Latest news with #Combs
1News
an hour ago
- 1News
Judge quickly rejects mistrial request at Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial
A federal judge immediately rejected a defence request for a mistrial on Thursday at the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs, after his attorneys said prosecutors tried to imply to a jury that the music mogul interfered with the investigation into rapper Kid Cudi's firebombed Porsche in 2012. Although such mistrial requests are common during lengthy federal trials involving hundreds of pieces of evidence and dozens of witnesses, this was the first request at Combs' trial, which is in its third week of testimony in Manhattan. Combs has been active in his defence, regularly writing notes to his lawyers, and they have consulted with him as they questioned witnesses. Judge Arun Subramanian instructed the jury to disregard testimony about the destruction of fingerprint cards that occurred months after Cudi's car was set ablaze. Weeks before that firebombing, Combs became enraged when he learned that Cudi was dating Cassie, the singer who had a nearly 11-year relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018. The Molotov cocktail used to burn Cudi's car in his Hollywood Hills driveway was fashioned out of a 40-ounce Old English 800 malt liquor bottle and a designer handkerchief, according to Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator for the Los Angeles Fire Department, and photographs shown in court. The defence's mistrial request came after Jimenez testified that fingerprints taken from Cudi's burned-up Porsche 911 were destroyed in August 2012, about eight months after the fire. Jimenez said someone in the Los Angeles Police Department who was not involved in the investigation ordered the fingerprint cards destroyed. He said that was not normal protocol. ADVERTISEMENT Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he led a racketeering conspiracy for 20 years that relied on fear and violence to get what he wanted. If convicted, he could face 15 years to life in prison. Cassie and other witnesses have testified that she was repeatedly beaten by Combs, and she said she was frequently coerced to engage in unwanted sex acts. Defence attorney Alexandra Shapiro asked for a mistrial during a morning break with the jury out of the room. She told Subramanian that 'prosecutorial misconduct' had occurred and said 'there's no way to un-ring this bell.' She said prosecutors were on notice during jury selection that some prospective jurors had to be eliminated from consideration for the jury because they believed Combs could buy his way out of the racketeering conspiracy he's charged with. 'These questions were designed to play right into that,' she said. Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo called the prosecution's conduct 'outrageous.' Combs' lawyers argued that the prosecution's questions and Jimenez's resulting testimony were highly prejudicial because prosecutors were suggesting that Combs had something to do with the destruction of the records. Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik said 'a mistrial is absolutely unwarranted here'. She said the subject of fingerprints was raised to counter defence suggestions through questions posed to other witnesses that the car firebombing was poorly investigated and that the area was not canvassed for fingerprints.
AsiaOne
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Sean 'Diddy' Combs allegedly threatened to leak sex tapes of his ex, Entertainment News
NEW YORK — Sean "Diddy" Combs routinely beat his ex-girlfriend and during fits of rage threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet, a stylist testified on Wednesday (May 28) at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial. Deonte Nash, who worked as a stylist for Combs and Combs' former girlfriend Casandra Ventura from 2008 to 2018, alleged that Combs repeatedly beat Ventura and threatened to release the tapes while raging at her for not being obedient. "He told her she f***ed up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five counts including racketeering and sex trafficking. He faces up to life in prison if convicted on all counts. Last week, Scott Mescudi — the rapper known as Kid Cudi — testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura. Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial. US District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints. Testimony in Combs' trial in Manhattan federal court is in its third week. Prosecutors say Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, coerced women, including Ventura, over two decades to take part in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers known as "Freak Offs". Combs' lawyers have acknowledged that he was at times abusive in domestic relationships, but said the women who participated in Freak Offs did so consensually. Over four days of emotional testimony during the first week of trial, Ventura recounted years of alleged physical and emotional abuse by Combs. Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, said she hated the Freak Offs. She said she participated because she loved Combs and because she feared how he would react if she didn't. [[nid:718464]]
