Latest news with #courtroom
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Trial Reaches Explosive Conclusion as Defense Asks Jury to ‘Summon That Courage' to ‘Acquit Sean Combs'
On the final day of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial before jury deliberations, the hip-hop mogul's attorney Marc Agnifilo enlivened the courtroom with an impassioned closing argument. In the coming days, the jury will determine whether Combs is guilty of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. A conviction could land him behind bars for life. Agnifilo's demeanor was animated and at times folksy, unlike the prosecution's cold, formal tone. He paced around the courtroom, beginning his summations by gushing about Combs' character and business acumen, saying he was a champion of diversity. 'Sean Combs has become something that is very, very hard to be,' Agnifilo said. 'He is a self-made, successful, Black entrepreneur.' He recounted some of the positive things Combs' former employees said about him on the witness stand, adding, 'Did they always like him? No way. Let's not even go there. But they loved him. They didn't want to leave him.' More from Variety Diddy Prosecutors End Five-Hour Closing Argument: 'It's Time to Hold Him Accountable. It's Time for Justice' Diddy Speaks Out in Court: He Will Not Testify, Thanks Judge for 'Doing an Excellent Job' Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend Suggests He Had a 'Bi-Curiosity' He Was 'Ashamed to Explore' as His Lawyer Asks Her to Define 'Cuck' The defense put a spotlight on the presence of Combs' children and mother in the courtroom, saying, 'The man takes care of people.' Taking a swipe at one of Combs' alleged victims, 'Jane,' Agnifilo said, 'I hope she's having a nice day, but ya know where she's doing it? In a house he's paying for.' Agnifilo argued that Combs is on a 'false trial,' that he is not guilty of sex trafficking but is instead a member of the 'swingers lifestyle' who participated in consensual 'threesomes' with his ex-girlfriends and male entertainers. 'No one's forcing her to do this,' Agnifilo said of Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, Combs' ex who accused him of raping her and coercing her into hundreds of 'freak-offs,' drug-fueled sex parties that lasted days on end. At the center of the trial is a 2016 surveillance video that depicts Combs beating Ventura in a hotel hallway and allegedly attempting to drag her back into a 'freak-off.' 'We own the domestic violence,' Agnifilo said. Throughout the trial, the defense has admitted that Combs was violent with Ventura, but that the violence was not connected to the 'freak-offs.' Agnifilo painted Ventura as a strong, smart woman who enjoyed her sex life with Combs. 'She's a woman who actually likes sex,' Agnifilo said. 'Good for her! She's beautiful, she should. She's intense. She's unafraid.' Agnifilo referenced Ventura's testimony about her brief love affair with the singer Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi. Ventura said she tried to keep her relationship with Mescudi a secret from Combs by purchasing a second cellphone. 'Whoooaaa! A burner phone!' Agnifilo said, his voice jumping up an octave. 'Cassie is keeping it gangsta!' He said Ventura 'played' both Combs and Mescudi, implying she would not have had a secret relationship if she was actually 'scared to death of Sean Combs.' Addressing the kidnapping allegations against Combs, which pertain to his racketeering charge, Agnifilo referenced former assistant Capricorn Clark's claim that she was held for five days in a Manhattan office building, forced to take a lie detector test about stolen jewelry. 'A door-to-door kidnap,' Agnifilo said mockingly, emphasizing that Clark slept at home, and that one of Combs' security guards drove her to and from the building each day. 'You guys are here for long hours,' he told the jury. 'Anyone here feel kidnapped?' Agnifilo's tone was incredulous: 'He's charged with kidnapping. That's real!' And he told the jurors they 'have the right' to question the government's claims and disregard witness testimony. The lawyer picked apart the allegations of bribery, witness tampering and obstruction — and focused heavily on the implication that Combs orchestrated an act of arson on Mescudi's car. (Combs had allegedly said previously that he was going to blow up the vehicle, but an investigation at the time found no evidence leading to Combs.) 'That's not his style,' Agnifilo said, suggesting that Combs would prefer a man-to-man confrontation with Mescudi — 'a good old-fashioned John Wayne, eight-in-the-morning Hollywood Hills fight.' Throughout the closing argument, Combs nodded and listened intently, either leaning back in his chair or crossing his arms on the table. In the morning, one of his sons, Justin Combs, was wearing a shirt that read 'Free Sean Combs,' which is not permitted in the courtroom. A court marshal approached him, and Justin left and re-entered the room without the message visible. Agnifilo was theatrical in his summation — and often used sarcasm to drive home his arguments. He used a mocking tone when describing the raids on Combs' properties, saying they made America 'safe from Astroglide.' 