Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial continues after Cassie Ventura's testimony

CNN

20-05-2025

Update:
Date: 1 min ago
Title: Ex-assistant: I wouldn't describe Combs as "gracious"
Content:
When Sean 'Diddy' Combs would go out in public, people would be 'almost in a mob around him,' asking for autographs and trying to meet him, Combs' former assistant David James said.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked if Combs tended to be gracious in these situations.
'I don't think 'gracious' is a word I would use to describe Mr. Combs,' James responded.
Combs didn't typically sign autographs, James said. James said oftentimes, Combs' staff members would sign autographs to mail out to fans.
Update:
Date: less than 1 min ago
Title: Defense suggests ex-assistant left security guard at restaurant
Content:
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo suggested repeatedly that David James actually left D-Roc, one of Sean 'Diddy' Combs security guards, at the restaurant and he went back with Combs to get him.
James denied this each time, testifying that it wouldn't have made sense to leave him there with Suge Knight outside, wielding a gun.
Update:
Date: 5 min ago
Title: Combs' travel straddled a "fine line" between business and personal, ex-assistant says
Content:
During cross-examination, David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, was pressed about his travel with Combs. James had testified yesterday he traveled extensively with the music mogul, including internationally.
Today, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked if these were business trips or personal trips. James said there was a 'fine line,' since Combs' personal life and business life blended together. He described them as 'business-oriented trips.'
'Even on vacation, he's always working,' James said.
Update:
Date: 11 min ago
Title: "I just respect Mr. Combs from a business perspective," former assistant says
Content:
Sean Diddy Combs' former assistant David James testified that before he began working for Combs, he was a fan of Sean John, Combs' clothing line.
James said he knew Combs to be a successful, self-made business man who was a 'brilliant marketer.'
'I just respect Mr. Combs from a business perspective,' James said.
Update:
Date: 15 min ago
Title: Defense asks Combs' ex-assistant if he was granted immunity for testifying
Content:
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked David James if he was granted immunity for his testimony.
James said he wasn't sure of the details that were brokered by his attorney, but he believes he signed a proffer agreement, a type agreement that gives a person some protection from prosecution.
Update:
Date: 15 min ago
Title: Defense challenges ex-assistant's testimony with inconsistent accounts of diner incident
Content:
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo referenced documents from David James' meetings with the government, highlighting one where his account of the Mel's Diner event ended before he returned to Combs' home.
He said the government had instructed him not to say anything that could incriminate himself.
The documents also indicate at one point he told them some of the events took place inside the diner, even though he testified today they occurred outside the diner.
'I think these are inaccurate notes,' James said. He maintained that his recollection of the majority of the event has remained consistent.
Agnifilo asked James whether he spoke up at any point when Combs was allegedly telling him to get back in the car to return to Mel's Diner or when Combs was sitting in the back seat with three guns.
James said, 'Respectfully Sir, you have someone with three guns in this close proximity, I didn't think I had the option to say something.'
Agnifilo also grilled James about his conversations with prosecutors Tuesday morning before he took the stand again, asking if James was prepped on how to handle the Mel's Diner incident.
James said they mentioned Agnifilo's style, garnering laughs in the courtroom.
'How'd I do,' Agnifilo asked laughing.
'Consistent,' James said.
Update:
Date: 34 min ago
Title: Combs' former assistant describes incident involving Suge Knight
Content:
David James testified about an occasion when he went with Combs' security guard to a diner to get food for Combs and the staff.
When they got there, the security guard saw Combs' rival Marion 'Suge' Knight and approached him. They talked briefly before the guard and James went inside to order. When they went back to Combs' house, Combs and Ventura were outside the house arguing. Ventura looked like she'd been crying.
Combs then ordered James to drive him and the security guard back to the diner to look for Knight, James said. Combs sat in the back seat with three hand guns in his lap, James testified.
Knight was gone when they got back to the restaurant, James said.
James said he was 'shook up' by the incident. It was first time he felt like he was in danger as Combs' assistant.
James said he gave his notice soon after the incident, offering to stay with Combs for six more months to train a replacement. He left Combs' company in May 2009.