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Recap of ‘Diddy' trial: Stylist says Combs threatened to release sex tapes of Ventura as investigators detail Kid Cudi's burnt car
Police and fire investigators who looked into the rapper Kid Cudi's allegations and a celebrity stylist who said he witnessed several assaults testified Wednesday in the third week of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal criminal trial. The first week of testimony featured dramatic and disturbing testimony from Cassie Ventura, the pop singer who said Combs physically abused her and coerced her into drug-fueled sex parties with male escorts known as 'Freak Offs' during their relationship. Ventura, who was pregnant when she took the stand, gave birth on Tuesday to her third child, according to the stylist who described himself as her best friend. The second week of testimony largely consisted of witnesses who bolstered parts of Ventura's story, including Scott Mescudi, the rapper known as Kid Cudi. Witnesses in this third week of testimony have focused on Mescudi's allegations as well as Combs' violence toward Ventura. The prosecution said its next witness is expected to be Combs' former assistant who is testifying using the pseudonym 'Mia.' Prosecutors have said Combs and his inner circle used threats, violence, drugs, bribery, arson, kidnapping and lies to coerce Ventura and another woman into participating in 'Freak Offs' and to protect the music mogul's reputation. The defense has acknowledged Combs was violent with romantic partners and during opening statements said he had 'a bit of a different sex life.' They also said that while Combs is 'a very flawed individual,' he has not committed the alleged federal crimes. Combs has pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. Here's what we learned Wednesday. Mescudi testified last week that his house was broken into and his Porsche was set on fire after Combs learned Mescudi was dating Ventura, and on Wednesday LAFD and LAPD officers gave further details about the investigations into those incidents. LAPD officer Christopher Ignacio, who responded to Mescudi's home in December 2011 in response to a possible burglary, testified that a black Escalade that was parked near the home drove away when he pulled up behind it. He said he did not pursue the vehicle because there hadn't been a crime at that point. Ignacio said the vehicle, which drove by again about 15-20 minutes later, had a license plate that was tied to Bad Boy Productions Inc., the label founded by Combs. The officer said Mescudi filed a trespassing report and was 'flustered' at the time, but didn't report a gun being involved or that any property was stolen from the home. Next, LAFD arson investigator Lance Jimenez testified that the Molotov cocktail used to set Mescudi's Porsche on fire in January 2012 could have caused catastrophic damage if it had exploded as intended. The Porsche, parked close to Mescudi's garage, had a cut in its canvas roof and burn patterns throughout the seats, center console, interior roofing and carpet, Jimenez testified. A 40-ounce Old English liquor bottle with gasoline inside sat on the driver's seat, a cloth handkerchief was on the center console and a disposable lighter was found outside the car. Jimenez said there was 'severe damage' to the Porsche, but not nearly the kind of catastrophic damage he normally sees from fully operational Molotov cocktails. If it had exploded, the blaze would have likely spread to nearby foliage and the rapper's home, he said. The arson investigator determined that the fire was targeted and was not random. Combs denied his involvement in the arson, Mescudi previously testified, and no one was directly charged for the incident. An alleged arson was mentioned in the federal indictment against Combs in connection to the racketeering charge. Judge Arun Subramanian denied a request from Combs' defense for a mistrial after the prosecution asked a witness about the destruction of fingerprint evidence. The request came after Jimenez, the LAFD arson investigator, testified that fingerprints were found in Mescudi's home in December 2011 after the trespassing incident. Jimenez said he collected a card with those fingerprints to compare to evidence recovered from the Molotov cocktail bottle inside of the rapper's Porsche, but the card was destroyed by an LAPD officer in August 2012. Jimenez said he typically has to sign off on the destruction of any evidence he submitted as a lead investigator. The defense objected to the line of questioning, saying the prosecution's implications were 'outrageous.' 