Suge Knight Says Diddy Should Testify In His Own Trial To 'Humanize' Himself
A lengthy list of witnesses have testified so far during Sean 'Diddy' Combs', but the defendant noticeably chose to not take the stand at all. Suge Knight has continued to weigh in on how court proceedings are playing out, and he recently doubled down on his surprising take about the case and even suggested Diddy should testify.
Earlier this week, the Death Row Records executive shared he felt there's a chance his longtime rival could beat his charges. 'I feel if he do tell his truth, he really would walk,' Knight elaborated Thursday (May 30) in a phone interview from the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego.
He then discussed a possible strategy the Bad Boy founder could use to help his road to a potential victory. 'If Puffy goes up there and says, 'Hey… I did all the drugs, I wasn't in control of my life at the time, or myself' – he can humanize his old self and the jury might give him a shot.'
'But if they keep him sitting down, it's like he's scared to face the music,' Knight added. 'He should just have his faith in God, put up his pants and go up there and tell his truth.'
Suge is currently in prison for an unrelated crime, serving a 28-year-sentence for a deadly hit-and-run in 2015.
In the aforementioned conversation from earlier this week, Knight surprised many people with his opinion because of his well-known decades-long beef with the NYC mogul. 'Puffy and I are not friends,' he explained to Cuomo. 'But Puffy should definitely walk free.'
According to him, Diddy's not the only one who should be taking the blame for all of the alleged crimes. 'The most important thing is that it was other executives that were involved in Puffy's life. For Puffy to be the only guy that gets on the stand is a sad day for Hip-Hop,' he continued.
Diddy is facing one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was arrested in NYC on Sept. 16, 2024, and held at MDC Brooklyn without bail. His trial is expected to last all of June and into July.
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Sean Combs Trial: RICO Heating Up, Suspicious Destroyed Evidence and Alleged Rape
The third week of Sean Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering criminal trial brought three crucial witnesses for the prosecution to the stand: former staffers who all claim they not only witnessed Combs attack Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura but that they were subjected to a range of abuse themselves while trying to protect her from the unpredictable and volatile hip-hop mogul. Their testimonies help corroborate Ventura's accusations of physical abuse against Combs, who is accused of keeping the R&B singer trapped in an abusive dynamic through physical force, manipulation, and coercion. The former employees also help build out the Southern District of New York's racketeering charge against Combs, who is accused of using his billion-dollar empire as a criminal enterprise to carry out acts of bribery, arson, and kidnapping. More from Rolling Stone Sean Combs Accuser Sues Harvey Weinstein for Sexual Assault Trump Addresses Possible Sean Combs Pardon: 'I Would Certainly Look at the Facts' Sean Combs' Ex-Assistant Says He Terrorized Her With Threats Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to the five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution charges against him. If convicted, he stands to face 15 years to life in prison. Although the former employees spoke at length of their fearfulness of Combs, the mogul's all-star defense team questioned them on why they remained friendly with Combs after either departing his company or claims of sexual assault. The defense went particularly hard on Combs' former personal assistant, Mia, referred to as Victim-4 in the government's case. Mia claimed that Combs sexually assaulted her numerous times throughout her employment and would threaten to tell Ventura that she instigated the alleged assaults if she failed to carry out his demands. Highlighting the numerous loving social media posts Mia made about Combs, attorney Brian Steel asked Mia, 'How did you find any goodness with Mr. Combs after what you described to the ladies and gentlemen of this jury?' 'I think there [are] a lot of textbooks out there that will explain it very easily,' she replied in part. 'It's an abusive relationship, the cycle of violence.' Here are the key moments from the trial's third week: The first two weeks of the trial focused mainly on the government's charges of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution as it related to Combs' relationship with Ventura. The R&B singer testified that although she loved Combs, she was trapped in the abusive dynamic through threats, physical violence, threats, and coercion. She said many members of Combs' team were present when Combs would attack her, particularly his security, but rarely intervened. This week brought the racketeering charge into focus. Prosecutors claim that between 2004 and 2024, Combs used his sprawling businesses as a criminal enterprise to commit a range of offenses, including 'sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice.' Combs