Latest news with #BrianSteel
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Whitehall, Columbus police in standoff on Yearling Road with suspect who fired at officers
Police from Whitehall and Columbus are engaged in a stand-off today, July 12, with a suspect who fired at police in Whitehall, according to the police union president. Brian Steel, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Capital Lodge, said law enforcement responded to the 200 block of North Yearling Road to a suspect who fired at law enforcement. Law enforcement had not returned fire as of 2:45 p.m., he said. Steel said medical personnel are on standby. A Columbus police dispatcher confirmed that Columbus police responded around 1:30 p.m. to assist Whitehall police in the incident. Whitehall police could not be immediately reached for comment. This story is developing and will be updated with additional information when it becomes available. Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@ or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Whitehall, Columbus police in standoff after suspect fired at officers
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Reacts in Court After Hearing Verdict
Originally appeared on E! Online Sean 'Diddy' Combs is feeling hopeful. Just moments after the music mogul was found guilty on two out of five counts in his trial—during which he pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, as well as transportation to engage in prostitution—Combs reacted within the courtroom. According to NBC News, after hearing the verdict, Combs got on his knees with his head down in a chair, seemingly praying after avoiding life in prison in his case. The outlet noted his family stood in the background, clapping and cheering. The defense attorneys hugged each other, while Combs hugged lawyer Brian Steel. The trial for the 55-year-old lasted for seven weeks in New York City, during which the prosecution brought a number of witnesses to the stand, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, her ex Kid Cudi as well as multiple former assistants, sex workers and investigators. The defense, however, announced on June 24 it did not plan to call any witnesses, according to NBC News reporters in the courtroom, and instead planned to submit evidence and expand on issues brought up by the prosecution. And while Combs himself didn't take the stand, he did address the court on June 24, the same day the defense rested, to emphasize to presiding Judge Arun Subramanian it was his decision to not testify as well as share insight into how he was doing. More from E! Online Dad Reveals 14-Year-Old Son's Haunting Words Before Boy Walked Off 120-Foot Mountain Ledge Sean "Diddy" Combs Found Guilty on 2 Out of 5 Counts in Sex Trafficking Trial Verdict Lizzo Reveals the 3 Meals She Ate to Reach Her Weight Loss Goals "I'm doing great, your honor," he said. "I wanted to tell you thank you, you're doing an excellent job." Among the many allegations examined during the trial were the relationship between Ventura and Combs as well as the 'freak offs' he, as the prosecution said, coerced the singer into participating in alongside various sex workers as well as the abuse she allegedly faced at his hands. During her testimony in May, Ventura alleged it is 'impossible to know' how many freak offs she participated in throughout their decade-long, on-off relationship, but she estimated the number was in the 'hundreds.' The 38-year-old—who gave birth to her third baby with husband Alex Fine at the end of May, shortly after her testimony ended—also alleged Combs would film the highly-orchestrated sexual performances, later using the threat of releasing the tapes as blackmail. "He would mention them when he was upset about something. It was just a pretty common thing," Ventura testified. "I feared for my career. I feared for my family. Just embarrassing, all of it. It's horrible and disgusting. No one should do that to anyone." Throughout the trial, images of text exchanges between Ventura and Combs were shared—including one, shared in June, in which Ventura referenced the footage that showed Combs physically assaulting her in a hotel in 2016. 'I give you love, and as soon as I turn my head for a second and you get fucked up, you drag me down the hall by my hair. I'm 30 years old,' Ventura wrote to Combs in May 2017. 