'Way to go fellas, you guys just do you. They took Astroglide and baby oil and that is the evidence in this case,' he said. When pooh-poohing the drug distribution racketeering charges, Agnifilo admitted 'there's no question' Combs 'had a drug problem,' but that his drugs were for personal use only, and not part of a criminal enterprise. That when his staff picked up and delivered drugs like Xanax and ecstacy to Combs, they were not aware they were committing crimes — they were just carrying out personal assistant duties as is common in the entertainment industry. 'I don't suppose we'll see Beyoncé at CVS,' Agnifilo said. Addressing the racketeering charges, the attorney said there is a 'gaping lack of evidence,' and with respect to the transportation to engage in prostitution charges, he repeated the defense's stance that Combs paid male escorts for their 'time,' not for sex. Wrapping things up, Agnifilo leveled with the jury. 'It takes a lot of courage to acquit,' he said. He said the concept of a jury is one of the great things about America, and that it is a difficult thing for a juror to rule against the federal prosecutors. 'You guys are the United States of America,' he said, raising his voice. 'You should feel bold, you should feel the courage that you will need to call this as you see it, and I am asking you to summon that courage and to do what needs to be done and to do the right thing.' He asked the jurors to acquit his client on all charges. 'He sits there innocent. Return him to his family who have been waiting for him.' Beginning her rebuttal, which is the last time the jurors will hear from the attorneys after seven grueling weeks of trial, prosecutor Maurene Comey sighed: 'We're almost done.' Comey delivered her most fiery remarks yet, taking the baton after fellow prosecutor Christy Slavik delivered a five-hour closing argument on Thursday. She laid into the defense, saying the notion that the male escorts were not paid for sex 'doesn't even pass the laugh test.' When Combs handed them wads of cash at the end of 'freak-offs,' it wasn't for their 'scintillating conversation,' Comey said. She referred to an escort's testimony that supported her argument. Despite what the defense posited, the escorts did not need to label themselves as prostitutes for their conduct to be considered prostitution. Supporting the racketeering charge, Comey listed a handful of alleged crimes carried out by Combs' employees on his behalf. 'This is a guy who cannot get his own water bottle or plug in his own phone charger,' she said, implying that of course he would not commit his own crimes. 'He's the general. Not a foot soldier, not a lieutenant. He delegated. And his inner circle did the dirty work for him,' Comey added, pointing to his chief of staff Kristina Khorram as his primary alleged co-conspirator. With respect to the drug distribution charges, Comey said, 'There is no requirement that drugs be distributed for profit or in large quantities to be illegal.' In other words, Combs handing ecstacy pills to Ventura and Jane would still be considered distribution under the law. The tone of her rebuttal intensified as Comey addressed the defense's underlying argument: that Ventura, another rape accuser 'Mia' and Jane are 'lying.' She explored each alleged victim's incentives to commit perjury. Ventura already won a $20 million settlement against Combs, so there's no money grab there. Mia similarly already settled with Combs, and because she isn't seeking fame or attention, she testified under a pseudonym. And Jane, who never sued Combs and has no plans to, testified that the defendant continues to pay her rent and legal fees. For that reason, if she had any incentive to lie, it would be in favor of Combs, Comey argued. Since opening arguments back in May, the defense has painted Combs' accusers as 'strong' women with agency. 'You know what, they're right about that,' Comey said. 'They were strong enough to survive what the defendant put them through and testify at this trial.' Comey returned to what she called 'the most clear-cut example of sex trafficking in this case,' when, in June 2024, Combs allegedly violently attacked Jane before giving her drugs and arranging a 'freak-off' with a male escort. 'Is this coercion?' Combs allegedly said to Jane, mocking the federal investigation looming over him. The trial reached an explosive climax as Comey rested her rebuttal. 'For 20 years, the defendant got away with his crimes. That ends in this courtroom,' she said. 'The defendant is not a god. He is a person. And in this courtroom, he stands equal before the law. Overwhelming evidence proves his guilt. It is time to hold him accountable. Find him guilty.' The jury could make its decision as early as next of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Prosecutors End Five-Hour Closing Argument: ‘It's Time to Hold Him Accountable. It's Time for Justice'
