Latest news with #Combs'
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Judge Dismisses Sean Combs Juror Over Inconsistent Statements
Follow all of our Sean Combs trial coverage Sean Combs' sex trafficking and racketeering trial entered its sixth week Monday with the judge dismissing a juror whose credibility was contested after he gave inconsistent statements about where he lives. More from Rolling Stone Wife of Weezer Bassist Appears in Court, Wins Delay in LAPD Shooting Case Kneecap's Mo Chara Granted Unconditional Bail at First Hearing on Terror Charge Tyler Perry Sued for Alleged Sexual Assault, Battery by 'The Oval' Actor The juror, a 41-year-old Black man who works for New York's Department of Corrections, initially said he lived in the Bronx. He later casually mentioned to court staff during trial that he had moved to New Jersey to live with his finacée and child. When the issue was brought to the court's attention, the man said the move to New Jersey 'may not be permanent' and that he still had a New York driver's license and received his mail in the Bronx. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian said 'the record raised serious concerns as to the juror's candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury.' (According to CNN, the man said during jury selection that he was a fan of 1990s hip-hop but that he didn't know much about the case.) 'Even if this juror had an excuse or explanation for the inconsistencies in the record, that would be yet another set of shifting answers on basic questions about the juror's residence. This would only heighten the specter that the juror's trying to shade answers in an effort to remain on the jury,' Subramanian said Monday as he issued his final decision. 'In other words, there's nothing the juror could say at this point that would put the genie back in the bottle and repair the damage to his credibility.' Combs sighed in court after the judge ruled. The reaction was noticeably muted compared to Friday, when he was visibly angry, vigorously shaking his head, and whispering to his legal team. Combs' camp emphatically fought the juror's removal, calling him one of only two Black men on the jury. On Friday, Combs' attorney, Xavier Donaldson, said it would be a 'step backwards' to remove the man. In a letter to the court filed Sunday night, the defense team said Combs wanted a mistrial if the juror was excused. The lawyers said prosecutors used seven of their nine peremptory strikes to remove Black jurors from the prospective panel before the final jury was selected. They argued that removing the seated juror over his residency issue after five weeks of trial would be 'discriminatory.' 'The fairness of the trial depends in part on having jurors with backgrounds similar to Mr. Combs share their perspectives on the evidence with other jurors from diverse backgrounds during deliberations,' the 14-page letter, authored by Combs' attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, said. 'Removing this particular juror will deprive Mr. Combs of that important perspective and it is no answer to simply say that there are other Black jurors, or other males, on the jury.' On Monday, Judge Subramanian said it would be 'improper' to consider the race of the juror while determining whether to excuse the man. The judge said he took the weekend to consider the issue and that he was comfortable with his decision, considering the alternate jurors were selected in a fair process agreed to by both sides. The alternate juror who filled the excused juror's seat is a 57-year-old male who appears to be white and lives with his wife and children in Westchester County, according to NBC News. On Monday, the defense contested another juror, though Subramanian said there was no connection between that juror and the one already dismissed. Combs, 55, was arrested in September and has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy. If convicted as charged, he could spend the rest of his life in prison. Combs' lawyers deny the music mogul was the head of a criminal enterprise allegedly designed to fulfill his sexual desires and protect his reputation. Instead, they've described Combs as a 'swinger' who indulged his 'kinky' proclivities with his longtime girlfriends. Combs has acknowledged he kicked and dragged Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura in the hallway of the InterContinental hotel in 2016, but he denies he coerced her or another recent ex-girlfriend, 'Jane,' into sex trafficking. Throughout the trial playing out in lower Manhattan, prosecutors have alleged Combs used force, fraud, or coercion to manipulate Ventura and Jane into drug-fueled, highly orchestrated sex marathons with male escorts that Combs directed and recorded. The encounters were known as 'freak-offs,' 'hotel nights,' and 'king nights,' according to testimony. For the first time Monday, jurors were shown freak-off videos, which were admitted under seal and not shown to the gallery. The explicit videos were introduced using a summary chart that detailed 71 alleged instances where Combs booked hotel rooms for freak-offs with Ventura between August 2009 and June 2017. The chart contained names of the male escorts and corresponding travel information if they were flown in from out of state. Summary witness SDNY special agent DeLeassa Penland said the data was compiled through bank statements, hotel and flight records, text messages, and videotapes. The videos were introduced in the context of confirming certain male escorts were in the hotel rooms for some of the alleged freak-offs with Ventura. Putting on headphones, many of the jurors watched a few moments of the 11-minute to 40-minute videos, with intent expressions and holding their chin in their hands. Earlier in the day, Ananya Sankar, a paralegal specialist with the U.S. Attorney's Office, was called to the