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Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy trial: Cassie's stylist Deonte Nash takes the stand again
The Brief Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash is set to take the stand again on Thursday, as the defense continues their cross-examination in the sex trafficking trial against Sean "Diddy" Combs. Another key witness, "Mia," who is one of Diddy's former assistants and an alleged victim, is expected to testify through Friday. Meanwhile, the defense has raised concerns about their limited access to Diddy at the Metropolitan Detention Center. NEW YORK - Celebrity stylist Deonte Nash is set to take the stand again on Thursday, as the defense continues their cross-examination in the sex trafficking trail against Sean "Diddy" Combs. What we know Nash, a close friend of Cassie Ventura, provided detailed testimony about witnessing Diddy physically assault Cassie in her apartment years ago. He also revealed personal conversations with Cassie about her struggles with "freak offs" and drug use. Another key witness, "Mia," who is one of Diddy's former assistants and an alleged victim, is expected to testify through Friday. Meanwhile, the defense has raised concerns about their limited access to Diddy at the Metropolitan Detention Center. Despite this, prosecutors say they are ahead of schedule and plan to finish the case by mid-June. The backstory On Wednesday, Nash testified that Diddy physically abused Cassie Ventura, threatening her career and reputation with recordings of their encounters. Nash described incidents of Diddy hitting Cassie, including grabbing her by the hair and bashing her head into a bed frame, and said he intervened multiple times. Diddy's lawyers requested a mistrial after learning fingerprints from Kid Cudi's burned vehicle were destroyed by police, which an arson investigator confirmed was against protocol. LAPD officer Christopher Ignacio also testified about a suspicious black Escalade linked to Bad Boy Productions fleeing the scene. Meanwhile, Cassie reportedly gave birth to her third child with husband Alex Fine days after her testimony. Dig deeper Federal prosecutors have charged Combs with a series of crimes including: Count 1: Racketeering Conspiracy. Count One charges that, from at least in or about 2004 through in or about 2024, the defendant participated in a racketeering conspiracy during which he agreed with other employees and associates of his businesses to commit kidnapping, arson, bribery of a witness, obstruction of justice, drug distribution, forced labor, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of engaging in prostitution. Count 2: Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion. Count Two charges the defendant with sex trafficking an adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between ~2009 and ~2018. Count 3: Transportation to Engage in Prostitution. Count Three charges the defendant with transporting that female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between ~2009 and ~2018. Count 4: Sex trafficking. Count Four charges the defendant with sex trafficking a second adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between ~2021 and ~2024. Count 5: Transportation to Engage in Prostitution. Count Five charges the defendant with transporting that second female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between ~2021 and ~2024. He also faces more than 60 lawsuits from alleged victims. Cassie says in a lawsuit that Combs subjected her to years of abuse, including beatings and rape. Cassie, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, signed to Combs' label in 2005, and the two were on-again-off-again romantic partners for more than a decade starting in 2007. The lawsuit filed in federal court says Combs was "prone to uncontrollable rage" and subjected her to "savage" beatings. It says he plied her with drugs, forced her to have sex with other men, and raped her in her home as she was trying to end the relationship in 2018. Combs, through his attorney, "vehemently denies" the accusations. If convicted, the 55-year-old Diddy could face 15 years to life in prison. Diddy was arrested in Oct. 2024 at the Park Hyatt New York in Midtown Manhattan. He's been in jail ever since. The trial, which began Monday, May 12, with opening statements, is expected to last eight weeks.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy trial judge denies defense team's mistrial motion
