Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial: "Mia" testifies about alleged abuse
May 30 (UPI) -- The Sean "Diddy" Combs jury Friday heard from "Mia," one of the alleged sexual abuse victims in his sex trafficking and racketeering case. She acknowledged later positive social media posts about Combs.
She testified Thursday that Combs repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted her, making her feel trapped in what she alleged was ongoing abuse.
"Mia" said she felt she didn't have any safe way to report the abuse.
Combs denies all the charges and maintains sexual acts described by prosecutors were consensual.
Under prosecutor questioning "Mia" said she was traumatized by the abuse she alleges Combs inflicted on her and that it resulted in complex, severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Under cross-examination from defense lawyer Brian Steel, "Mia" was asked about posting a good birthday wish for Combs five years after the abuse was alleged to have occurred.
It said, "Thank you for being the good kind of crazy. Thank you for being a friend and bringing friends into my life."
Asked why she would do that and also promote the person she claimed had stolen happiness in her life, "Mia" said her experience with Combs was "a very confusing cycle of ups and downs."
In an effort to discredit her testimony and establish reasonable doubt of Combs' guilt, the defense confronted her with more positive posts and messages from "Mia" about Combs.
"Mia" testified that she posted the positive social media posts about Combs in part because it was about demonstrating how great your life was even if it wasn't true.
She added she felt fear any time Combs was unhappy because it meant she was unsafe.
"Mia" said during cross examination that her dynamics with Combs would shift and "when things were good, we felt really safe" and almost forgot about the abuse.
She said she had to "beg" Combs to allow her to go to her grandmother's funeral.
On Tuesday, former Combs assistant Capricorn Clark testified she saw Combs beat Cassie Ventura for having a relationship with another rapper. She added Combs told her he wanted to kill Scott Mescudi, also known as "Kid Cudi."
Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
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Paul said that after the Lululemon mishap, he just kept returning to work. "I saw him again," some days later, Paul told the jury, "and he was like, 'Oh hey.'" Testimony continues Monday, when the government is expected to rest its case. Lead Combs attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge Friday that the current plan is to rest the defense case after only one or two days of testimony, in which case closing arguments could begin on Thursday. "If there's any shifting in that, I'll let everyone know immediately," the lawyer told US District Judge Arun Subramanian and prosecutors.