stand. Sankar walked jurors through a lengthy chart showing texts and communications between Combs' former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, and other staffers or even Combs himself. In the messages, extracted from seized devices, Khorram and others allegedly discussed prepping hotel rooms for freak-offs and dropping off supplies, including drugs and large sums of cash to pay male escorts. (Khorram has been described as a 'co-conspirator' but has not been called to testify.) In one exchange shown to jurors, Combs' former assistant Ryan Lopez texted Khorram, 'LOL. Think I saw one of the cowboys today. You can spot them in the lobby like an escort.' Khorram texted back with four laughing face emojis, later asking, 'BTW, how long is he going to stay awake?' Prosecutors positioned the December 2019 exchange as clear evidence Khorram knew Combs used an escort service called 'Cowboys 4 Angels' to hire paid male sex workers for his freak-offs with Ventura and Jane. 'Hotel called, Paul coming up,' Khorram texted Combs in another exchange dated Nov. 14, 2021. (Jane previously told jurors that 'Paul' was an escort they used for 'hotel nights.') In a subsequent exchange on March 3, 2022, a travel assistant sent Khorram flight information for Paul. Prosecutors also allege Khorram was aware of Combs' violence towards Ventura. In a text exchange dated May 2, 2017, Ventura described Combs attacking her. 'No one deserves being dragged by their hair,' Ventura wrote. 'I locked the door for my safety.' In April 2018, Ventura texted Khorram, 'I can't do the violent, scary, kick me out of my own house stuff anymore.' Jurors also saw photos dated December 2023 that showed a text exchange from another device. The photos, which would have been snapped a month after Ventura filed her bombshell sex trafficking and rape lawsuit against Combs, depicted Jane telling Combs she felt 'extremely exploited, heartbroken and manipulated' by the music mogul. Shortly after the photos were taken, Jane texted Khorram directly, jurors heard. 'He just threatened me about my sex tapes that he has of me on two phones. He said that he would expose me and send them to my child's father,' Jane wrote. When Combs' defense lawyer Teny Geragos had her turn to question Sankar, she highlighted an exchange between Khorram and Jane from June 13, 2022. In one message, Jane sounds eager to travel and join Combs at a hotel. 'Pulling up to airport, yay,' she wrote. 'I'm excited to surprise him.' In a subsequent message in the series, Jane suggested to Khorram that Combs' security should bring $5,000 to $10,000 in cash to the room, ostensibly to pay for a male escort. A centerpiece of Combs' defense is that Jane and Ventura repeatedly consented to the freak-offs and sometimes managed paying the escorts themselves. In yet another exchange, longtime Combs spokeswoman Nathalie Moar texted Khorram on Aug. 18, 2016, informing her that TMZ was about to run a story about Combs allegedly snatching Ventura's phone and taking off running down a street in Beverly Hills. 'The only reason it's running is because of police report,' Moar allegedly texted Khorram in the messages shown to jurors. Moar said she was communicating with Ventura as well, claiming Ventura was 'worried' about the TMZ story and wanted to get an 'advance' copy. 'I told her that cannot happen,' Moar wrote, referring to Ventura. After Khorram was named as a co-defendant in multiple civil lawsuits, she released a statement in March. 'For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss,' she said. 'These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone. The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault. I am confident that the allegations against me will be proven to be untrue.' Before court ended for the day, jurors saw a text exchange between Combs and Ventura regarding an alleged freak-off with four male entertainers in Jan. 9, 2013. 'Would you want to celebrate Christmas and have a freak-off tonight or Friday?' Combs asked Ventura before sending another message saying he had her present. After more than two dozen witnesses, the government said they will rest later this week. On Tuesday, they plan to call one of their final witnesses, Combs' former recent assistant Brendan Paul. The former Syracuse University basketball player was the lone person arrested during the simultaneous raids on Combs' homes in March 2024. As Combs was about to take off on a private plane bound for the Caribbean with his daughters and entourage, Miami police detained him and said they found cocaine traces and marijuana candy in Paul's baggage. His case was ultimately dismissed after he completed a drug diversion course. In a sneak peek at how the defense plans to proceed, defense lawyers said Monday they plan to call Vashta Wilson, a former vice president of human resources for Combs, and Stephan Lind-Orjala, who's listed online as a facilities manager at Combs Enterprises, as witnesses. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
NBC News
7 hours ago
- NBC News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Former assistant Brendan Paul to testify as prosecution wraps up case
Brendan Paul, a former Combs' personal assistant, is expected to testify today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey said Tuesday that the government will likely rest its case Friday, though that was before court was adjourned early Wednesday morning due to a sick juror. Combs' defense team said it needs two to five days to present its case, but that timeline isn't set in stone. Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has vociferously denied the allegations against him. This live briefing may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline. Sign up for the 'Diddy on Trial' newsletter for key developments and analysis, and listen to the 'Dateline' nightly podcast.