'This isn't play anymore. I felt like I was dead last night and it wasn't happening to me bc seeing my light was so beautiful." When footage of the incident was first shared, before the trial began, in May 2024, Combs issued a public apology. "It's so difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, but sometimes you got to do that," the rapper said in a response video shared to Instagram two days after the footage was made public. "I was f--ked up. I hit rock bottom. But I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video." For more revelations from the weekslong trial, keep reading. (E! and NBC News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.) Ex-Girlfriend Cassie Ventura's Lawyer Reacts to VerdictSean "Diddy" Combs Reacts to Split VerdictJurors Reach a Verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs Sex Trafficking CaseProsecutors Conclude With Nearly Five-Hour Closing ArgumentsProsecutors Seek to Streamline Charges Against Sean 'Diddy' CombsSean 'Diddy' Combs Confirms He Won't Be TestifyingDefense Shares Estimation on Closing ArgumentsJuror Sees Apparent Footage From 'Freak Offs'Hotel Rooms Were Stocked With Baby Oil, Plan-B Pills For 'Freak Offs'Cassie Ventura and Sean 'Diddy' Combs's Texts About His Alleged Abuse RevealedSean 'Diddy' Combs' Former Assistant Denies Being Drug Mule But Says He Bought Thousands of Dollars in Drugs for the RapperJudge Cancels Court on Day 26 of Sean 'Diddy' Combs Trial Over Sick JurorSecond Sean 'Diddy' Combs Jury Member Faces Possible DismissalKanye West Supports Sean 'Diddy' Combs With Courthouse VisitSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Says Mogul Was Upset After She Attended Another Man's 'Freak Off'Prosecutors Seek Removal of Juror in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' TrialSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Has Heated Exchange With Defense Team During Cross-ExaminationSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Says She Wondered What Was 'Driving Him' SexuallySean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Mentions Koby Bryant, Shaquille O'Neil and Michael Jordan During TestimonySean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Says Mogul's Chief of Staff 'Influenced a Great Deal' of Their RomanceJudge Denies Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Defense Team's Second Motion for a MistrialSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Details Hourslong 2024 BeatingSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Says Attack By Rapper Left Her 'Golfball-sized' WeltsSean 'Diddy' Combs' Ex Details Homeland Security Raid at Her Home For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
SBS Australia
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial reaches partial verdict but are deadlocked on final charge
This article contains references to domestic violence and sexual assault. The jury at Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial has reached a verdict on four of the five counts the music mogul faces, the judge overseeing the case said, without revealing the outcome. After two days of deliberation, the jury reached a verdict on four charges: two counts of sex trafficking and two of transportation to engage in prostitution, United States district judge Arun Subramanian announced. But the judge said the jury had not been able to reach a verdict on a fifth charge, racketeering conspiracy, because jurors had "unpersuadable opinions on both sides". He instructed the jury to continue deliberating on the racketeering conspiracy count. The jury will resume deliberations at 11pm AEST on Wednesday. Combs, 55, had pleaded not guilty to all five counts . If convicted of sex trafficking or racketeering, the former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture could face life in prison. Before the judge read the jury's note, Combs rubbed his eyes and rested his face against his palm while seated at the defence table with his lawyers huddled around him. One defence lawyer, Brian Steel, rubbed Combs' shoulder. Two of Combs' other defence lawyers put their arms around each other. The partial verdict comes after a seven-week trial in which two of the music mogul's former girlfriends testified that he physically and sexually abused them. Sean 'Diddy' Combs second from left, watches from the defence table as the judge speaks to the jury in Manhattan federal court. Source: AP / Elizabeth Williams Prosecutors say Combs was charged with racketeering because for two decades he used his business empire to force two of his romantic partners to take part in drug-fueled, days-long sexual performances sometimes known as "freak offs" with male sex workers in hotel rooms while Combs watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed. His lawyers acknowledged the Bad Boy Records founder, once famed for hosting lavish parties for the cultural elite in luxurious locales like the Hamptons and Saint-Tropez, was at times violent in his domestic relationships . But they said the sexual activity described by prosecutors was consensual. Jury asks to review Cassie's testimony Earlier on Tuesday, the jury asked to review portions of the testimony of the rhythm and blues singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, who testified that Combs forced her to take part in "freak offs" throughout their decade-long relationship. The 12-member jury asked to review Ventura's testimony regarding a 2016 incident at an InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles, when a surveillance camera captured footage of Combs kicking and dragging Ventura in a hallway. Jurors saw the security camera footage several times throughout the trial. Prosecutors