'They were suggesting to this jury that someone in this courtroom had something to do with the improper and suspicious destruction of these fingerprints,' defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. Defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro moved for a mistrial based on what she called prosecutorial misconduct, saying the questions played into a conspiracy theory that Combs could buy his way out of trouble. 'This type of conspiracy theory is out there, and the type of implication we believe these questions were designed to create plays right into that,' Shapiro said. Subramanian denied the motion and said he doesn't believe that the jury was prejudiced. When the jury returned to court, Subramanian instructed them to not consider the testimony about the fingerprint card. Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist, testified that on multiple occasions he saw Combs assault Ventura and heard him threaten to withhold her music or release sex tapes of her. Ventura would be 'super emotional' after the threats and 'sometimes she would just stay in the house for days and go in a cocoon,' Nash said. On one occasion in 2013 or 2014, Nash said as Combs was assaulting Ventura, Nash and an assistant named 'Mia' jumped on Combs' back to try to stop him. In the attack, Combs hit and kicked Ventura until she hit her head on the bed frame, opening a gash on her eyebrow, Nash said. 'When he noticed the blood, he just panicked,' Nash said. Combs said to them, 'Look what y'all made me do,' according to Nash. Ventura testified about this incident earlier in the trial and showed the jury an eyebrow scar that she said came from the attack. Further, Nash said he saw Combs slap Ventura across the face in 2015 and saw her with a black eye at a 2016 premiere for the film 'The Perfect Match.' He testified he observed bruises on Ventura's legs, arms and neck 'quite often.' Nash said he often saw Ventura packing a black duffel bag with sex toys for hotel stays. Ventura told him she didn't want to go, but she did 'because (Combs) wanted her to,' Nash testified. Nash also testified that Ventura told him that she had sex with other men while Combs watched even though she didn't want to, though she never explicitly explained the term 'freak off' to him. One of the times Combs threatened to release sex tapes of Ventura, Nash suggested she should let him because Combs was on them too. She then told him Combs wasn't in the videos, just her with other men because Combs was filming them, Nash testified. According to Nash, Ventura said she didn't want to have sex with the other men, but she did it 'because Puff wanted her to.' Ventura also told Nash she didn't want to go with Combs to a 'freak off' the night of her 29th birthday party, Nash said. Ventura previously testified that Combs spent the night of her birthday party pushing her to leave her party for a 'freak off' until she eventually gave in. Nash is still close to and often speaks with Ventura, he said. He testified Wednesday that he spoke to Ventura a day earlier after she had her baby and offered his congratulations. Nash said he has not pursued legal action or made a money demand against Combs, and has kept in touch with him occasionally. 'I don't hate him,' Nash said in court of Combs. 'I mean, I don't; it's just not in me.' CNN's Lisa Respers France contributed to this report.
7NEWS
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
Cassie Ventura gives birth to baby following testimony in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial
Cassie Ventura gave birth on Tuesday, roughly two weeks after she took the stand as a witness in Sean Combs' federal sex trafficking trial, a source familiar with the matter confirmed. The baby is her third with her husband Alex Fine. Ventura announced the pregnancy in an Instagram post featuring black-and-white photos of their family, including their two young daughters. The singer and model just spent nearly a week testifying in Combs' trial, recounting allegations of rape and abuse at his hands. Her civil lawsuit against Combs in 2023 set off a firestorm of abuse allegations and lawsuits from others who alleged that they'd had similar experiences, leading to a federal investigation and charges against Combs that included sex trafficking. Ventura and Combs settled her lawsuit the day after it was filed for $US20 million ($A31,160,000), she revealed in court. Combs denied any wrongdoing. Ventura was more than eight months pregnant when she took the stand on May 13. On her third day on the stand, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey called for a speedy cross-examination, predicting Ventura could have her baby over the weekend. US District Judge Arun Subramanian agreed with the prosecutor that Ventura's presence in court should not be needed past May 16, sternly reminding the defence team that it had agreed to only a day and a half of cross-examining Ventura. Marc Agnifilo, Combs' attorney, said he might want Ventura to come back the following week if needed. 'In what universe did you not understand this is what was going to happen?' Subramanian asked Agnifilo in court. 'You're not telling me this wasn't everyone's understanding that this witness was going to be done this week?'