Closing arguments have begun in the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial, as federal prosecutors deliver to the jury an hours-long summary of their case against the disgraced music and fashion mogul. At the center of a jam-packed courtroom, prosecutor Christy Slavik patiently broke down each of the five charges against Combs — one count of racketeering, two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution — and explained the associated predicate acts and requirements for a conviction. More from Variety Diddy Speaks Out in Court: He Will Not Testify, Thanks Judge for 'Doing an Excellent Job' Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend Suggests He Had a 'Bi-Curiosity' He Was 'Ashamed to Explore' as His Lawyer Asks Her to Define 'Cuck' Diddy Is Still Paying Legal Fees for Ex-Girlfriend Testifying Against Him As Slavik recounted the harrowing allegations levied against Combs by his ex-girlfriends, former employees and law enforcement agents, Combs' three adult daughters, appearing in the courtroom for the first time in weeks, whispered to each other and passed notes. Combs, meanwhile, scribbled on his own scraps of paper and handed them to his attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. During most of the government's presentation, though, Combs clasped his hands in his lap and looked forward, or down at the ground. Moving his feet around, he appeared unusually fidgety. The government started with a heavy focus on the racketeering charge, telling the jury bluntly: '[Combs] is the leader of a criminal enterprise. He doesn't take no for an answer.' Slavik described the enterprise as Combs' 'inner circle,' who 'committed crimes with and for Sean Combs.' That circle included Combs' longtime chief of staff Kristina Khorram (aka 'KK'), his security detail and rotating cast of assistants and staff members, whom Slavik called Combs' eager 'foot soldiers.' The prosecution argued that over two decades, these people carried out crimes and helped cover them up, all under the orders of Combs and in the interest of protecting his brand and fulfilling his personal and sexual desires. While Combs' former employees did not explicitly testify to being part of a criminal enterprise, Slavik told the jury to 'use your common sense and look at the evidence.' On a slideshow, the government showed several predicate acts for racketeering, telling the jury they only need to identify two specific incidents belonging to any of the categories: kidnapping, arson, bribery, drug distribution, sex trafficking, interstate transport for prostitution, forced labor, witness tampering and obstruction. As long as the jury decides that Combs and another member of his enterprise agreed to commit two individual predicate acts, he is guilty of racketeering. Slavik argued that this is an obvious truth, as Combs is allegedly guilty of 'hundreds of acts of drug distribution' alone. Drugs were an 'essential ingredient of every freak-off,' Slavik said, and Combs relied on his enterprise to 'make sure he had a constant supply of any drug he wanted — for himself and for his victims' of the sex parties. Slavik said Combs 'plied' his ex-girlfriend with drugs like ecstacy so they could 'perform' sex with male escorts for days on end, as he watched, filmed and masturbated. The prosecution showed the jury multiple examples of communications between Combs' team members pertaining to buying and delivering drugs to him. 'This is drug distribution,' Slavik said. 'It's simple.' The prosecution then touched on the other predicate acts, highlighting three distinct examples of alleged kidnapping. Slavik reminded the jury of Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's claim that Combs stomped on her face in an SUV and then forced her to stay in a hotel as she recovered from the injuries. She also recounted former assistant Capricorn Clark's testimony, which accused Combs of making her take a five-day lie detector test, and years later showing up to her house with a gun and telling her they were going to go 'kill' the rapper Kid Cudi, who was in a romantic relationship with Ventura at the time. As for arson, Slavik said that while there is no concrete evidence that links Combs to the explosion of Kid Cudi's car, it 'can't be a wild coincidence' that the alleged arson occurred after Combs explicitly said he would blow up the rapper's vehicle. Slavik referenced hotel security guard Eddy Garcia, who said Combs paid him off with $100,000 in cash to dispose of the surveillance video that depicts him beating up Ventura. While the defense has said Combs paid off Garcia to protect his reputation, Slavik argued there is another reason that reaches the standard of bribery: He knew there was a possibility of law enforcement involvement, and therefore he feared he could be charged with a crime if the tape was distributed. With respect to sex trafficking, which is both included in the racketeering predicate acts and a separate charge, Slavik began by discussing Combs' relationship with 'Jane,' an anonymous alleged victim who dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. Going over the three elements of sex trafficking, Slavik said the jury only needs to find one incident in which Combs knowingly transported or enticed a victim into sexual activity through use of fraud, force or coercion, and in which interstate commerce was affected. Slavik showed an image of dozens of men's faces, the 'strangers' whom Combs allegedly hired to have sex with his ex-girlfriends as they were 'drugged, covered in oil, sore, exhausted.' She emphasized Combs' use of 'rent as leverage' over Jane, and she pulled up previously shown text messages that convey Jane's reluctance to freak-offs. 'I don't want to feel obligated to perform these nights with you in fear of losing the roof over my head,' Jane wrote to Combs in September 2023, for example. Slavik also focused on Combs' alleged violence, describing him as 'insanely jealous and abusive.' She pointed to one incident in June 2024, in which Combs allegedly punched and kicked Jane, dragging her by her hair back into the house before setting up a freak-off. Preempting a defense argument that Combs' romantic partners could have said no to the freak-offs, or left Combs at any time in their relationship, Slavik relied on expert testimony that explained the dynamics of an abusive relationship. And responding to the defense's assertion that Combs' domestic violence was not linked to the freak-offs, Slavik once again showed the jury the hotel surveillance video. 'This is what happened when Cassie said no — this video,' she said. Addressing the alleged transportation to engage in prostitution, Slavik dismissed the defense's claim that Combs paid male escorts for their 'time' rather than for sex, and that the sex would occur naturally between consenting adults. 'I'm going to spend no more than 10 seconds on this ridiculous argument,' Slavik said. 'They were not paid for their time. They were paid for sex.' Hammering the racketeering charges, she repeatedly mentioned Combs' alleged co-conspirators, saying the idea that Khorram and Combs' security guard Damion Butler could not have known about Combs' alleged sex trafficking 'defies logic.' She pulled up texts between Combs and his two staffers that pointed to their knowledge of what went on behind closed doors. Over the next couple of hours, Slavik also covered forced labor (on alleged victims Ventura, Jane, Clark and assistant 'Mia'), as well as witness tampering and obstruction. The prosecution replayed audio from phone calls between Combs and his alleged victims in the aftermath of Ventura's bombshell civil lawsuit in November 2023. Slavik argued that the phone calls, in which Combs told Jane he needed her 'friendship' and promised he would take care of her, were evidence of an attempt to manipulate Jane to stay silent. After nearly five hours at the lectern, Slavik thanked the jury for their attention over the last seven weeks, especially to disturbing evidence that 'was hard to hear or to see.' She left the jurors with these parting words about Combs: 'It's time to hold him accountable. It's time for justice. It's time to find the defendant guilty.' The government's closing argument will take up the remainder of the day in court. The defense will present its summations on Friday, before the judge gives the jury instructions on how to interpret and rule on the charges. A verdict, which could result in decades behind bars for Combs, is expected to arrive next week. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Diddy Trial Reaches Explosive Conclusion as Defense Asks Jury to ‘Summon That Courage' to ‘Acquit Sean Combs'
On the final day of the Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial before jury deliberations, the hip-hop mogul's attorney Marc Agnifilo enlivened the courtroom with an impassioned closing argument. In the coming days, the jury will determine whether Combs is guilty of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. A conviction could land him behind bars for life. Agnifilo's demeanor was animated and at times folksy, unlike the prosecution's cold, formal tone. He paced around the courtroom, beginning his summations by gushing about Combs' character and business acumen, saying he was a champion of diversity. 'Sean Combs has become something that is very, very hard to be,' Agnifilo said. 