Latest news with #MaureneComey
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Not a god': arguments end in Combs trial ahead of deliberations
Sean "Diddy" Combs's lawyer aimed Friday to skewer the credibility of the music mogul's accusers, saying in closing arguments they were out for money while rejecting any notion he led a criminal ring. But in their rebuttal -- the trial's final stage before jurors are tasked with deciding the verdict -- prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs's team had "contorted the facts endlessly." Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs -- once among the most powerful people in music -- had committed his clearest-cut offenses, "he was so far past the line he couldn't even see it." "In his mind he was untouchable," she told the court. "The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them." "That ends in this courtroom," she said. "The defendant is not a god." For most of Friday's hearing defense attorney Marc Agnifilo picked apart, and even made light of, the testimony of women who were in long-term relationships with Combs, and who said he had coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties with paid escorts. Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who used his employees, wealth and power to foster "a climate of fear" that allowed him to act with impunity. Combs, 55, is a "self-made, successful Black entrepreneur" who had romantic relationships that were "complicated" but consensual, Agnifilo said. In his freewheeling, nearly four-hour-long argument, Agnifilo aimed to confuse the methodic narrative US attorney Christy Slavik provided one day prior. She had spent nearly five hours meticulously walking the jury through the charges and their legal basis, summarizing thousands of phone, financial, travel and audiovisual records along with nearly seven weeks of testimony from 34 witnesses. Central to their case is the claim that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees -- including his chief-of-staff and security guards -- who "existed to serve his needs." But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators. "This is supposed to be simple," the defense counsel told jurors. "If you find that you're in the weeds of this great complexity, maybe it's because it just isn't there." If convicted, Combs faces upwards of life in prison. - 'Brazen' - Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane described abuse, threats and coercive sex in excruciating detail. Combs's defense has conceded that domestic violence was a feature of the artist's relationships, but that his outbursts did not amount to sex trafficking. The defense insisted the women were consenting adults. Prosecutor Comey snapped back that they were being "manipulated" into "brazen" acts of sex trafficking, reiterating once again for jurors what the government says are the clearest-cut examples. Agnifilo pointed to Ventura's civil lawsuit against Combs in which she was granted $20 million: "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it would be Cassie," he said. Comey called that notion insulting: "What was her prize? Black eyes? A gash in her head? Sex for days with a UTI?" The prosecutor also pointed to a violent episode between Combs and Jane, when she says she struck him in an argument before he brutally beat her, knocked her down in the shower, and then forced her into giving an escort oral sex. "Jane may have started that fight, but he finished it with a vengeance," Comey said, calling that incident the most obvious sex trafficking case and saying he had "literally beaten her into submission." Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages of affection and desire from both women -- and Agnifilo emphasized the love and romance once again. Both prosecutors said taking those words literally, and in isolation, doesn't paint the whole picture. They also referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by abusers. "The defense is throwing anything they can think of at the wall, hoping something will stick," Comey said. On Monday, Judge Arun Subramanian will instruct jurors on how to apply the law to the evidence for their deliberations. Then, 12 New Yorkers will determine Combs's future. But Combs's legal worries may not end there, after three new sexual assault lawsuits were filed against him this week. One was by a woman who alleged the rapper's son, Justin, lured her from the southern state of Louisiana to Los Angeles where she was held captive, drugged and gang raped by three masked men in 2017. One of the men was allegedly Sean Combs. The other two cases were filed by men who accuse the rapper and his team of drugging and sexually assaulting them at parties in 2021 and 2023. mdo/sla/acb
Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Not a god': Arguments end in Combs trial ahead of deliberations
NEW YORK, June 28 — Sean 'Diddy' Combs's lawyer aimed yesterday to skewer the credibility of the music mogul's accusers, saying in closing arguments they were out for money while rejecting any notion he led a criminal ring. But in their rebuttal—the trial's final stage before jurors are tasked with deciding the verdict—prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs's team had 'contorted the facts endlessly.' Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs—once among the most powerful people in music—had committed his clearest-cut offenses, 'he was so far past the line he couldn't even see it.' 'In his mind he was untouchable,' she told the court. 'The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them.' 'That ends in this courtroom,' she said. 