say that at the time of the incident, Ventura was attempting to leave a "freak off". Prosecutors say that conduct amounted to sex trafficking because Combs used force and threats to cut off financial support or release sex tapes of Ventura to coerce her to take part in the performances, and because the escorts were paid. Combs' defence pointed to tender and sexually explicit text messages that Ventura sent Combs throughout their relationship to bolster their argument that she took part in the "freak offs" because she loved Combs and wanted to make him happy. They say the violent 2016 altercation stemmed from a dispute about Combs' relationship with another woman. Prosecutors charged Combs with racketeering conspiracy because they say his employees facilitated his abuse by setting up hotel rooms for "freak offs" and procuring illegal drugs for the sex parties. The defence argued Combs kept his personal and professional lives separate and that the drugs were for his personal use. If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Inside Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' all-star defense team
Nine attorneys – five men and four women – fill two tables in the courtroom for Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Some are confrontational cross examiners, others take a softer approach to witnesses and a handful are focused solely on making legal arguments to try to get certain exhibits in and others out. But they all answer to one person: Combs himself. Attorney Brian Steel was about to finish his cross examination of rapper Kid Cudi last month when he paused and walked over to Combs at the defense table. The two men conferred in a whisper before Steel said he had no further questions. As another lawyer questioned Combs' former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, whose allegations are at the center of the criminal case, Combs scribbled on Post-It notes and passed one after another to his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo. The stakes are high. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts, including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted of the most serious charges, Combs could face as much as life in prison and a minimum sentence of 15 years. During six weeks of testimony, the jury reviewed dozens of text messages and financial records and saw photos of injuries sustained by Ventura that were allegedly caused by Combs. Jurors also viewed graphic materials, which included sexually explicit videos during direct and cross examination of a witness. Prosecutors have called nearly three dozen witnesses. Two accusers testified that Combs forced them into having sex with male escorts. At least six people who worked for Combs testified about working long hours, getting drugs for Combs, being reimbursed for Combs' personal expenses and setting up and cleaning up hotel rooms where authorities allege sex trafficking took place. A security officer for the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was seen physically assaulting Ventura on a 2016 surveillance video first published by CNN, testified that Combs paid him $100,000 to obtain what he thought was the only copy of the footage. Prosecutors alleged Combs, aided by security guards, personal assistants and others at Bad Boy Entertainment, was involved in a racketeering conspiracy that involved forced labor, kidnapping, arson, sex trafficking, bribery, obstruction of justice and drug offenses. Combs' defense will take center stage in the trial this week and have a chance to call their own witnesses. But like most defense teams, they have been trying their case since the start, attempting to cast doubt on the prosecution's case by challenging the credibility of the government's witnesses. 'You can't wait until your case to propagate your theory, you have to do it in their case, so every witness furthers your narrative' said Joey Jackson, a criminal defense lawyer and CNN legal analyst. 'It's very difficult to defend against all of this horrific behavior,' Jackson added. To reach a guilty verdict, the jury of eight men and four women must find Combs reached an agreement with someone and at least two of those so-called predicate acts were committed within 10 years. The jury must be unanimous on the acts. Combs is also accused of sex trafficking Ventura and a former girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane' by force, fraud or coercion. Combs' lawyers have pushed the opposite theory – that while he did physically assault Ventura and was a bad boyfriend, the sex acts were part of a consensual kinky lifestyle called 'Freak Offs,' 'king nights' or 'hotel nights.' They sought to show the jury that Bad Boy was a legitimate business and Combs' wild side was part of his personal, not professional, life. 'Every single witness has to have a clear objective. I don't think it's about meandering or grandstanding, you have to get in and out,' Jackson said. Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, who have known Combs for years, are leading his packed defense team. Agnifilo started as a local and federal prosecutor but has spent most of his career in criminal defense. He is currently representing Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, with his wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo. For nearly two decades, he worked closely with criminal defense attorney Ben Brafman, who previously defended Combs in a case related to a shooting at a nightclub, and together they represented Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund who faced sexual assault charges but were later dropped. Agnifilo has handled the cross-examinations of some former Bad Boy employees and law enforcement officials and is taking the lead when addressing the judge. Geragos, the daughter of celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, left Brafman's firm to join Agnifilo, when he opened his own firm last year. They are an experienced trial duo, teaming up in past years to represent Nxivm founder Keith Raniere and former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng. At the Combs trial, Geragos delivered the defense's opening statement and handled the days long cross-examination of 'Jane.' Appellate specialists Alexandra Shapiro and Jason Driscoll are handling legal arguments over evidence, and Anna Estevao, who crossed examined Ventura, who until May worked at a law firm that is defending dozens of civil lawsuits against Combs that were filed in the wake of Ventura's 2023 lawsuit. Combs has denied any wrongdoing. On the eve of trial, Combs brought in three more attorneys to his team - Xavier Donaldson, a criminal defense lawyer in New York, and two trial attorneys from Atlanta, Steel and Nicole Westmoreland, who recently represented rapper Young Thug and a co-defendant in a criminal racketeering trial. As the trial was underway, yet another lawyer appeared: Jonathan Bach, a colleague of Shapiro, to exclusively handle the cross examination of a government expert witness, psychologist Dawn Hughes. He's since been absent from the courtroom. Each lawyer on the team has their own style. Some are more aggressive in their cross examination, while others tapped into what some legal analysts call the 'best friend' approach. As Estevao cross-examined Ventura, who was more than eight months pregnant at the time of her testimony, the attorney asked about Ventura's accomplishments at age 21 when her relationship with Combs was starting. 'Fair to say that you were a celebrity in your own right?' Estevao asked, before adding, 'And you're very beautiful and charming?' Those type of questions can be disarming and lower the guard of witnesses, making them more agreeable, attorneys say. Ventura testified it was 'always in the back of my mind' that Combs could physically hurt her if she didn't participate in certain sex acts or try to blackmail her by threatening to release videos of the 'Freak Offs.' When Estevao asked Ventura if part of the reason she participated in 'Freak Offs' was to make Combs happy, she agreed. 'The school of thought can be a female can go a bit harder because in a sense optically, it's not a man crossing that line of what may be victim shaming,' said Misty Marris, a criminal defense attorney. Of the Ventura cross examination, she said, 'It's more gentle, more conversational and inviting somebody to be open.' 'Sometimes that's very effective because the guard is let down from the witness,' she said. The lead attorneys have used a similar approach. Agnifilo sounds almost apologetic when introducing himself to the witness he's about to cross-examine, advising them if they don't understand his question, they should tell him. And Geragos, who has a mastery of the lengthy exhibits, speaks in a casual, approachable manner, sometimes poking fun at herself. Westmoreland is more direct when casting doubt on witness testimony. She challenged Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Ventura who testified that Combs dangled her over a 17-story balcony and threw her onto furniture, causing her injuries. Prosecutors showed the jury a photograph of a large bruise on Bongolan's leg that she testified was taken 'the same day' as the injury and showed the jury the image's metadata for the photo, indicating it was taken on September 26, 2016. On cross examination, Westmoreland used a government exhibit of Combs' hotel invoice from the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York that showed him staying at the hotel from September 24 through September 29, 2016. 'You agree that one person can't be in two places at the same time?' Westmoreland asked. 'In, like, theory, yeah,' Bongolan testified. Outside the presence of the jury, Judge Arun Subramanian called the cross a 'real Perry Mason moment' that, he said, 'blew a hole through the direct testimony of Ms. Bongolan.' Lawyers caution that long cross examinations can backfire and bore the jury. For several witnesses, Comb's team's cross examination went as long or longer than the prosecution's questions. One tactic that Comb's lawyers have used repeatedly in questioning government witnesses is to repeat evidence that bolsters their defense. Geragos, in opening statements, said the case is about 'voluntary, adult choices made by capable adults and consensual relationships.' To further her argument, Geragos asked a law enforcement officer called by prosecutors to re-read some of Ventura's messages to Combs. In one of those messages, Ventura wrote, 'I'm always ready to freak off LOLOL.' CNN's Lauren del Valle, Nicki Brown and Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Inside Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' all-star defense team