Scottish Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Explosive new Diddy mansion pics reveal star's shelves stacked with baby oil, a vast weapons arsenal & ketamine stash
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BOMBSHELL new images from Sean "Diddy" Combs' mansion have been revealed - with shelves stacked with baby oil, shotguns sprawled around, and his ketamine stash unveiled. The disgraced music mogul, 55, is currently on trial in New York for sex-trafficking, and faces life behind bars if convicted. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 10 Shelves of baby oil were photographed in the mansion Credit: Department of Justice 10 Agents also discovered various weaponry Credit: Department of Justice 10 Bags of ketamine were seized Credit: Department of Justice 10 Sean 'Diddy' Combs at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Credit: Getty He's pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, as prosecutors alleged his business empire was also a criminal enterprise. The abundance of explosive pics were released by federal prosecutors as the trial was stalled due to the Juneteenth holiday. The bombshell items were seized by Homeland Security officials during the March 2024 raid at Combs' mansion in the neighborhood of Holmby Hills - a playground for the rich and famous. One chilling image shows baby oil neatly displayed across three shelves in one room of the sprawling property. READ MORE ON DIDDY TRIAL SHOCK Kanye sensationally crashes Diddy trial but 'storms out mins later' Homeland Security Investigations agent Andre Lamon has testified that he found 900 bottles of lubricant Astroglide and 200 bottles of baby oil at Combs' home. Defense Attorney Marc Agnifilo said the disgraced star likes to "buy in bulk like any other American". Another image shows various weapons confiscated by agents, including deadly AR-15 style rifles and pump shotguns. Investigators also discovered bags of the drug ketamine that were photographed as evidence. Federal prosecutors have alleged that the Schedule III, or Class B substance was used in the infamous "freak-offs". Combs would put women through days-long "freak-off" sex parties while filming them, a court heard last month. Kanye shows up to Diddy's sex trafficking trial in blacked out Maybach after being spotted in NYC with wife Bianca A few weeks ago, Combs' ex-girlfriend testified about opening "Pandora's box" after she agreed to the music executive's proposal to engage in sex with strangers. The woman, who is being identified in court under the pseudonym Jane, recalled on the stand about falling "head over heels" for Combs after they first met in late 2020. She said that she did various drugs, including cocaine, ecstasy, molly, and ketamine, every time she saw Combs between February and May 2021. During the March 2024 raid, a hard drive was also seized, and the property's security system was turned off. Combs forked out almost $40 million on the 17,000 square-foot, 10-bedroom home back in September 2014. He put it on the market a decade later for $61.5 million. The property boasts outdoor features such as a swimming pool, and its lawns are neat. Inside, there is a 35-seat theater room, a wine cellar, a gym, as well as a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen. Its other features include a basketball court, spa room, and an outdoor loggia-style facility where barbecues can be hosted, per the Zillow listing. 10 Combs' Los Angeles home lies empty more than a year after being raided by the feds Credit: The US Sun 10 900 bottles were allegedly found at the mansion Credit: Department of Justice 10 Numerous guns were found in the raid Credit: Department of Justice 10 Drawers allegedly contained women's lingerie and heels Credit: Department of Justice 10 Combs' trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks Credit: Department of Justice There's also an underground swimming tunnel that is linked to a grotto. Meanwhile, even if Combs is found guilty, he could be pardoned by President Donald Trump. Trump surprised reporters by commenting on the court case during a news conference with Elon Musk and revealed he would consider whether or not he has been "mistreated." Asked if he would consider pardoning him, Trump said, "Nobody's asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." He said he felt the former music mogul used to like him "a lot" but wasn't his biggest fan after he went into politics. Despite this, Trump said, "I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me." If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Diddy locked eyes with us as he entered the courtroom - inside the trial of the decade By Israel S-Rodriguez, Senior News Reporter at The U.S. Sun The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs began with jury selection on May 5. Combs is standing trial at the Southern District of New York Courthouse in Lower Manhattan - an intimidating federal courthouse where the cases of Ghislaine Maxwell, Donald Trump, and Bernard Madoff, among others, were tried. Once a powerful founder of a music and business empire, Combs has been reduced