'The defendant is not a god.' For most of Friday's hearing defense attorney Marc Agnifilo picked apart, and even made light of, the testimony of women who were in long-term relationships with Combs, and who said he had coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties with paid escorts. Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who used his employees, wealth and power to foster 'a climate of fear' that allowed him to act with impunity. Combs, 55, is a 'self-made, successful Black entrepreneur' who had romantic relationships that were 'complicated' but consensual, Agnifilo said. In his freewheeling, nearly four-hour-long argument, Agnifilo aimed to confuse the methodic narrative US attorney Christy Slavik provided one day prior. She had spent nearly five hours meticulously walking the jury through the charges and their legal basis, summarizing thousands of phone, financial, travel and audiovisual records along with nearly seven weeks of testimony from 34 witnesses. Central to their case is the claim that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees—including his chief-of-staff and security guards—who 'existed to serve his needs.' But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators. 'This is supposed to be simple,' the defense counsel told jurors. 'If you find that you're in the weeds of this great complexity, maybe it's because it just isn't there.' If convicted, Combs faces upwards of life in prison. 'Brazen' Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane described abuse, threats and coercive sex in excruciating detail. Combs's defense has conceded that domestic violence was a feature of the artist's relationships, but that his outbursts did not amount to sex trafficking. The defense insisted the women were consenting adults. Prosecutor Comey snapped back that they were being 'manipulated' into 'brazen' acts of sex trafficking, reiterating once again for jurors what the government says are the clearest-cut examples. Agnifilo pointed to Ventura's civil lawsuit against Combs in which she was granted US$20 million: 'If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it would be Cassie,' he said. Comey called that notion insulting: 'What was her prize? Black eyes? A gash in her head? Sex for days with a UTI?' The prosecutor also pointed to a violent episode between Combs and Jane, when she says she struck him in an argument before he brutally beat her, knocked her down in the shower, and then forced her into giving an escort oral sex. 'Jane may have started that fight, but he finished it with a vengeance,' Comey said, calling that incident the most obvious sex trafficking case and saying he had 'literally beaten her into submission.' Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages of affection and desire from both women—and Agnifilo emphasized the love and romance once again. Both prosecutors said taking those words literally, and in isolation, doesn't paint the whole picture. They also referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by abusers. 'The defense is throwing anything they can think of at the wall, hoping something will stick,' Comey said. On Monday, Judge Arun Subramanian will instruct jurors on how to apply the law to the evidence for their deliberations. Then, 12 New Yorkers will determine Combs's future. But Combs's legal worries may not end there, after three new sexual assault lawsuits were filed against him this week. One was by a woman who alleged the rapper's son, Justin, lured her from the southern state of Louisiana to Los Angeles where she was held captive, drugged and gang raped by three masked men in 2017. One of the men was allegedly Sean Combs. The other two cases were filed by men who accuse the rapper and his team of drugging and sexually assaulting them at parties in 2021 and 2023. — AFP
News.com.au
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
'Not a god': arguments end in Combs trial ahead of jury deliberations
Sean "Diddy" Combs's lawyer aimed Friday to skewer the credibility of the music mogul's accusers, saying in closing arguments they were out for money while rejecting any notion he led a criminal ring. But in their rebuttal -- the trial's final stage before jurors are tasked with deciding the verdict -- prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs's team had "contorted the facts endlessly." Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs -- once among the most powerful people in music -- had committed his clearest-cut offenses, "he was so far past the line he couldn't even see it." "In his mind he was untouchable," she told the court as the case came to a dramatic close. "The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them." "That ends in this courtroom," she said. "The defendant is not a god." For most of Friday's hearing defense attorney Marc Agnifilo picked apart, and even made light of, the testimony of women who were in long-term relationships with Combs, and who said he had coerced them into drug-fueled sex parties with paid escorts. Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who used his employees, wealth and power to foster "a climate of fear" that allowed him to act with impunity. Combs, 55, is a "self-made, successful Black entrepreneur" who had romantic relationships that were "complicated" but ultimately consensual "love stories," Agnifilo said. In his freewheeling, nearly four-hour-long argument, Agnifilo aimed to confuse the methodic narrative US attorney Christy Slavik provided one day prior. She had spent nearly five hours meticulously walking the jury through the charges and their legal basis, summarizing thousands of phone, financial, travel and audiovisual records along with nearly seven weeks of testimony from 34 witnesses. Central to their case is the claim that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees -- including his chief-of-staff and security guards -- who "existed to serve his needs." But Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators in the indictment. "This is supposed to be simple," the defense counsel told jurors. "If you find that you're in the weeds of this great complexity, maybe it's because it just isn't there." "It takes a lot of courage to acquit," he said in closing. If convicted, Combs faces upwards of life in prison. - 'Brazen' - Casandra Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane described abuse, threats and coercive sex in excruciating detail, for days. Combs's defense has conceded that domestic violence was a feature of the artist's relationships, but that his outbursts did not amount to sex trafficking. The defense insisted the women were consenting adults making their own choices. Prosecutor Comey snapped back that they were being "manipulated" into "brazen" acts of sex trafficking, reiterating once again for jurors what the government says are the clearest-cut examples. Agnifilo pointed to Ventura's civil lawsuit against Combs in which she was granted $20 million: "If you had to pick a winner in this whole thing, it would be Cassie," he said. Comey called that notion insulting: "What was her prize? Black eyes? A gash in her head? Sex for days with a UTI?" Agnifilo also pointed to a violent episode between Combs and Jane, when she says she struck him in an argument before he brutally beat her, struck her down in the shower, and then forced her into giving an escort oral sex. "Jane may have started that fight, but he finished it with a vengeance," Comey said, calling that incident the most obvious sex trafficking case and saying he had "literally beaten her into submission." Throughout the trial, jurors were shown voluminous phone records, including messages of affection and desire from both women -- and Agnifilo emphasized the love and romance once again. Both prosecutors said taking those words literally, and in isolation, doesn't paint the whole picture. They also referenced testimony from a forensic psychologist who explained to jurors how victims become ensnared by abusers. "The defense is throwing anything they can think of at the wall, hoping something will stick," Comey said. On Monday, Judge Arun Subramanian will instruct jurors on how to apply the law to the evidence for their deliberations. Then, 12 New Yorkers will determine Combs's future.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Diddy's team slapped down by judge over bizarre Iran defense as monster trial nears verdict
Sean ' Diddy ' Combs' legal team was slapped down by the judge presiding over his trial because of their alleged attempt to use the escalating conflict with Iran in their upcoming closing argument. As the disgraced hip-hop mogul's bombshell sex trafficking trial nears a verdict, his team of attorneys reportedly planned on bringing up the escalating tensions between the US and Iran in court in a bid to relate it to his case, TMZ reported Monday. Sources told the outlet the 55-year-old's defense 'may invoke the recent conflict' in their closing argument, and specifically go after the Homeland Security Investigators who raided his home in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles in March. They were allegedly planning to say that the agents 'instigated' their client on his baby oil and lubricant use in the bedroom when they should really focus more on the conflict with Iran, the source noted. On Monday and day 28 of Combs' trial, Iran launched at least 10 missiles at US military bases in Qatar after Donald Trump bombed Iran's nuclear facilities Saturday. In response to reports of the defense's bizarre plan, prosecutor Maurene Comey told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian 'I would object' if they chose to bring up politics, the 'propriety of this prosecution' and the use of government resources on Thursday - when closing arguments are set to begin. In reference to the possibility that the defense might try to relate Iran or any other current political affairs to Combs' trial, his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo said: 'Nothing to worry about, judge.' Combs' defense lasted just 23 minutes Tuesday after he officially confirmed he will not be testifying at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse in New York City. The three-time Grammy winner denies racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Not only did Combs announce he will not testify, but he also took a moment to schmooze the judge as he did so. Agnifilo told the court they had 'discussed at length' the prospect of him giving evidence. Combs stood up in court as Judge Subramanian asked him: 'Mr Combs, how are you feeling today?' Speaking in a clear and confident voice, Combs said: 'I'm doing great. I wanted to tell you thank you, you're doing an excellent job.' Combs denied he had taken drugs in the last 48 hours and confirmed his mind was clear, adding he had spoken to his lawyers 'thoroughly' about testifying. As the judge tried to confirm Combs had made the decision by himself, Combs cut in and said: 'That is solely my decision. It's my decision with my lawyers'. Combs appeared at ease with his decision as he was seen smiling and hugging his lawyers afterward. He spoke briefly to a friend in the public gallery and appeared optimistic, saying: 'We'll see what happens.' The prosecution brought 34 witnesses to the stand over the span of the trial and portrayed Combs as the head of a 'criminal enterprise' which covered up his 'freak offs' with ex-girlfriends, where they were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while he watched. While his team wrapped up their defense quickly, prosecutors spent more than six weeks laying out their case against the embattled