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. Sign up to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial. U.S. government prosecutors spent much of today attempting to back up testimony from key witnesses like Kid Cudi, the hip-hop artist who dated Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and accused the defendant of breaking into his house and setting his car on fire. The prosecution team also tried to bolster its racketeering conspiracy charge with more evidence of Diddy's alleged crimes. Meanwhile, the defense team made a failed bid for a mistrial. Here's what you need to know: Christoper Ignacio, a Los Angeles police officer, testified about responding to a break-in at Kid Cudi's home in 2011. The Cadillac Escalade that cops saw leaving the scene was registered to Bad Boy Productions, one of Diddy's companies, Ignacio said. The break-in wasn't reported as a burglary, he confirmed during cross-examination. Lance Jimenez, a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator, told jurors he found a Molotov cocktail inside Kid Cudi's burned Porsche in early 2012. Jimenez characterized the car fire as a 'targeted crime.' In the government's indictment against Diddy, arson is one of the crimes listed under the racketeering conspiracy charge. Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist, testified he once jumped on Diddy's back to keep him from beating up Cassie. Nash said that he was thrown off and the rapper continued striking Cassie until she hit her head on a bed frame and started bleeding. Nash also testified that Diddy threatened to send sex tapes of Cassie to her parents' workplaces to get them fired. ALSO: Cassie gave birth yesterday, roughly two weeks after she testified, a source familiar with the matter confirmed. It's her third child with her husband, Alex Fine. NBC News' Rebecca Cohen and Chloe Melas have details. The trial came to an abrupt halt around 10:30 a.m. when Jimenez, the arson investigator, said some of the fingerprints lifted during the Kid Cudi break-in investigation were destroyed. Diddy's lawyers argued that testimony about the lost prints should be struck from the record because jurors might infer that their client was somehow involved. 'What the government has done is outrageous,' Marc Agnifilo, Diddy's lead attorney, told Judge Arun Subramanian. Subramanian seemed to agree. He struck mentions of the lost prints from the record. But the judge swiftly turned down the defense's motion for a mistrial. In other news: Nash, the stylist, was a spirited and sometimes amusing witness who made it clear to the jury that he would rather not testify against Diddy. He said he had kept in touch with the rapper and doesn't harbor any ill will toward him, despite the violence he said he witnessed. 'I don't hate him,' Nash said. 'It's just not me.' In denying the defense's motion for a mistrial, Subramanian said there 'was absolutely no testimony from [Jimenez] that was prejudicial in any way, shape or form.' It seems to have been the right call. The questions might have been objectionable, but it doesn't seem that they were designed to suggest Combs tampered with evidence. It seems equally likely that the questions were designed to establish only that this witness wasn't responsible for destroying the fingerprint cards. But was this a setback for the defense? I'd argue it wasn't. First, even the defense likely didn't expect the mistrial to be granted. This was probably an example of making a 'highball' demand, to get to the middle — where you want to be. The judge acknowledged that there was an issue with the testimony and excluded some of the evidence. That's not what the defense asked for, but it's a win. Tomorrow: Nash will return to the stand. We're also expecting testimony from an accuser identified in the government's indictment as 'Victim 4.' PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧 This article was originally published on
NBC News
28-05-2025
- NBC News
Diddy trial judge denies defense team's mistrial motion
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. Sign up to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial. U.S. government prosecutors spent much of today attempting to back up testimony from key witnesses like Kid Cudi, the hip-hop artist who dated Diddy's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and accused the defendant of breaking into his house and setting his car on fire. The prosecution team also tried to bolster its racketeering conspiracy charge with more evidence of Diddy's alleged crimes. Meanwhile, the defense team made a failed bid for a mistrial. Here's what you need to know: Christoper Ignacio, a Los Angeles police officer, testified about responding to a break-in at Kid Cudi's home in 2011. The Cadillac Escalade that cops saw leaving the scene was registered to Bad Boy Productions, one of Diddy's companies, Ignacio said. The break-in wasn't reported as a burglary, he confirmed during cross-examination. Lance Jimenez, a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator, told jurors he found a Molotov cocktail inside Kid Cudi's burned Porsche in early 2012. Jimenez characterized the car fire as a 'targeted crime.' In the government's indictment against Diddy, arson is one of the crimes listed under the racketeering conspiracy charge. Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist, testified he once jumped on Diddy's back to keep him from beating up Cassie. Nash said that he was thrown off and the rapper continued striking Cassie until she hit her head on a bed frame and started bleeding. Nash also testified that Diddy threatened to send sex tapes of Cassie to her parents' workplaces to get them fired. ALSO: Cassie gave birth yesterday, roughly two weeks after she testified, a source familiar with the matter confirmed. It's her third child with her husband, Alex Fine. NBC News' Rebecca Cohen and Chloe Melas have details. By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas and Jing Feng The trial came to an abrupt halt around 10:30 a.m. when Jimenez, the arson investigator, said some of the fingerprints lifted during the Kid Cudi break-in investigation were destroyed. Diddy's lawyers argued that testimony about the lost prints should be struck from the record because jurors might infer that their client was somehow involved. 'What the government has done is outrageous,' Marc Agnifilo, Diddy's lead attorney, told Judge Arun Subramanian. Subramanian seemed to agree. He struck mentions of the lost prints from the record. But the judge swiftly turned down the defense's motion for a mistrial. In other news: Nash, the stylist, was a spirited and sometimes amusing witness who made it clear to the jury that he would rather not testify against Diddy. He said he had kept in touch with the rapper and doesn't harbor any ill will toward him, despite the violence he said he witnessed. 'I don't hate him,' Nash said. 'It's just not me.' By Danny Cevallos In denying the defense's motion for a mistrial, Subramanian said there 'was absolutely no testimony from [Jimenez] that was prejudicial in any way, shape or form.' It seems to have been the right call. The questions might have been objectionable, but it doesn't seem that they were designed to suggest Combs tampered with evidence. It seems equally likely that the questions were designed to establish only that this witness wasn't responsible for destroying the fingerprint cards. But was this a setback for the defense? I'd argue it wasn't. First, even the defense likely didn't expect the mistrial to be granted. This was probably an example of making a 'highball' demand, to get to the middle — where you want to be. The judge acknowledged that there was an issue with the testimony and excluded some of the evidence. That's not what the defense asked for, but it's a win. 🗓️ What's next Tomorrow: Nash will return to the stand. We're also expecting testimony from an accuser identified in the government's indictment as 'Victim 4.' PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here. 🎧
Boston Globe
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Judge in Sean Combs case denies request for mistrial over evidence
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'There's no way to un-ring this bell,' said Alexandra Shapiro, a member of Combs' defense team who is an experienced appellate lawyer. Advertisement Subramanian said there had been no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial to Combs. When jurors returned, the judge told them to disregard the exchange about the fingerprint cards. Police and fire officials testified earlier in the day about a trespassing and a car fire at the Los Angeles home of Mescudi, who last week described being the focus of the music mogul's jealous rage. Advertisement Chris Ignacio, a Los Angeles police officer, said he and a partner were called to the home, located up winding, narrow roads in the Hollywood Hills, on the morning of Dec. 22, 2011, for a possible burglary. When Ignacio and his partner arrived, they saw a black Cadillac Escalade with tinted windows in front of the home; the vehicle immediately took off down the street and then returned. Ignacio said he noted the license plate, and later found that the car was registered to Bad Boy Productions, Inc., one of Combs' companies. Once inside the home, Ignacio said, he saw 'high-valued' watches and purses out on a table, but the house otherwise appeared to be undisturbed. Mescudi then arrived in his Porsche; he appeared 'flustered,' Ignacio said, and gave a police report. Under cross-examination, Ignacio agreed that the episode was a trespassing and not a burglary. Mescudi, he said, did not report anything stolen from his home. Jimenez, the arson investigator, then testified, saying that he and a partner were called to the same address on the morning of Jan. 9, 2012. They saw a burned Porsche convertible in a driveway about 10 feet from the residence, Jimenez said; the car's canvas top had been cut. Inside the vehicle they found a glass malt liquor bottle and a 'designer-type handkerchief' nearby. He said he could smell gasoline in the car and found that the fire had not been caused by any electrical or mechanical issues with the car. The bottle did not break and the handkerchief fell out, the inspector said; otherwise, the damage to the vehicle and the property could have been worse. Advertisement Under questioning from Christy Slavik, a prosecutor, Jimenez said he determined that the fire was not random. 