to a defendant, inmate 37452-054, stripped of his mogul status, and now standing trial on five federal charges with the full wrath of the United States government against him. When I attended Day 3 of jury selection at the federal courthouse on May 7, the buzz around the start of the trial was palpable. Hours before the courthouse opened its doors, more than a dozen reporters and members of the public stood in line in hopes of securing a seat in the gallery for the high-profile trial. As you walk through the glass door entrance of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, you are met by bulletproof vest-clad court officers. All visitors must separate their electronic devices from their personal belongings, which are passed through a metal detector. Visitors walk through a metal detector before a court officer hands them a poker chip. The courthouse uses a poker chip system to sort the number of electronic devices visitors are in possession of. Electronic devices, such as Bluetooth-powered headphones, voice recorders, laptops, cellphones, and smart watches, are confiscated before you're allowed to enter the courthouse's main hallway. As about a half-dozen reporters and I waited in the gallery for jury selection, we witnessed how Combs entered the courtroom shackle-free. Combs entered with his hands pressed together, greeted his defense team before he examined the gallery, and locked eyes with reporters and potential jurors. The 55-year-old disgraced Bad Boy Records executive was attentive and engaged with his counsel as they grilled dozens of potential jurors. As jury selection wrapped up for the day, Combs embraced each of his female defense attorneys before he mouthed "thank you" to a handful of supporters in the gallery. I attended trial again as opening statements got underway on May 12 and the world media waited anxiously outside the federal courthouse before the sun rose in Lower Manhattan. A line stretched down the block from the federal courthouse as some members of the media and from the public camped out overnight to try to obtain a coveted seat inside the gallery. At least three overflow rooms were made available for reporters and the public, who are eager to witness the prosecutions case against the music mogul. At least half a dozen members of Combs' family arrived at the courthouse as spectators filed in single order to enter the federal building to turn over all their electronic devices. Combs' trial is being held on the 26th floor in Judge Arun Subramanian's courtroom and is expected to last for eight weeks. We'll bring it all to you on The U.S. Sun.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Explosive new Diddy mansion pics reveal star's shelves stacked with baby oil, a vast weapons arsenal & ketamine stash
BOMBSHELL new images from Sean "Diddy" Combs' mansion have been revealed - with shelves stacked with baby oil, shotguns sprawled around, and his ketamine stash unveiled. The disgraced music mogul , 55, is currently on trial in New York for sex-trafficking, and faces life behind bars if convicted. 10 Shelves of baby oil were photographed in the mansion Credit: Department of Justice 10 Agents also discovered various weaponry Credit: Department of Justice 10 Bags of ketamine were seized Credit: Department of Justice 10 Sean 'Diddy' Combs at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas Credit: Getty He's pleaded not guilty to charges of , racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution, as prosecutors alleged his business empire was also a criminal enterprise. The abundance of explosive pics were released by federal prosecutors as the trial was stalled due to the Juneteenth holiday. The bombshell items were seized by Homeland Security officials during the March 2024 raid at Combs' mansion in the neighborhood of Holmby Hills - a playground for the rich and famous. One chilling image shows baby oil neatly displayed across three shelves in one room of the sprawling property. READ MORE ON DIDDY Homeland Security Investigations agent Andre Lamon has testified that he found 900 bottles of lubricant Astroglide and 200 bottles of baby oil at Combs' home. Defense Attorney Marc Agnifilo said the disgraced star likes to "buy in bulk like any other American". Another image shows various weapons confiscated by agents, including deadly AR-15 style rifles and pump shotguns. Investigators also discovered bags of the drug ketamine that were photographed as evidence. Most read in Entertainment Federal prosecutors have alleged that the Schedule III, or Class B substance was used Combs would put women through days-long "freak-off" sex parties while filming them, a court heard last month. Kanye shows up to Diddy's sex trafficking trial in blacked out Maybach after being spotted in NYC with wife Bianca A few weeks ago, Combs' ex-girlfriend testified about sex with strangers. The woman, who is being identified in court under the pseudonym Jane, recalled on the stand about falling "head over heels " for She said that she did various drugs , including cocaine, ecstasy, molly, and ketamine, every time she saw Combs between February and