is accused of forced labor by exploiting and maintaining control over certain employees' lives by leading them to 'believe they would be harmed' or face financial ruin if they disappointed him. Combs' global brand director, Capricorn Clark, his personal assistant 'Mia,' and celebrity stylist Deonte Nash all testified about their overlapping tenure working for Combs between 2004 and 2018. They described their initial excitement at being part of the Bad Boy family but said their lives quickly became consumed by the chaotic, nonstop working environment Combs fostered. They testified that their jobs were in constant jeopardy and they were expected to be available for Combs' every whim. Clark said in exchange for her $65,000 salaried position as Combs' personal assistant, she developed stress-induced alopecia and averaged two to four hours of sleep a night. When she attempted to collect $80,000 in overtime pay, Clark said Combs ripped up the paperwork in front of her. Mia said after being hired in 2009, she suffered a physical breakdown after staying awake for five days straight, suffering blurred vision and muffled hearing. She was only allowed to sleep when she burst into tears. Eventually, a good portion of their roles became intertwined with Combs' relationship with Ventura, the witnesses claim, facing threats and physical attacks when Combs was upset with Ventura. Nash claimed Combs once threw him onto a parked car and strangled him because he had gone out with Ventura without Combs' permission. What was supposed to be an idyllic vacation in Turks and Caicos turned into Mia and Ventura escaping an irate Combs by paddle board, venturing far out into the ocean in stormy weather. And Clark said she sat frozen in fear when Combs allegedly kidnapped her, showing up at her apartment with a gun and forcing her to accompany him as he looked to confront Kid Cudi over his fling with Ventura in December 2011. Clark alleged she was held against her will at an earlier time, in 2004, after jewelry that Combs had on loan went missing. Clark said Combs' security guard brought her to a dilapidated office building, where she was questioned by a heavy-set, unidentified man for five consecutive days. 'He says I had been brought to the building to take a lie detector test to figure out what happened with this jewelry,' Clark testified. 'He said if you fail these tests, they're going to throw you in the East River.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Johnson said during opening statements that Mia's experience with Combs fell under the racketeering conspiracy charge. Combs 'used physical force, physiological harm, financial harm, reputational harm and/or threats of the same to cause the employee to engage in sex acts with Combs,' a March indictment alleged. Mia also testified that shortly after Ventura filed her sex trafficking lawsuit against Combs in November 2023, she was contacted out of the blue by D-Roc, a former senior member of Combs' security team. Mia said her 'radar went off' during a phone call where a nervous-sounding D-Roc began 'talking in circles,' attempting to minimize the violence in Combs and Ventura's relationship. Mia said Combs then attempted to contact her. 'I don't wanna be blowing up your phone,' Combs wrote to Mia in February 2024. 'Just needed to talk to you for 10 minutes. Just need my memory jogged on some things. You were my right hand for years, so I just [want] to speak to you to remember who was even around me. And it would be good to hear your voice. But if you don't want to, all good. Just let me know. Love. Hope you're well.' Around that same time, Mia said D-Roc asked how he could send her money. Mia said she never accepted the money and never replied to Combs. Combs' former personal assistant Mia, who worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017, alleged her boss sexually assaulted her numerous times during her employment and threatened to twist the narrative if she dared to disobey him. It was especially devastating, Mia testified, because she considered Ventura like a sister. 'I was going to die with this,' she told the court. 'I didn't want anyone to know ever.' Mia said the first encounter happened at Combs' 40th birthday party at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. She said she believed two vodka shots that Combs handed her might have been drugged, causing her head to spin as Combs leaned in for a kiss and slid his hand up her dress. Her next memory was waking up on a chair in another room, she testified. The alleged assaults were always random and sporadic, Mia said. Once, she alleged, Combs climbed on top of her while she was sleeping in a staff bunk bed at his Los Angeles house and penetrated her. Another time, Mia alleged he unzipped his pants while she was packing his clothes and forced her to perform oral sex on him. There were several other sexual assaults, Mia claimed, but she blocked many of them out, only able to recall a 'dark horrible feeling' in the pit of her stomach surrounding them. Mia said she never discussed the alleged assaults with Combs, but alleged he would vaguely refer to them while threatening her. 