Jury in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial to start deliberating
NEW YORK (Reuters) -The jury in Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial is expected to begin its deliberations on Monday, after hearing dueling narratives from prosecutors and defense lawyers last week about whether the music mogul forced his former girlfriends to take part in drug-fueled sexual performances.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy and two counts each of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. A former billionaire known for elevating hip-hop in American culture, Combs could be sentenced to life behind bars if convicted on all five counts.
Over more than six weeks of testimony in Manhattan federal court, two of Combs' former girlfriends -- the rhythm and blues singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura and a woman known in court by the pseudonym Jane -- told the 12-member jury that he forced them to take part in the performances with paid male escorts, sometimes known as "Freak Offs," while he watched, masturbated and occasionally filmed.
Both women testified that Combs beat them, and jurors saw a hotel surveillance video showing Combs attacking Ventura in a hallway in 2016.
"Cassie repeatedly told you that the defendant's violence was in the back of her mind whenever he proposed a Freak Off," prosecutor Christy Slavik said in her closing argument on Thursday. "The whole point was to control Cassie, to make her afraid to say no to the defendant. And it worked."
Combs' lawyers acknowledged that he was at times violent in domestic relationships, but argued Ventura and Jane took part consensually in the performances. During cross-examination, the defense highlighted tender and sexually explicit text messages the women sent Combs over the course of their years-long relationships with him.
"If he was charged with domestic violence, we wouldn't all be here," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said during his closing argument on Friday. "He did not do the things he's charged with."
The founder of Bad Boy Records, Combs lived a lavish lifestyle in his Miami and Los Angeles mansions and was feted for turning artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars.
He has been held in federal lockup in Brooklyn since his September 2024 arrest.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York;Editing by Noeleen Walder and Alistair Bell)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Motor racing-Piastri slows down off-track to go faster on it
Formula One F1 - McLaren event in London - Trafalgar Square, London, Britain - July 2, 2025 McLaren's Oscar Piastri during an interview at the McLaren event in Trafalgar Square Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra LONDON (Reuters) -Slowing down may be the way to go faster for Oscar Piastri as the McLaren driver seeks to become the first Australian since Alan Jones in 1980 to conquer the Formula One world championship. The 24-year-old leads British teammate Lando Norris by 15 points, and five wins to three, as the season reaches halfway at Silverstone this weekend. The Australian is the only driver to have scored in every grand prix and remains remarkably chilled despite the pressure of a two-horse title battle that looks set to become ever more intense. Speaking to Reuters at a McLaren fan event, full of noise and excitement, in London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday, Piastri said it was important mentally to know when to switch off and slow down. "I kind of know my limits. And know when I need to get away from F1 and do something else," he said. "It's the little things in life. Our season's so busy that ultimately you just want to go and do normal things. "Spend time with the people around you. Sit on the couch for a few hours. Just regular things. Go for a walk. Just slow down in life, really. And that's, for me, what I find important away from racing. "I don't have that many hobbies outside of F1, let's say. I ultimately got into racing because it was my hobby at the start and now it's my job. So it's still a passion of mine. "So when I'm not racing, I just like to do very, very wholesome things in life." HIGH STAKES On track, both he and Norris know what is at stake. Piastri felt they were managing to keep a lid on things, despite wheel-to-wheel racing, a collision and some near misses in recent races. "We're going about it in the best way that we can ... Lando and I get on well," said Piastri. "We've worked together really well for the last three years. "But obviously when the helmet goes on and we're on track, we're both trying to beat each other." Piastri said he still had things to work on -- and not just how to accommodate the growing number of trophies in his small Monaco apartment -- but had "a good handle on things" and his consistency had gone up a level. He was learning how to pick the right moves, pick the right strategy and not give away points. "I've never been in an F1 championship battle, but I've been in numerous championship battles in my junior career. I know what has worked for me in those championships, what hasn't worked," he said. "Not all of those junior championships were won with the same strengths or same weaknesses." Norris has his own 'Landostand' with 10,000 full-on fans at Stowe Corner for the race at Silverstone -- and Piastri said he was looking forward to giving them a wave when he went past. Just how cheeky that may be depends on the outcome on Sunday but the Australian fully intends to be the one on the top step of the podium. "I'm sure I'll wave to everyone," he said, grinning. "As long as they're waving back and not giving me the finger, then that's OK. "I'm sure they want a British driver to win. I kind of know which one, probably, but I think I would get an OK reception if I won as well. So I'll try my best to make that happen." (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ken Ferris)