May 2021. During the March 2024 raid, a hard drive was also seized, and the property's security system was turned off. Combs forked out almost $40 million on the 17,000 square-foot, 10-bedroom home back in September 2014. He put it on the market a decade later for $61.5 million. The property boasts outdoor features such as a swimming pool, and its lawns are neat. Inside, there is a 35-seat theater room, a wine cellar, a gym, as well as a state-of-the-art gourmet kitchen. Its other features include a basketball court, spa room, and an outdoor loggia-style facility where barbecues can be hosted, per the 10 Combs' Los Angeles home lies empty more than a year after being raided by the feds Credit: The US Sun 10 900 bottles were allegedly found at the mansion Credit: Department of Justice 10 Numerous guns were found in the raid Credit: Department of Justice 10 Drawers allegedly contained women's lingerie and heels Credit: Department of Justice 10 Combs' trial is expected to last eight to 10 weeks Credit: Department of Justice There's also an underground swimming tunnel that is linked to a grotto. Meanwhile, even if Combs is found guilty, he could be pardoned by President Donald Trump. Trump surprised reporters by commenting on the court case during a news conference with Elon Musk and revealed he would consider whether or not he has been "mistreated." Asked if he would consider pardoning him, Trump said, "Nobody's asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." He said he felt the former music mogul used to like him "a lot" but wasn't his biggest fan after he went into politics . Despite this, Trump said, "I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me." If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Diddy locked eyes with us as he entered the courtroom - inside the trial of the decade By Israel S-Rodriguez, Senior News Reporter at The U.S. Sun The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs began with jury selection on May 5. Combs is standing trial at the Southern District of New York Courthouse in Lower Manhattan - an intimidating federal courthouse where the cases of Ghislaine Maxwell, Donald Trump, and Bernard Madoff, among others, were tried. Once a powerful founder of a music and business empire, Combs has been reduced to a defendant, inmate 37452-054, stripped of his mogul status, and now standing trial on five federal charges with the full wrath of the United States government against him. When I attended Day 3 of jury selection at the federal courthouse on May 7, the buzz around the start of the trial was palpable. Hours before the courthouse opened its doors, more than a dozen reporters and members of the public stood in line in hopes of securing a seat in the gallery for the high-profile trial. As you walk through the glass door entrance of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, you are met by bulletproof vest-clad court officers. All visitors must separate their electronic devices from their personal belongings, which are passed through a metal detector. Visitors walk through a metal detector before a court officer hands them a poker chip. The courthouse uses a poker chip system to sort the number of electronic devices visitors are in possession of. Electronic devices, such as Bluetooth-powered headphones, voice recorders, laptops, cellphones, and smart watches, are confiscated before you're allowed to enter the courthouse's main hallway. As about a half-dozen reporters and I waited in the gallery for jury selection, we witnessed how Combs entered the courtroom shackle-free. Combs entered with his hands pressed together, greeted his defense team before he examined the gallery, and locked eyes with reporters and potential jurors. The 55-year-old disgraced Bad Boy Records executive was attentive and engaged with his counsel as they grilled dozens of potential jurors. As jury selection wrapped up for the day, Combs embraced each of his female defense attorneys before he mouthed "thank you" to a handful of supporters in the gallery. I attended trial again as opening statements got underway on May 12 and the world media waited anxiously outside the federal courthouse before the sun rose in Lower Manhattan. A line stretched down the block from the federal courthouse as some members of the media and from the public camped out overnight to try to obtain a coveted seat inside the gallery. At least three overflow rooms were made available for reporters and the public, who are eager to witness the prosecutions case against the music mogul. At least half a dozen members of Combs' family arrived at the courthouse as spectators filed in single order to enter the federal building to turn over all their electronic devices. Combs' trial is being held on the 26th floor in Judge Arun Subramanian's courtroom and is expected to last for eight weeks. We'll bring it all to you on The U.S. Sun. 10 A sketch of Sean 'Diddy' Combs during his sex trafficking trial in New York on June 4, 2025 Credit: Reuters
Business Insider
9 hours ago
- Business Insider
Diddy beat one criminal trial after testifying. Will he make the same gamble again?
Lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs haven't said if he will testify at his federal sex-trafficking trial. Legal experts warn that testifying could open him to damaging cross-examination. Combs took the stand at his 2001 guns and bribery trial and was acquitted. Sean "Diddy" Combs made a bold move when he testified at his Manhattan gun and bribery trial more than two decades ago. Combs, who was facing up to 15 years in prison on state charges related to a 1999 Times Square nightclub shooting, ultimately walked away a free man. "I thought I was being shot at," Combs, then 31, told jurors, turning the tables by playing the victim rather than the aggressor. "My hands were up." Back then, the jury believed the hip-hop mogul, listening to his life story, laughing at his jokes, and ultimately awarding him a full acquittal. "God has blessed me," the rap entrepreneur told jurors. "She's my mother — it's like a full-time job," he said when asked to name Janice Combs' profession, eliciting warm laughs from female jurors. If Combs decides to testify in his Manhattan federal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, now in its sixth week, he might not be as lucky. Combs' team of attorneys has yet to hint at whether the graying, now-55-year-old will take the witness stand. But lawyers who are not involved in Combs' case told Business Insider that testifying could backfire badly and expose the onetime near-billionaire to potentially damaging cross-examination from the prosecution. "It's a very risky move," attorney and former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow said, adding that it would likely have to be a last resort, "Hail Mary situation" for the defense to put Combs on the stand. Chutkow, who has handled racketeering and sex trafficking cases during his time leading the criminal division of the US attorney's office in Detroit, called it "very rare" for a criminal defendant "to succeed in the way they envision when they testify." If Combs does take the stand, damaging new information may emerge, and prosecutors will surely revisit the most damning evidence presented so far, including the infamous hotel-beatdown video showing him kicking and dragging R&B singer Cassie Ventura, said Chutkow. "That videotape of him beating Cassie Ventura will be one of the first items that they will cross-examine him with," Chutkow said. "And how does one explain that away? You can't really explain it away, and if you even try, you're going to only dig yourself deeper into a hole." Defense attorney Michael Bachner, who was part of Combs' legal team during the music tycoon's 2001 Manhattan trial, told BI that he'd be "shocked" if Combs took the stand again. Combs' lawyers have already "done a good enough job raising doubts" among the eight-man, four-woman jury, said Bachner, a former prosecutor. The rapper's defense attorneys have tried to use their cross-examinations of his two sex-trafficking accusers — Ventura, the prosecution's star witness, and another ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane" — as jealous at the time and financially motivated now. Combs' attorneys have argued that the sex he engaged in with the women was consensual. While Ventura and Jane both testified about being beaten and forced into dayslong, drug-fueled sex performances with male escorts referred to as "freak offs" or "hotel nights," Combs' defense has pointed to affectionate message exchanges with him. "Their defense is, 'Ladies and gentlemen, Sean Combs has already told you what this is about. You saw his emails and texts. You saw what he was saying contemporaneously, what was being said back and forth,'" Bachner said. "So there's no reason for him to take the stand here." Defense doesn't need Combs to take the stand Spencer Kuvin, an attorney who has represented multiple accusers of late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, agreed that by testifying, Combs risks damaging his case. "The pro of testifying is that he will be able to humanize himself with the jury and possibly be able to try and convince the jury about the consensual nature of his actions," Kuvin said. "The downside of testifying is the ability of cross-examination beyond the limited testimony he will try to offer." The defense does not need Combs to take the witness stand in order to pursue their argument that while Combs was, at times, a violent drug user with an unconventional sex life, he was not involved in sex trafficking or racketeering, said former Manhattan federal prosecutor Sarah Krissoff. "The defense was able to get this narrative in during the cross-examination of the government's witnesses," Krissoff, a white-collar defense attorney. Still, Krissoff said, "At the end of the day, it is Combs' decision whether or not he wants to testify." "The court will make sure that Combs understands that it is his decision, not his lawyer's decision," she said. Attorneys for Combs did not respond to a request for comment regarding whether he will take the witness stand. Combs' defense will soon present his side to the jury Prosecutors will soon rest their case after they called more than thirty witnesses over the course of six weeks to testify against Combs. The defense is expected to start presenting its side to the jury next week. The defense plans to call two employees of Combs Global, his lifestyle and music empire, to testify next week on his behalf, lead attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge Monday. A forensic psychiatrist is also on deck to testify as an expert witness for the defense. "His children might be introduced because they can introduce him and show that he's not the monster that has been portrayed by the prosecution, but is a devoted, caring, loving father," said Chutkow. "Oftentimes that kind of character evidence comes in without a lot of searing cross-examination," he said. "So it's a safer way for the defense to soften the portrayal that the prosecution had earlier made." If convicted of the top charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, Combs faces up to life in prison. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website to receive confidential support. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline (1-800-656-4673) or visit its website to receive confidential support.