'In my opinion,' the inspector testified, 'it was targeted for where the car was located.' The story of Mescudi's conflict with Combs is a key part of the government's racketeering case against Combs, the music mogul also known as Puff Daddy or Diddy. The government contends that Combs intimidated Mescudi, and later directed the destruction of his car, out of jealousy when Mescudi briefly dated Casandra Ventura, who was Combs' on-and-off girlfriend. Last week, Mescudi testified that Combs had entered his home when he was out and that he suspected that a few weeks later Combs had his car blown up with a Molotov cocktail. Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and has denied having anything but consensual sex with women. Lawyers for Combs have said their client was 'simply not involved' in the arson incident outlined in the indictment. Later Wednesday, jurors were expected to hear testimony from a former personal assistant of Combs who prosecutors say was coerced into sex with the mogul, and who is being identified in court only by the pseudonym 'Mia.' For months before trial, little was disclosed about Mia -- then identified only as 'Victim-4' -- other than that she is a former Combs employee who prosecutors say was coerced into sex with him. In one filing last month, the government redacted virtually an entire page-long passage about her. But in opening statements this month, lawyers for both sides sketched out the woman's profile somewhat. Emily A. Johnson, a prosecutor, described Mia as a former personal assistant whom Combs 'worked to the bone for years.' At some point, she said, he then 'forced himself on her sexually, putting his hand up her dress, unzipping his pants and forcing her to perform oral sex, and sneaking into her bed to penetrate her against her will.' Advertisement Teny Geragos, a lawyer for Combs, asked jurors to 'evaluate' what motives Mia may have in testifying, and indicated that the defense, as they did with Ventura, may use texts messages or other communications in an effort to undermine her testimony on the stand. Mia has also been cited by a number of witnesses throughout the trial, suggesting that she may be asked to corroborate accusations made by Ventura and others. The core of Mia's testimony is expected to relate to the racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. That charge, which carries a possible life sentence, alleges that the music mogul operated a 'criminal enterprise' in which employees, including security guards and high-ranking executives of his companies, carried out crimes on Combs' behalf and helped cover them up. Among the crimes that the government cites as being part of this enterprise are sex trafficking, arson, bribery, forced labor and obstruction of justice. In the case of Mia, the indictment alleges that Combs 'obtained the forced labor of one of his employees ('Victim-4'), including sexual activity with the defendant, through force and threats of serious harm.'
Express Tribune
28-05-2025
- Express Tribune
Diddy trial day 11 sees Kid Cudi car bombing described as targeted attack by arson investigator
A Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator testified Wednesday in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' ongoing federal sex trafficking trial in New York, revealing that a 2012 fire at musician Kid Cudi's home appeared to be a 'targeted' attack. Lance Jimenez, an arson specialist, described the incident involving Scott 'Kid Cudi' Mescudi's Porsche, which caught fire outside his Los Angeles home in January 2012. Jimenez said a Molotov cocktail was used but did not shatter correctly, causing a slow-burning fire rather than an explosion. He found a bottle on the car's front seat and a burned cloth on the console. The vehicle's roof had been cut, and damage was consistent with a failed firebombing. 'In my professional opinion, it was targeted,' Jimenez testified. This followed earlier testimony about a separate 2011 incident, in which Los Angeles police officer Christopher Ignacio responded to Cudi's home after a reported break-in. Ignacio recalled seeing a black Escalade speeding away as he arrived. The vehicle was later linked to Combs' company, Bad Boy Productions. Cudi testified that Combs broke into his home after learning of his relationship with Cassie Ventura, Combs' former partner. Cudi told the court last week he suspected Combs was behind the later bombing, though Combs denied involvement when confronted. Jimenez also disclosed that fingerprint cards Cudi provided police after the 2011 incident were destroyed by LAPD in August 2012. Prosecutors called this unusual and relevant, but the defense objected, saying it unfairly implied courtroom misconduct. Combs is facing multiple federal charges including sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy. Prosecutors allege that between 2004 and 2024, he abused and coerced victims to fulfill his sexual desires. Combs has denied all wrongdoing.