New Straits Times
3 hours ago
- New Straits Times
McLaren boss offers Brad Pitt second chance to hit 200 mph
LONDON: Brad Pitt's F1 movie is topping the box office charts worldwide but the Hollywood A-lister is not done with Formula One, or racing. Like his fictional big screen character Sonny Hayes, Pitt has been offered a second chance to don race overalls and lap at 200 mph. McLaren F1 chief executive Zak Brown told Reuters on Wednesday that Pitt had a standing offer to "come out and play" – and expected the 61-year-old not only to take him up on it but also take his passion for racing further. Pitt drove a Formula One car for the first time with McLaren at Austin's Circuit of the Americas last month, after driving F2 cars disguised as F1 cars for the movie, and has been raving about the experience ever since. He did have one regret, however. "Ask me how fast I went. Three mph short of 200 mph," Pitt said at the New York premiere. "I want to go back. I want to hit 200." Brown indicated that it could be arranged. "He did a great job, he can drive a race car," he said at a McLaren event for the team's army of fans in London's Trafalgar Square, with title-chasing drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. "I've traded notes with him, it was the time of his life. I feel like he's a racer now, so anytime he wants to come out and play he's more than welcome to. And that's a standing offer." When asked if he expected Pitt to take him up on it, Brown replied: "I wouldn't be surprised looking at the level of enthusiasm that he had. I sent him his data, he wanted to understand and learn. So yeah, I bet he will." "I wouldn't be surprised if one day you saw Brad Pitt racing some sort of sportscar," said Brown. "Paul Newman always used to say he was a racing driver, and an actor in his spare time. "He (Pitt) is clearly in good physical shape. He had no physical limitations." Pitt would not be the first Hollywood heartthrob to go racing for real.
The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Motor racing-McLaren boss offers Brad Pitt second chance to hit 200 mph
Formula One F1 - McLaren event in London - Trafalgar Square, London, Britain - July 2, 2025 McLaren chief executive Zak Brown during an interview with Reuters at the McLaren event in Trafalgar Square Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra LONDON (Reuters) - Brad Pitt's F1 movie is topping the box office charts worldwide but the Hollywood A-lister is not done with Formula One, or racing. Like his fictional big screen character Sonny Hayes, Pitt has been offered a second chance to don race overalls and lap at 200 mph. McLaren F1 chief executive Zak Brown told Reuters on Wednesday that Pitt had a standing offer to "come out and play" -- and expected the 61-year-old not only to take him up on it but also take his passion for racing further. Pitt drove a Formula One car for the first time with McLaren at Austin's Circuit of the Americas last month, after driving F2 cars disguised as F1 cars for the movie, and has been raving about the experience ever since. He did have one regret, however. "Ask me how fast I went. Three mph short of 200 mph," Pitt said at the New York premiere. "I want to go back. I want to hit 200." Brown indicated that it could be arranged. "He did a great job, he can drive a race car," he said at a McLaren event for the team's army of fans in London's Trafalgar Square, with title-chasing drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. "I've traded notes with him, it was the time of his life. I feel like he's a racer now, so anytime he wants to come out and play he's more than welcome to. And that's a standing offer." When asked if he expected Pitt to take him up on it, Brown replied: "I wouldn't be surprised looking at the level of enthusiasm that he had. I sent him his data, he wanted to understand and learn. So yeah, I bet he will." "I wouldn't be surprised if one day you saw Brad Pitt racing some sort of sportscar," said Brown. "Paul Newman always used to say he was a racing driver, and an actor in his spare time. "He (Pitt) is clearly in good physical shape. He had no physical limitations." Pitt would not be the first Hollywood heartthrob to go racing for real. Patrick Dempsey, star of medical drama Grey's Anatomy, has raced Porsches at Le Mans as did the late Paul Newman, who also founded Newman/Haas Racing. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
