morning whether Deonte Nash — a friend of Casandra Ventura who is slated to testify this morning — should be permitted to testify that Ventura told him about the 'Freak Offs,' or drug-fueled sex performances allegedly orchestrated by Sean 'Diddy' Combs.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said Nash recalls that Ventura told him she didn't want to leave her 29th birthday party to have a 'Freak Off' with Combs.
According to the prosecutor, Ventura told Nash, 'He's making me 'Freak Off' on my birthday'
Judge Arun Subramanian said he'd rule definitively before Nash takes the stand.
The defense argued the jury shouldn't hear the testimony from Nash because it didn't come up during Ventura's testimony, and she's unavailable to be recalled to the stand by the defense.
Ventura testified that Combs came to her 29th birthday party and insisted they leave the party to have a 'Freak Off,' even though she said she didn't want to.
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Title: Prosecutors and defense attorneys are discussing some issues before the jury arrives
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Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are discussing some issues before the jury enters and testimony begins for the day.
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Title: Here's who is expected to testify today
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Prosecutors said they plan to call four witnesses today: A Los Angeles Police Department officer, a Los Angeles Fire Department investigator, Deonte Nash and a woman called 'Mia,' who is one of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former assistants and an alleged victim.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said she believes the team will get to all four witnesses today.
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Title: Here's what happened yesterday on Day 10 of the Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial
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The jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' racketeering and sex-trafficking trial heard testimony from only one witness yesterday, Capricorn Clark, a former employee of Combs:
These are takeaways from what we heard:
Combs said he planned to kill Kid Cudi, ex-assistant says:
Multiple alleged threats from Combs:
Ex-assistant says she still wanted to work with Diddy:
Read more takeaways from yesterday's proceedings here.