'He threatened that he was going to tell everybody, and he was going to telecast as though I had something to do with it,' Mia said. 'That he would fire me and ruin my future and somehow twist the story into making me look like a threat.' During her four days on the stand, Ventura said throughout her decade-long relationship with Combs, she was forced into participating in countless freak-offs at Combs' behest. The freak-offs are at the heart of the sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution charges against Combs; as Ventura testified, she dreaded the freak-offs and tried to push back but felt unable to refuse Combs. On cross-examination, Combs' defense team quizzed Ventura on the numerous emails and text exchanges with Combs, where she seemingly expressed an openness to continue the sexual encounters. Yet, Ventura was adamant that she would give anything never to have had to experience a freak-off. This week, at least one witness seemed to corroborate Ventura's claim that she didn't want to have freak-offs with Combs yet felt she had no other choice. Ventura's stylist and friend, Deonte Nash, recalled a pushy Combs yanking Ventura away from her 29th birthday celebration in 2015. 'As they were leaving, Puff was telling Cassie, 'Fuck you, I do all this — I'll do everything for you, and you just can't do this one thing for me,'' Nash recalled. 'I was like, 'Girl, what is [he] over there doing, what is [he] talking about?' And Cassie said, 'Girl, [he's] just mad because I don't want to go to the hotel and freak-off with him.'' Later that night, Nash recalled an intoxicated Combs yelling out, 'Y'all's girl is going to get some dick tonight.' A 'high' Ventura reluctantly packed a bag filled with sex toys and cash to leave with Combs. Nash said Ventura told him that Combs was 'making her' go to the hotel. Mia said she became concerned for Ventura when she accidentally interrupted a freak-off while dropping off supplies for Combs at the hotel. She claimed Ventura answered the door in a bright blue wig and looked like she was 'struggling.' Ventura's demeanor was much 'different than I had seen her before,' Mia explained. 'So much that I asked, like, are you good? … She was kind of like, 'Shh, I'm good.' And closed the door.' A line of questioning to a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator led to Combs' defense team accusing SDNY prosecutors of 'outrageous' behavior and demanding a mistrial. In previous days, jurors heard testimony from Ventura, Kid Cudi, and Clark regarding a series of incidents that played out over the holidays in December 2011 and January 2012. They alleged that Combs became furious when he discovered Ventura was dating Cudi (whose real name is Scott Mescudi), allegedly breaking into Mescudi's home and making a series of threats against the singer. A few weeks after the break-in, Mescudi testified that his Porsche was firebombed in his driveway. Firefighter and arson investigator Lance Jimenez said as part of his investigation into the firebomb, he ordered fingerprints be collected from several items found at the scene, including the Porsche itself. Jimenez said two fingerprints had already been recovered from Mescudi's glass front door from the earlier break-in, which he passed along to the Los Angeles Police Department to be tested against any fingerprints found at the scene of the arson. But Jimenez said he never received any report back. Only recently did he learn that the fingerprint evidence was ordered to be destroyed in August 2012. (Earlier in his testimony, Jimenez said he made calls around that time to Clark and Ventura seeking statements about the firebombing.) Combs' defense team claimed prosecutors seemed to be suggesting that Combs had something to do with the fingerprint cards being destroyed. After a brief break, Combs' attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, asked for a mistrial. 'As the court will recall, during jury selection, there were issues raised by some prospective jurors about the idea that Mr. Combs could buy his way out of this,' she said. 'This type of conspiracy theory is out there, and the type of implication that we believe these questions were designed to create plays right into that.' However, Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying, 'There is absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape, or form, as the court sustained the objections that were raised.' Nearly two weeks after testifying against Combs in court, Ventura gave birth to her third child, a boy, on Tuesday. The 38-year-old had been seen earlier in the day running errands in New York City. The announcement played out in court Wednesday during cross-examination of Ventura's close friend, celebrity stylist Deonte Nash. Asked by defense attorney Xavier Donaldson when was the last time Nash had spoken with Ventura, he casually answered, 'After she had the baby yesterday [to] tell her congratulations.' Ventura shares two daughters with her husband, Alex Fine, who was by her side throughout her four days on the witness stand. The couple began dating in 2018 — around the time Ventura said she ended her relationship with Combs for good. They married in August 2019, welcomed their first daughter later that year, and had their second daughter in 2021. Steel's cross-examination of Mia will continue on Monday, June 2. The following witnesses will testify: InterContinental Hotel security supervisor Eddie Garcia, who will testify under immunity; hotel custodian Sylvia Okun and two men named Enrique Santos and Frank Piazza. The eight-week trial is expected to conclude before the July 4th holiday, as prosecutors previously stated they anticipated a six-week presentation of their case. However, Agnifilo flagged to the court this week that prosecutors indicated they had made 'fairly substantial changes in their direct case' and would no longer be calling certain witnesses. Agnifilo said this might lead to the defense's side taking longer. 