Update:
Date: 40 min ago
Title: Cross-examination of ex-assistant David James begins
Content:
The prosecution's direct questioning of David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, has finished.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo is now questioning James on cross-examination.
Update:
Date: 40 min ago
Title: Ex-assistant alleges intimidating searches and lie detector tests over Combs' missing items
Content:
David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, testified about an incident when one of Combs' Cartier bracelets went missing, prompting his security to search through all of his and his then-girlfriend's belongings. James said he felt he couldn't refuse the search.
On two other occasions when Combs' possessions went missing, James had to take a lie detector test administered by a man who claimed to have formerly worked for the FBI, he testified. 'It was very intimidating,' he said. On both occasions, James' results showed no discrepancies, he said.
James said one of Combs' security agents told him that another former employee, Capricorn Clark, also had to take a lie detector test previously.
Update:
Date: 48 min ago
Title: Former assistant details instances he procured drugs for Combs' friends
Content:
David James, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former assistant, is detailing several occasions where he said he supplied Combs' friends with drugs.
On a trip with Combs to Saint-Tropez, a friend of Combs texted James asking him to get cocaine, he testified. James said he arranged for the cocaine for Combs' friend, but said Combs didn't ask him to do it. He said he assumed he had to.
On another occasion, during a party in Los Angeles, James recalled how Combs sent him back to the house to get ecstasy for a friend. James said he went back to Combs' house to get the ecstasy from Combs' medicine bag and brought it back to the party.
Update:
Date: 43 min ago
Title: Ex-assistant describes what he says was Combs' drug use
Content:
David James, an assistant for Sean 'Diddy' Combs from 2007 to 2009, testified he saw Combs take drugs and give them to his friends. On a couple occasions, James procured drugs for Combs' friends, he testified.
A person called 'One Stop' often brought drugs to Combs, James said. James understood Combs often took Percocet while he was operating his businesses, and preferred to take ecstasy at night, he said.
Update:
Date: 49 min ago
Title: Combs' ex-assistant recalls seeing Ventura in Combs' hotel room during iPod drop-off
Content:
David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, testified that occasionally, Combs would ask him to bring certain items — usually an iPod or food — to his hotel rooms while he was staying there.
He recounted an incident in Miami around 2008 when Combs asked him to bring an iPod to his hotel room. James said it took him about an hour to get there, and when he knocked on the door, nobody answered.
He entered the room with his own key and saw Cassie Ventura lying on her back in the hotel room with a white comforter up to her neck.
'She did not move when I entered the room,' he testified.
Combs was in the shower, he said. James mentioned that he did not speak with Combs or Ventura about the incident afterward because it wasn't his job to discuss their personal affairs.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 6 min ago
Title: Combs' ex-assistant describes how he'd stock hotel rooms for the rapper
Content:
David James, a former assistant for Sean 'Diddy' Combs, testified he often set up hotel rooms for Combs. If Combs was staying in New York, his favorite hotel was the Trump International, James said.
James said he would set up things for Combs' before is arrival, including clothing, a toiletry bag, a medicine bag, food and drinks. He said he would organize a collection of about 40 products, mostly skincare, for Combs in the hotel bathroom.
The medicine bag typically carried between 25 and 30 pill bottles, which included ecstasy and Percocet, James said. Some bottles were unmarked, he added.
Combs' security always carried Combs' Louis Vuitton bag, which held personal items and typically $10,000 or more in cash.
James said he would often replenish items for Combs during trips. If he was restocking food and drinks, James said he would pay for them and get reimbursed by Bad Boy Entertainment. When he restocked 'personal items,' such as baby oil, lubricant and condoms, James said he would ask security to be reimbursed from the cash in Combs' bag.
When asked if Combs would stay alone when he traveled, James said, 'I don't think Mr. Combs ever stayed alone.' While he worked for Combs, James said typically Cassie Ventura would stay with Combs, but there were other women as well, James said.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 15 min ago
Title: Combs confronted James over blog post alleging assault on Ventura, former assistant testifies
Content:
David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, testified that he was on the computer at Combs' home one night when Combs was out at a club with Cassie Ventura, another assistant, and security.