rapper. Earlier in the day, the final witness for the prosecution was Joseph Cerciello, a Special Agent with the US Department of Homeland Security Investigations. He walked the jury through summary charts showing text messages, hotel and flight reservations and financial records related to freak offs. Combs' lawyer Teny Geragos attempted to show that the charts were not exhaustive and missed out evidence that painted a different picture. The jury heard messages sent by Jane, one of Combs' ex-girlfriends who testified she was forced into freak offs out of fear he would stop paying her rent, from September 2021. In the messages Combs wrote: 'That s*** was so f****** sexy the other night damn.' The prosecution brought 34 witnesses to the stand over the span of the trial and portrayed Combs as the head of a 'criminal enterprise' which covered up his 'freak offs' with ex-girlfriends, where they were allegedly forced to have sex with male escorts while he watched Jane replied: 'I haven't stopped thinking about it… Did you love it baby?' Combs responded: 'Loved it' as Jane replied with a heart emoji. In her testimony Jane broke down in tears while claiming that Combs threatened to release the videos of the freak offs. But in texts from May 2023 she appeared to complain that he didn't record their sessions. Jane wrote: 'The last time at the London (hotel) when I was super hot and you were (multiple emojis). 'We didn't film, you forgot it, you promised you wouldn't' forget.' The jury was also shown more freak off videos - the fourth set they have seen. During this time, Combs was seen leaning over in his seat, nearly standing up, as the final video played. He was then spotted writing notes after looking over to the table in front of him where the clip played on the monitor. Jurors were told to turn down the volume on their headphones to stop the audio being picked up by the courtroom microphones, which the judge asked to be muted. The jury was dismissed Tuesday and are due back in court Thursday. Closing arguments are anticipated to take place both Thursday and Friday from 9am to 5pm. A charging conference, a meeting between the judge and the lawyers - usually held outside the presence of the jury - is taking place Wednesday starting at noon. During this time, they will discuss and finalize the jury instructions - the rules of law the jury must follow when deciding the case. Both sides will be able to propose instructions and object to others before the judge makes final decisions on what will be given to the jury. The racketeering and sex trafficking charges against Combs, who is currently locked up at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center, carry a minimum sentence of 15 years each. Transportation to engage in prostitution carries a maximum of 10 years behind bars.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Jury sees more sex videos as prosecutors wind down sex trafficking case against Sean ‘Diddy' Combs
This courtroom sketch depicts Sean "Diddy" Combs sitting at the defense table during his bail hearing in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) NEW YORK — The jury at Sean 'Diddy' Combs ' sex trafficking trial viewed more video recordings on Monday of the sex marathons that have played a prominent role in a prosecution that was likely to rest by Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey sometimes referred to the mostly 1- or 2-minute clips filmed by the music mogul as 'explicit' videos, a signal for jurors to put on headsets that enabled them to hear and view the recordings without them being heard or seen by spectators in the Manhattan courtroom. Prosecutors have cited the drug-fueled multi-day events as evidence of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, saying Combs relied on employees, associates and his business accounts to fly male sex workers to Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York, where his staff set up hotel rooms for the encounters and cleaned up afterward. Last week, prosecutors showed jurors about 2 minutes of the footage from 2012 and 2014 involving Combs' then-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, a male sex worker and Combs. Cassie earlier testified that she participated in hundreds of the 'freak-off' events. She and Combs were in a relationship from 2007 until 2018. Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of abuse. He settled within hours, and dozens of similar lawsuits followed. 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. Defense lawyers last week showed the jury about 18 minutes of video clips from the sex performances involving Cassie after a lawyer said in opening statements that the videos prove sexual activity was consensual and not evidence of a crime. On Monday, prosecutors aired nearly 20 minutes of recordings from 2021 and 2022 of a single mother who was identified only by the pseudonym 'Jane,' male sex workers and Combs. Jane testified for six days earlier in the trial that she was romantically involved with Combs from 2021 until his September arrest at a New York hotel room. Joseph Cerciello, a Homeland Security Investigations agent, testified that dozens of the recordings from late 2021 until last August lasted many hours. Comey finished questioning Cerciello in the early afternoon Monday. After a cross-examination by the defense, the prosecution was expected to rest. The trial is in its seventh week, with closing arguments tentatively scheduled for Thursday after what was expected to be a brief defense presentation. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. He's been active in his defense, writing notes to his attorneys and sometimes influencing when they stop questioning witnesses. Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press