Nine attorneys – five men and four women – fill two tables in the courtroom for Sean 'Diddy' Combs. Some are confrontational cross examiners, others take a softer approach to witnesses and a handful are focused solely on making legal arguments to try to get certain exhibits in and others out. But they all answer to one person: Combs himself. Attorney Brian Steel was about to finish his cross examination of rapper Kid Cudi last month when he paused and walked over to Combs at the defense table. The two men conferred in a whisper before Steel said he had no further questions. As another lawyer questioned Combs' former girlfriend Cassie Ventura, whose allegations are at the center of the criminal case, Combs scribbled on Post-It notes and passed one after another to his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo. The stakes are high. Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts, including one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted of the most serious charges, Combs could face as much as life in prison and a minimum sentence of 15 years. During six weeks of testimony, the jury reviewed dozens of text messages and financial records and saw photos of injuries sustained by Ventura that were allegedly caused by Combs. Jurors also viewed graphic materials, which included sexually explicit videos during direct and cross examination of a witness. Prosecutors have called nearly three dozen witnesses. Two accusers testified that Combs forced them into having sex with male escorts. At least six people who worked for Combs testified about working long hours, getting drugs for Combs, being reimbursed for Combs' personal expenses and setting up and cleaning up hotel rooms where authorities allege sex trafficking took place. A security officer for the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was seen physically assaulting Ventura on a 2016 surveillance video first published by CNN, testified that Combs paid him $100,000 to obtain what he thought was the only copy of the footage. Prosecutors alleged Combs, aided by security guards, personal assistants and others at Bad Boy Entertainment, was involved in a racketeering conspiracy that involved forced labor, kidnapping, arson, sex trafficking, bribery, obstruction of justice and drug offenses. Combs' defense will take center stage in the trial this week and have a chance to call their own witnesses. But like most defense teams, they have been trying their case since the start, attempting to cast doubt on the prosecution's case by challenging the credibility of the government's witnesses. 'You can't wait until your case to propagate your theory, you have to do it in their case, so every witness furthers your narrative' said Joey Jackson, a criminal defense lawyer and CNN legal analyst. 'It's very difficult to defend against all of this horrific behavior,' Jackson added. To reach a guilty verdict, the jury of eight men and four women must find Combs reached an agreement with someone and at least two of those so-called predicate acts were committed within 10 years. The jury must be unanimous on the acts. Combs is also accused of sex trafficking Ventura and a former girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym 'Jane' by force, fraud or coercion. Combs' lawyers have pushed the opposite theory – that while he did physically assault Ventura and was a bad boyfriend, the sex acts were part of a consensual kinky lifestyle called 'Freak Offs,' 'king nights' or 'hotel nights.' They sought to show the jury that Bad Boy was a legitimate business and Combs' wild side was part of his personal, not professional, life. 'Every single witness has to have a clear objective. I don't think it's about meandering or grandstanding, you have to get in and out,' Jackson said. Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, who have known Combs for years, are leading his packed defense team. Agnifilo started as a local and federal prosecutor but has spent most of his career in criminal defense. He is currently representing Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, with his wife Karen Friedman Agnifilo. For nearly two decades, he worked closely with criminal defense attorney Ben Brafman, who previously defended Combs in a case related to a shooting at a nightclub, and together they represented Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund who faced sexual assault charges but were later dropped. Agnifilo has handled the cross-examinations of some former Bad Boy employees and law enforcement officials and is taking the lead when addressing the judge. Geragos, the daughter of celebrity attorney Mark Geragos, left Brafman's firm to join Agnifilo, when he opened his own firm last year. They are an experienced trial duo, teaming up in past years to represent Nxivm founder Keith Raniere and former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng. At the Combs trial, Geragos delivered the defense's opening statement and handled the days long cross-examination of 'Jane.' Appellate specialists Alexandra Shapiro and Jason Driscoll are handling legal arguments over evidence, and Anna Estevao, who crossed examined Ventura, who until May worked at a law firm that is defending dozens of civil lawsuits against Combs that were filed in the wake of Ventura's 2023 lawsuit. Combs has denied any wrongdoing. On the eve of trial, Combs brought in three more attorneys to his team - Xavier Donaldson, a criminal defense lawyer in New York, and two trial attorneys from Atlanta, Steel and Nicole Westmoreland, who recently represented rapper Young Thug and a co-defendant in a criminal racketeering trial. As the trial was underway, yet another lawyer appeared: Jonathan Bach, a colleague of Shapiro, to exclusively handle the cross examination of a government expert witness, psychologist Dawn Hughes. He's since been absent from the courtroom. Each lawyer on the team has their own style. Some are more aggressive in their cross examination, while others tapped into what some legal analysts call the 'best friend' approach. As Estevao cross-examined Ventura, who was more than eight months pregnant at the time of her testimony, the attorney asked about Ventura's accomplishments at age 21 when her relationship with Combs was starting. 'Fair to say that you were a celebrity in your own right?' Estevao asked, before adding, 'And you're very beautiful and charming?' Those type of questions can be disarming and lower the guard of witnesses, making them more agreeable, attorneys say. Ventura testified it was 'always in the back of my mind' that Combs could physically hurt her if she didn't participate in certain sex acts or try to blackmail her by threatening to release videos of the 'Freak Offs.' When Estevao asked Ventura if part of the reason she participated in 'Freak Offs' was to make Combs happy, she agreed. 'The school of thought can be a female can go a bit harder because in a sense optically, it's not a man crossing that line of what may be victim shaming,' said Misty Marris, a criminal defense attorney. Of the Ventura cross examination, she said, 'It's more gentle, more conversational and inviting somebody to be open.' 'Sometimes that's very effective because the guard is let down from the witness,' she said. The lead attorneys have used a similar approach. Agnifilo sounds almost apologetic when introducing himself to the witness he's about to cross-examine, advising them if they don't understand his question, they should tell him. And Geragos, who has a mastery of the lengthy exhibits, speaks in a casual, approachable manner, sometimes poking fun at herself. Westmoreland is more direct when casting doubt on witness testimony. She challenged Bryana Bongolan, a friend of Ventura who testified that Combs dangled her over a 17-story balcony and threw her onto furniture, causing her injuries. Prosecutors showed the jury a photograph of a large bruise on Bongolan's leg that she testified was taken 'the same day' as the injury and showed the jury the image's metadata for the photo, indicating it was taken on September 26, 2016. On cross examination, Westmoreland used a government exhibit of Combs' hotel invoice from the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York that showed him staying at the hotel from September 24 through September 29, 2016. 'You agree that one person can't be in two places at the same time?' Westmoreland asked. 'In, like, theory, yeah,' Bongolan testified. Outside the presence of the jury, Judge Arun Subramanian called the cross a 'real Perry Mason moment' that, he said, 'blew a hole through the direct testimony of Ms. Bongolan.' Lawyers caution that long cross examinations can backfire and bore the jury. For several witnesses, Comb's team's cross examination went as long or longer than the prosecution's questions. One tactic that Comb's lawyers have used repeatedly in questioning government witnesses is to repeat evidence that bolsters their defense. Geragos, in opening statements, said the case is about 'voluntary, adult choices made by capable adults and consensual relationships.' To further her argument, Geragos asked a law enforcement officer called by prosecutors to re-read some of Ventura's messages to Combs. In one of those messages, Ventura wrote, 'I'm always ready to freak off LOLOL.' CNN's Lauren del Valle, Nicki Brown and Elizabeth Wagmeister contributed to this report.
