Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual harassment and domestic violence which some readers may find distressing
Federal prosecutors are dropping a number of major claims against Sean 'Diddy' Combs as the sex trafficking trial continues.
The 55-year-old is facing five federal charges which include racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution. Both sides have presented their cases, as the defence rested after just 20 minutes, relying largely on text messages and cross-examination.
Diddy himself did not testify and pleads not guilty to all five charges.
What claims against Diddy have been dropped and why?
Prosecutors are set to narrow their initial conspiracy charge, as the indictment accuses Combs of 'creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice'.
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However, in a letter to the court, the government say they are 'no longer planning to proceed on these theories of liability so instructions are no longer necessary'.The following three theories are being dropped:
• Attempted kidnapping, linked to former employee Capricorn Clark and Cassie Ventura
• Attempted arson in relation to the alleged firebombing of Kid Cudi’s Porsche
• Aiding and abetting sex trafficking
"The Government understands the Court’s desire for streamlined instructions. With that in mind, the Government has suggested ways to streamline those instructions," the letter read.
The claims were dropped as one of Diddy's lawyers, Shawn Holley Shapiro, claimed that two of the three examples above were 'insufficient'.
In one of the more shocking allegations aired during the ongoing Diddy saga, Capricorn Clark — a former employee of the music mogul — claimed she was taken to a rundown building by Diddy's then-head of security and subjected to five days of back-to-back lie detector tests. Clark told the court that she was threatened with being dumped in the East River if she failed. However, Shapiro argued there was zero proof that Diddy even knew what was going on, let alone that he orchestrated a kidnapping.
Another explosive accusation came from rapper Kid Cudi, real name Scott Mescudi, who alleged that his Porsche was firebombed back in 2012, shortly after Diddy reportedly found out he had dated Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s longtime girlfriend at the time. Shapiro denied any involvement on her client's part, pointing out that Cudi didn’t witness the attack himself. She also highlighted that female DNA had been found on the bottle used in the Molotov cocktail.
What is Diddy still accused of?
The five federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution against Diddy remain, all of which he has pleaded not guilty to.
On Tuesday (24 June), Combs chose not to testify, stating that he had discussed this 'thoroughly' with his team and that is was 'totally [his] decision'.
When asked how he was feeling by the judge, he also said: "I am doing great, thank you Your Honour. I wanted to tell you thank you, you are doing an excellent job."
What have witnesses said in Diddy's trial?
34 witnesses have testified against him, and this includes former Bad Boy Entertainment employees, ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, and a model and internet personality known to jurors only by the pseudonym 'Jane'.
Last week, the jury were left terrified as videos of the drug-fuelled freak-offs were shown to them in court. Ventura, a key witness who dated Diddy on and off from 2005 to 2019, said in court that the freak-offs started 'within the first year of our relationship'.
"His sexual encounter that he called voyeurism where he would watch me be in intercourse with a third party, specifically with another man," she said.
Cassie also spoke of the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Combs, testifying: "He would smash me in my head, knock me over, drag me, kick me, stomp me in the head if I was down."
She also told the court that she would stay awake for days after Diddy allegedly provided her with a mix of ecstasy and cocaine, which would keep her up.
"I was high so I didn't feel much," she said. "Did this really happen to me? I didn't know what was going to happen after that, if we were going to do it more frequently. I said yes to more, I didn't want to make him upset or angry."
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.
Alternatively, if you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Anish Vij