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Diddy's ex Cassie gives birth days after testimony
Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has welcomed her third child, a son. The news arrived Wednesday in the midst of the ongoing Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial, at which Ventura is an essential witness. She finished testifying earlier this month while visibly pregnant over four emotional days on the stand, during which she described being beaten and raped by a man she once loved. Reports from multiple media outlets said Ventura gave birth in a New York hospital Tuesday. Stylist Deonte Nash, who worked for Combs for a decade, testified Wednesday that he talked to Ventura the previous day to congratulate her on the birth. Ventura, 38, is perhaps best known for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single Me & U. She married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born that same year and they welcomed their second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021. Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on charges that he exploited his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Ventura, into drug-fueled "freak-offs" with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. After departing the trial, Ventura, who dated Combs for a decade, released a statement through her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others "heal from the abuse and fear." Nash, who worked for the couple from 2008 to 2018, gave evidence on Wednesday that Combs routinely beat Ventura and during fits of rage, threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet. "He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014. Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura. Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints. Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has welcomed her third child, a son. The news arrived Wednesday in the midst of the ongoing Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial, at which Ventura is an essential witness. She finished testifying earlier this month while visibly pregnant over four emotional days on the stand, during which she described being beaten and raped by a man she once loved. Reports from multiple media outlets said Ventura gave birth in a New York hospital Tuesday. Stylist Deonte Nash, who worked for Combs for a decade, testified Wednesday that he talked to Ventura the previous day to congratulate her on the birth. Ventura, 38, is perhaps best known for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single Me & U. She married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born that same year and they welcomed their second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021. Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on charges that he exploited his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Ventura, into drug-fueled "freak-offs" with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. After departing the trial, Ventura, who dated Combs for a decade, released a statement through her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others "heal from the abuse and fear." Nash, who worked for the couple from 2008 to 2018, gave evidence on Wednesday that Combs routinely beat Ventura and during fits of rage, threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet. "He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014. Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura. Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints. Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has welcomed her third child, a son. The news arrived Wednesday in the midst of the ongoing Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial, at which Ventura is an essential witness. She finished testifying earlier this month while visibly pregnant over four emotional days on the stand, during which she described being beaten and raped by a man she once loved. Reports from multiple media outlets said Ventura gave birth in a New York hospital Tuesday. Stylist Deonte Nash, who worked for Combs for a decade, testified Wednesday that he talked to Ventura the previous day to congratulate her on the birth. Ventura, 38, is perhaps best known for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single Me & U. She married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born that same year and they welcomed their second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021. Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on charges that he exploited his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Ventura, into drug-fueled "freak-offs" with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. After departing the trial, Ventura, who dated Combs for a decade, released a statement through her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others "heal from the abuse and fear." Nash, who worked for the couple from 2008 to 2018, gave evidence on Wednesday that Combs routinely beat Ventura and during fits of rage, threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet. "He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014. Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura. Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints. Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and actor known simply as Cassie, has welcomed her third child, a son. The news arrived Wednesday in the midst of the ongoing Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial, at which Ventura is an essential witness. She finished testifying earlier this month while visibly pregnant over four emotional days on the stand, during which she described being beaten and raped by a man she once loved. Reports from multiple media outlets said Ventura gave birth in a New York hospital Tuesday. Stylist Deonte Nash, who worked for Combs for a decade, testified Wednesday that he talked to Ventura the previous day to congratulate her on the birth. Ventura, 38, is perhaps best known for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single Me & U. She married personal trainer Alex Fine in September 2019. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Fine, was born that same year and they welcomed their second daughter, Sunny Cinco Fine, in 2021. Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on charges that he exploited his status as an entertainment executive to force women, including Ventura, into drug-fueled "freak-offs" with male sex workers and engaged in other abusive acts against people who relied on him for their careers. Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. After departing the trial, Ventura, who dated Combs for a decade, released a statement through her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others "heal from the abuse and fear." Nash, who worked for the couple from 2008 to 2018, gave evidence on Wednesday that Combs routinely beat Ventura and during fits of rage, threatened to release sex tapes of her to the internet. "He told her she fucked up and he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet," Nash said, recounting an alleged incident in 2013 or 2014. Last week, Scott Mescudi - the rapper known as Kid Cudi - testified that his car was set on fire in 2012, shortly after Combs learned that Mescudi had a romantic relationship with Ventura. Prosecutors say the alleged arson of Mescudi's car was one of several violent or illegal acts that Combs or his associates undertook to prevent women from leaving his orbit and keep his abuse quiet. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Combs told the judge outside the jury's presence that prosecutors' questions to a Los Angeles arson investigator implied that Combs had a role in the destruction of fingerprint evidence, arguing the questions were grounds for a mistrial. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly denied the request, saying none of the testimony was unfair to Combs. He told jurors to disregard the questions and answers about the fingerprints.