'As soon as he entered the door, he bee-lined straight for me' and pulled up the computer's search history, James said. Combs told him that someone had written a blog post 'lying' about him hitting Ventura, and he wanted to see if James had written it, the former assistant testified.
James said he did not see Ventura that night, but two days later, Combs directed him to bring her food at a nearby hotel. When James brought the food to her hotel room, he was 'surprised' to see a member of Combs' staff answer the door instead of Ventura herself. She stayed at the hotel for about a week, he testified.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 10 min ago
Title: Ex-assistant heard Combs and Ventura argue, but didn't see violence, he testifies
Content:
David James, an assistant for Sean 'Diddy' Combs from 2007 to 2009, testified he did not personally observe physical violence between Combs and Cassie Ventura, but heard them argue about her career more than once.
In those arguments, she would express a desire to branch out more into modeling and acting, but Combs would tell her she had to focus on her music career, James testified.
Remember: James worked for Combs during the early portion of Combs' relationship with Ventura. Ventura had testified she signed a contract with Combs' company, Bad Boy Records, in early 2006; the pair first began dating around 2007 and split in 2018.
James testified yesterday that Combs had several girlfriends while James worked for him. He described Kim Porter – who shared three children with Combs – as Combs' 'main girlfriend,' and then listed four other women, including Ventura, who were his 'other girlfriends.'
Update:
Date: 1 hr 30 min ago
Title: Combs' former assistant is back on the stand
Content:
David James, a former assistant to Sean 'Diddy' Combs, is back on the stand. The jury is entering now.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik is continuing her questioning.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 37 min ago
Title: Combs' sister is in court today
Content:
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sister is in court today. His children and mother — who have been inside the courtroom on other days — are not yet there today.
Combs is wearing a heather blue sweater, a white collared shirt and dark gray pants. He's talking to his attorney Mac Agnifilo as we wait for court to begin.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 33 min ago
Title: The court is waiting on some jurors to arrive
Content:
Like yesterday, it appears the start of testimony this morning will be delayed because not all jurors are are there.
Four jurors are not yet there, a courtroom deputy said. Yesterday, proceedings were delayed because a juror was running late.
When proceedings do resume: David James, an assistant for Sean 'Diddy' Combs from 2007 to 2009, is expected to resume testimony that he started yesterday. James is the first of Combs' former assistants to testify in Combs' racketeering and sex trafficking trial, and the seventh witness to be called by prosecutors so far.
Update:
Date: 1 hr 47 min ago
Title: Lawyers debate what Cassie Ventura's mother can say on the stand today
Content:
Prosecutors and defense attorneys are debating upcoming testimony from David James, who will continue testifying this morning, and Cassie Ventura's mother, Regina Ventura, who's expected to take the stand later today.
Prosecutors argue Regina Ventura can testify that in December 2011, Sean 'Diddy' Combs demanded she pay him $20,000 for money he spent on her daughter after he learned she was romantically involved with Kid Cudi. The money demand came within days of Combs allegedly threatening Cassie Ventura and Kid Cudi and threatening to release sexually explicit videos of her.
Regina Ventura took out a loan and wired the money to Combs. The money was wired back to her without explanation days later. The government has bank records to support the transactions.
Prosecutors say the jury should hear this evidence they say speaks to the coercive control Combs held over Casandra Ventura.
The defense objected to the testimony, saying it would be prejudicial to Combs highlighting the economic disparity between him and the Ventura family. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo also noted Combs gave the money back.
Judge Arun Subramanian said Agnifilo could object to the testimony when it comes up during Regina Ventura's testimony later today and he'd deal with it then.
Update:
Date: 2 hr 13 min ago
Title: The judge is on the bench
Content:
Judge Arun Subramanian is on the bench. The jury is expected to come in at 9 a.m. ET.
Update:
Date: 2 hr 23 min ago
Title: Here's a recap from Day 6 of the Sean "Diddy" Combs federal criminal trial
Content:
The jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' racketeering and sex-trafficking trial heard testimony from three witnesses yesterday.
Here's what they said:
Dawn Richard, a former member of the musical group Danity Kane:
Kerry Morgan, friend of Ventura from 2001 to 2018:
David James, former assistant to Combs: