Diddy trial judge meets with lawyers to discuss jury instructions
This is a free article for Diddy on Trial newsletter subscribers. to get exclusive reporting and analysis throughout Sean Combs' federal trial.
Today, Judge Arun Subramanian and the attorneys on both sides of the case held what's known as a charge conference — a meeting where the key players finalize instructions for the jury. (The jurors, who have spent much of the last seven weeks listening to testimony and reviewing evidence, got a day off.)
Subramanian opened the conference by announcing that prosecutors and defense lawyers had agreed on language for the verdict form. He then turned his attention to the charge sheet, a document that explains the counts against the defendant. The judge gave the attorneys a chance to raise objections page by page, line by line, word by word.
In other news: U.S. government prosecutors are tightening their case against Diddy. In a letter filed yesterday, they asked the judge to strike language regarding 'attempted' kidnapping and arson from jury instructions. NBC News' David K. Li has more details here.
The stage is now set for closing arguments. Reminder: U.S. government prosecutors are seeking to convict Diddy on three charges — racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers have insisted he was never the head of an alleged criminal enterprise.
🔎 The view from inside
By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas, Katherine Koretski and Jing Feng
Subramanian seemed surprised — or maybe just amused — by the number of reporters who showed up for today's charge conference. 'This is the most people I have seen at a charge conference,' the judge said. 'Buckle in!'
👨⚖️ Analysis: Why charge conferences matter
By Danny Cevallos
The charge conference might seem dry, but it's one of the most critical stages of the trial.
It's tedious to spend the day nitpicking about whether to add a word or a comma to an instruction about consent or payment for sex. At the same time, these words are arguably much more important than anything the lawyers say in their closings. The jurors are told that what the lawyers say is not evidence. They are told that the jury instructions are the law.
So, the charge conference is sometimes marked by long periods of boredom, punctuated by moments of terror — often wondering if the terminology that just found its way into the instructions will make the difference between a guilty verdict or an acquittal.
Especially for trial lawyers, who have just completed the performative, adrenaline-fueled examinations of witnesses for weeks, suddenly sitting down for a day and quietly staring at reams of paper can be something of a crash. And, while they are likely all looking ahead and focusing on their closing arguments, the charge conference may be where the battle is truly won or lost.
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The Guardian
21 hours ago
- The Guardian
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs and son Justin accused of rape in new US lawsuit
As closing arguments got under way in the federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs this week, the music mogul and his son Justin Combs were hit with a new lawsuit, accusing them of a 'brutal gang-rape' in 2017. In the suit filed in a Los Angeles court on Monday, a woman alleges that Justin Combs used his father's celebrity status to 'lure [the] plaintiff, a young female, from Louisiana to Los Angeles where she was literally held prisoner for a weekend and repeatedly raped' by the pair and two other masked men, according to the complaint. The lawsuit comes amid the final phase of the seven-week trial for Combs, and on the day the mogul's son Christian, who raps as King Combs, released a seven-song album – including one called Diddy Free – on streaming services. The album, Never Stop, credits King Combs, 27, as the lyricist, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, as a producer. Prosecutors have accused Sean Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, of running a criminal enterprise that engaged in sex trafficking, drug distribution, kidnapping, forced labor, arson and bribery, and coercing women, including his former partner singer Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, into participating in drug-fueled sex marathons. Combs's legal troubles kicked off in late 2023 when Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and severe physical abuse over the course of a decade, and said he used his power and status to keep her trapped in the relationship. The lawsuit was settled the following day for $20m, but Combs soon faced dozens of lawsuits from others accusing him of sexual and physical abuse. This week's lawsuit claims that in 2017 Justin Combs, 31, lured the alleged victim, an 'accomplished, degreed professional', to Los Angeles with the possibility of a job, promising to use his father's connections. She was, the suit alleges, flown to Los Angeles and taken to a high-end Beverly Hills property where she was eventually drugged and repeatedly raped by Justin Combs and his father and two 'unknown, masked' men over the course of a weekend. Justin Combs allegedly held the potential job 'over [the] plaintiff's head' as well as 'risque' photos she had sent him. The suit accuses Sean Combs of a 'pervasive history of sexual assault and violence'. 'The conduct described herein is strikingly similar to how [the] defendant Sean Combs and his entourage conducted themselves for many years, and it appears that Combs's penchant for sexual violence is shared by his son,' the suit states. The woman is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the assault, which, according to the suit, left her with 'severe emotional distress, emotional anguish, fear, anxiety, humiliation, embarrassment, physical injury, emotional injury and trauma'. In a statement to media, Combs's legal team denied the allegations, stating that 'anyone can file a lawsuit for any reason'. The statement said: 'No matter how many lawsuits are filed it won't change the fact that Mr Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone – man or woman, adult or minor.'
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Jury set to begin deliberating in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial. Here's what to know
For seven weeks, a jury in Manhattan has listened as prosecutors laid out a criminal sex trafficking and racketeering case against rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs. They heard his ex-girlfriends and other witnesses deliver shocking accounts of violence and drug-fueled sexual marathons. On Monday, jurors are set to begin deliberating, ultimately deciding whether Combs was running a criminal enterprise, as the government says, or — as his lawyer insists — merely living a swinger lifestyle that included recreational drug use and, regrettably, domestic violence. The answer will determine the future of one of the biggest music moguls and cultural figures of the past four decades. If convicted, Combs, 55, would face 15 years to life in prison. Here's what to know about the case: What are the charges? The three-time Grammy Award winner has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors say Combs coerced women into abusive sex parties involving hired male sex workers, ensured their compliance with drugs like cocaine and threats to their careers, and silenced victims through blackmail and violence that included kidnapping, arson and beatings. 'He's the leader of a criminal enterprise. He doesn't take no for an answer," Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said in her closing arguments on Thursday. Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, portrayed the Bad Boys Records founder as the victim of overzealous prosecutors who exaggerated elements of his lifestyle and recreational drug use to bring charges that resulted in what he called a 'fake trial.' What is racketeering? The most serious charge, racketeering conspiracy, alleges that Combs ran a criminal enterprise for two decades that relied on bodyguards, household staff, personal assistants and others in his orbit to facilitate and cover up crimes. Federal prosecutors brought the charge under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Congress passed the federal law in 1970 with the declared purpose of targeting organized crime, but its use has been more widespread. To prove the charge, prosecutors must show that an enterprise existed and was involved in a pattern of racketeering activity. In this case, that alleged activity includes kidnapping, arson, bribery and sex trafficking. Key pieces of evidence Early in the trial, prosecutors showed jurors 2016 security video of Combs beating and kicking his former longtime girlfriend Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel. Cassie, an R&B singer whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified the assault took place as she was trying to leave one of the sexual encounters, which witnesses say he referred to as 'freak-offs" or 'hotel nights.' Jurors saw numerous explicit clips of such encounters, some involving Cassie and others involving a later girlfriend who was identified only by the the pseudonym ' Jane.' Both women took the stand. Cassie testified over four days that she participated in hundreds of the events with paid sex workers while she and Combs were in a relationship from 2007 until 2018, often feeling like she didn't have a choice. She sued Combs in 2023, alleging years of abuse. He settled within hours, and dozens of similar lawsuits followed. Jane testified over six days that she was romantically involved with Combs from 2021 until his September arrest at a New York hotel, and that she, too, felt forced to have sex with the hired strangers in multiday sex marathons while Combs watched. The Associated Press doesn't generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done. Testimony also included hours of text message exchanges, some of which involved Combs or other people in his orbit, that were read aloud by a Homeland Security Investigations agent. In all, 34 people took the stand, all of them called by the prosecution. Combs did not testify. How will jury deliberations work? Judge Arun Subramanian will give instructions to the jurors on Monday before sending them off to deliberate inside the Manhattan federal courthouse. The jury of 8 men and 4 women must unanimously decide guilty or not guilty on each count. That means all 12 jurors must agree. If jurors don't reach an agreement, they could come back and say they are deadlocked. Traditionally, the judge would then encourage them to continue deliberating, but if they can't reach a consensus, it would be up to the judge to decide whether to declare a mistrial.
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs's 'private sex life' turned into 'crime scene', defence says in closing argument
Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing a "fake trial" in which his unusual sexual preferences have been unfairly criminalised and his "private sex life" turned into a "crime scene", his defence team has argued in the final day of closing arguments. At the end of week seven in the sex-trafficking trial, Combs's lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo, told the court Combs was the victim of an overzealous prosecution, who had portrayed his "swinger" lifestyle as a racketeering conspiracy. Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking, and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has strenuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse. If found guilty, he could face being put behind bars for life. Frequently adopting a sarcastic tone, Agnifilo mocked the government's case against Combs, belittling the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at his properties last year. Commenting that America's streets were now "safe from Astroglide", he went on, "Way to go, fellas", before adding, "you do you". He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" the evidence against Combs, presenting "threesomes as racketeering", arguing that he is not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The defence also highlighted the prosecution's decision to indict Combs on a racketeering conspiracy charge alone, flagging that no alleged co-conspirators have been indicted alongside him. The defence's closing arguments lasted for just over four hours, with members of Combs's family, including six of his children and his mother, watching on in the public gallery. Agnifilo said Combs has "taken care of people", including Jane, a former girlfriend who testified under a pseudonym, paying for her rent and for her legal representation. The defence lawyer said: "I don't know what Jane is doing today, but she's doing it in a house he's paying for." He went on: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." Presenting the trial as a zero-sum game, he described his former girlfriend of almost 11 years Cassie Ventura as the "winner in this whole thing", noting that she settled her civil case with Combs for $20m (£14m) in November 2023, as well as a $10m (£7.3m) from the InterContinental Hotel. Cassie and Jane both gave evidence during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled, days-long sex marathons with male sex workers, while Combs watched, directed, masturbated and sometimes filmed the encounters. But the defence accused prosecutors of having invaded Combs's bedroom and his most intimate personal affairs. Agnifilo asked: "Where's the crime scene? It's [Combs's] sex life." Continuing his line of sarcastic quips, he joked, "We need a bigger roll of crime scene tape", referencing a line from the classic movie Jaws. Agnifilio's sarcasm irked the prosecution, who later complained to the judge that he was using "improper arguments". The defence characterised Combs's relationship with Cassie as "a great modern love story", going on to describe her as a "gangster" for cheating on him with rapper Kid Cudi. They also characterised the "freak offs" as "beautiful", saying the videos showed "everyone smiling", eating and listening to music, and commenting that Combs was "not the only man in America making homemade porn". The defence admitted Combs was a domestic abuser, but said such behaviour did not justify the grave charges he faces. Agnifilo advised the jury to "Call this as you see it," asking them to "acquit Sean Combs of all the counts" and "return him to his family", who he said has been waiting for him. Combs, who has been in a New York jail since his arrest in September last year, did not give evidence during the trial. Following the defence's closing argument, assistant US attorney Maurene Comey delivered a rebuttal summation in which she said the defence's argument that Cassie, Jane and Mia, a former employee who also testified under a pseudonym, all "wanted sex" was a lie, telling the court none of the women had reason to speak anything other than the truth. She also said the "freak off" videos tell only "part of the story". Comey said Combs had spent the last 20 years believing himself to be "above the law", seeing himself as "untouchable" and "a god among men". She said his impunity would end now in this courtroom, before urging the jury to "find him guilty" and "hold him accountable". On Monday, the judge will read the law to the jury, after which deliberations will begin.