'I think we are probably still bumping up against the 4th of July holiday,' Agnifilo said. 'I don't see ending that much earlier, even if the government rests a few days or a week early.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
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50 Cent says he will dissuade Trump from potential Diddy pardon
Rapper Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson said he would contact President Trump to dissuade him from considering a pardon for Sean 'Diddy' Combs if the embattled rapper and producer is found guilty in his ongoing federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial. Trump said he would 'look at the facts' when asked Friday if he would consider pardoning Combs. 'First of all, I'd look at what's happening. And I haven't been watching it too closely,' Trump said of the trial. He added, 'So, I don't know. I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me wouldn't have any impact.' 50 Cent criticized Combs in a Friday post on Instagram, claiming he has 'said some really bad things about Trump.' 'I'm gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy,' the 'In Da Club' rapper added, saying he would contact Trump about Combs. He doubled down in a subsequent Instagram post, writing that Trump 'doesn't take well to disrespect.' 'He would consider pardoning anyone who was being mistreated not Puffy Daddy,' 50 Cent added. Suge Knight, the former CEO of Death Row Records, also fanned the fire of speculation by suggesting earlier this week that Combs would receive a pardon if he's convicted. 'I think he got some favors with the government. I think they're going to show him a little leeway. It might not seem like it when it's all said and done, but I don't think he had nothing to worry about,' Knight told NewsNation. 'I don't think he's worried, because he's going to be federal. And if he gets convicted, Trump's going to pardon him.' Trump has made headlines with his recent pardons, which included reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley, who were convicted on bank fraud and tax evasion charges. Savannah Chrisley, one of the Chrisley's daughters, said Trump told her on the phone that 'you guys don't look like terrorists.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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In Da Anti-Clemency Club: No Sean 'Diddy' Combs Pardon From Trump, 50 Cent Vows
50 Cent is banking on some gangster game recognizing gangster game in an effort to halt any pardon consideration for Sean 'Diddy' Combs by Donald Trump. After POTUS said on May 30 in the Oval Office that he would 'certainly' consider clemency for Diddy are taking a 'look at the facts,' the In Da Club rapper went into overdrive to deny his sex-trafficking trial facing rival any chance at a Commander-in-chief Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card, preemptive or not. More from Deadline Paramount Plan To Pay Off Trump Sparks California Senate Probe, Requests For Ex-CBS News Brass To Testify Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds '60 Minutes' Veteran Lesley Stahl Expects To Soon Be "Mourning, Grieving" Paramount Settlement Of "Frivolous" Trump Lawsuit 'He said some really bad things about Trump, it's not ok,' Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson wrote online mere hours after the former Apprentice host made his comments about his old party pal Diddy. 'Im gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy.' On trial in New York City since May 12, Combs could end up spending the rest of his life in prison if found guilty on federal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and more. 50 Cent has been trolling Combs trial and testimony which saw his name brought up. Today, sidestepping his own past critiques of Trump, the Power EP made it very personal about stopping Combs from getting any favors from the convicted felon in the White House. 50 said on Instagram Saturday: 'Donald doesn't take well to disrespect and doesn't forget who chooses to go against him. while working tirelessly to make America great again there is no room for distraction. He would consider pardoning anyone who was being mistreated not Puffy Daddy' With a jury of eight men and four women and the much-accused Diddy at the table next to his 10-person defense team, the lower Manhattan courtroom has heard explicit and sometimes heartrending testimony of rapes, emotional and physical violence, blackmail, and filmed drug juiced 'freak-offs' from Combs former longtime girlfriend Cassie Ventura, and his ex-personal assistant 'Mia.' As well, Kid Cudi also took the stand detailing Combs' jealous actions during the Man on the Moon rapper's short affair with Ventura. Ex-Combs' staffers, law enforcement officials, 'freak-off' male escorts and more have testified too in what is expected to be an eight to 10 week trial. In an intriguing strategy that has an appeal baked in, the defense from the drop has admitted their client has committed domestic abuse, is a drug user, a swinger, and not a very nice guy. Attorney Teny Geragos mentioned all that in her opening statement. At the same time, the canny defense lawyer also made a point of mentioning that Combs isn't charged with any of that and the government should own up to that. Having handed out pardons to gang leaders, tax evading reality TV hosts, the relatives of donors, and January 6 insurgents, to name a few, over the past few months since returning to office, the teasing Trump insisted Friday that when it came to his once close friend Diddy's criminal case that he hasn't 'been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage.' Coverage and media real estate being the true coin of the realm with Trump offered some insight of sorts on his current relationship with Combs. 'I haven't seen him. I haven't seen him. I haven't spoken to him in years,' POTUS said with a DOGE departing Elon Musk at his side in the Oval Office. 'He used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics, sort of that relationship busted up.' To Trump's backhanded credit, that's putting it mildly on all counts. For one thing, back in the late 1990s and 2000s, the Art of the Deal author and the All About the Benjamins performer used to hit the town together. In a video invite to Diddy's birthday party in 1998, Trump was featured praising 'the legendary Puff Daddy.' In his 2006 We Gon' Make It track, Combs named dropped Trump as a rich man who lived large. As recently as 2015, as Trump began his first bid for the White House with attacks on immigrants, Combs unabashedly praised his fellow New Yorker. 'Donald Trump is a friend of mine, and he works very hard,' Combs told the Washington Post. It was a very different state of affairs by 2020. As an incumbent Trump mounted an ultimately unsuccessful campaign against Joe Biden, Covid-19 had the country in chaos, and the killing of George Floyd by a now incarcerated Minneapolis cop saw millions take to the streets for social justice, Combs was bluntly dismissive of his once good friend. 'White men like Trump need to be banished,' Combs told Charlamagne tha God five years ago as the Bad Boy Records founder created his own political party dedicated to issues important to Black America. 'That way of thinking is real dangerous,' Combs added, throwing his support behind ex-VP Biden. 'This man is trying to turn us against each other.' With a quickly settled ($20 million) abuse and assault lawsuit filed by Ventura in late 2023 and a flurry of more sexual assault allegations plus federal raids on his Miami and LA homes, no one wanted an endorsement from Combs. Amid the deep beef between 50 Cent and Combs, the Die Rich or Die Tryin' star had been pro-Trump in 2020, then pulled back his backing under duress from some other famous friends. In 2024 50 leaned in hard with claims that he turned down repeated offers to head out on the trail with the GOP candidate. 50 even said Trump offered him $3 million to be at his infamous and often racist October 27, 2024 Madison Square Garden rally. Still, on Election Night, 50 Cent was full MAGA. Before Trump stepped right into it in the Combs case this past week, there has been a lot of talk that members of Diddy's circle have been reaching out to Trumpland about pardons. Trump said on May 30 that 'no one has asked' him directly about such a move. Heading into next week, Combs' trial is nearing the halfway point as the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York moves its case into the final stretch before handing things over to the defense. In that context, the words of a man who had an even more deadly beef with Combs that 50 Cent now seem almost prophetic. 'I think he got some favors with the government,' Suge Knight told Newsnation's Chris Cuomo by phone on May 14 of Diddy. 'I think they're going to show him a little leeway,' the jailed Death Row Records founder added on the call. 'It might not seem like it when it's all said and done, but I don't think he had nothing to worry about,' Knight, who's rivalry with Combs in the 1990s has long been assumed to be connected to the very public respective shootings of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. 'I don't think he's worried, because he's going to be federal. And if he gets convicted, Trump's going to pardon him.' As for 50 Cent, he didn't have anything more to say about Diddy or Trump tonight. 50 was too busy watching his hometown New York Knicks go down to defeat to the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds 'Poker Face' Season 2 Guest Stars: From Katie Holmes To Simon Hellberg 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