'He is a self-made, successful, Black entrepreneur.' He recounted some of the positive things Combs' former employees said about him on the witness stand, adding, 'Did they always like him? No way. Let's not even go there. But they loved him. They didn't want to leave him.' More from Variety Diddy Prosecutors End Five-Hour Closing Argument: 'It's Time to Hold Him Accountable. It's Time for Justice' Diddy Speaks Out in Court: He Will Not Testify, Thanks Judge for 'Doing an Excellent Job' Diddy's Ex-Girlfriend Suggests He Had a 'Bi-Curiosity' He Was 'Ashamed to Explore' as His Lawyer Asks Her to Define 'Cuck' The defense put a spotlight on the presence of Combs' children and mother in the courtroom, saying, 'The man takes care of people.' Taking a swipe at one of Combs' alleged victims, 'Jane,' Agnifilo said, 'I hope she's having a nice day, but ya know where she's doing it? In a house he's paying for.' Agnifilo argued that Combs is on a 'false trial,' that he is not guilty of sex trafficking but is instead a member of the 'swingers lifestyle' who participated in consensual 'threesomes' with his ex-girlfriends and male entertainers. 'No one's forcing her to do this,' Agnifilo said of Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, Combs' ex who accused him of raping her and coercing her into hundreds of 'freak-offs,' drug-fueled sex parties that lasted days on end. At the center of the trial is a 2016 surveillance video that depicts Combs beating Ventura in a hotel hallway and allegedly attempting to drag her back into a 'freak-off.' 'We own the domestic violence,' Agnifilo said. Throughout the trial, the defense has admitted that Combs was violent with Ventura, but that the violence was not connected to the 'freak-offs.' Agnifilo painted Ventura as a strong, smart woman who enjoyed her sex life with Combs. 'She's a woman who actually likes sex,' Agnifilo said. 'Good for her! She's beautiful, she should. She's intense. She's unafraid.' Agnifilo referenced Ventura's testimony about her brief love affair with the singer Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi. Ventura said she tried to keep her relationship with Mescudi a secret from Combs by purchasing a second cellphone. 'Whoooaaa! A burner phone!' Agnifilo said, his voice jumping up an octave. 'Cassie is keeping it gangsta!' He said Ventura 'played' both Combs and Mescudi, implying she would not have had a secret relationship if she was actually 'scared to death of Sean Combs.' Addressing the kidnapping allegations against Combs, which pertain to his racketeering charge, Agnifilo referenced former assistant Capricorn Clark's claim that she was held for five days in a Manhattan office building, forced to take a lie detector test about stolen jewelry. 'A door-to-door kidnap,' Agnifilo said mockingly, emphasizing that Clark slept at home, and that one of Combs' security guards drove her to and from the building each day. 'You guys are here for long hours,' he told the jury. 'Anyone here feel kidnapped?' Agnifilo's tone was incredulous: 'He's charged with kidnapping. That's real!' And he told the jurors they 'have the right' to question the government's claims and disregard witness testimony. The lawyer picked apart the allegations of bribery, witness tampering and obstruction — and focused heavily on the implication that Combs orchestrated an act of arson on Mescudi's car. (Combs had allegedly said previously that he was going to blow up the vehicle, but an investigation at the time found no evidence leading to Combs.) 'That's not his style,' Agnifilo said, suggesting that Combs would prefer a man-to-man confrontation with Mescudi — 'a good old-fashioned John Wayne, eight-in-the-morning Hollywood Hills fight.' Throughout the closing argument, Combs nodded and listened intently, either leaning back in his chair or crossing his arms on the table. In the morning, one of his sons, Justin Combs, was wearing a shirt that read 'Free Sean Combs,' which is not permitted in the courtroom. A court marshal approached him, and Justin left and re-entered the room without the message visible. Agnifilo was theatrical in his summation — and often used sarcasm to drive home his arguments. He used a mocking tone when describing the raids on Combs' properties, saying they made America 'safe from Astroglide.' 'Way to go fellas, you guys just do you. They took Astroglide and baby oil and that is the evidence in this case,' he said. When pooh-poohing the drug distribution racketeering charges, Agnifilo admitted 'there's no question' Combs 'had a drug problem,' but that his drugs were for personal use only, and not part of a criminal enterprise. That when his staff picked up and delivered drugs like Xanax and ecstacy to Combs, they were not aware they were committing crimes — they were just carrying out personal assistant duties as is common in the entertainment industry. 'I don't suppose we'll see Beyoncé at CVS,' Agnifilo said. Addressing the racketeering charges, the attorney said there is a 'gaping lack of evidence,' and with respect to the transportation to engage in prostitution charges, he repeated the defense's stance that Combs paid male escorts for their 'time,' not for sex. Wrapping things up, Agnifilo leveled with the jury. 'It takes a lot of courage to acquit,' he said. He said the concept of a jury is one of the great things about America, and that it is a difficult thing for a juror to rule against the federal prosecutors. 'You guys are the United States of America,' he said, raising his voice. 'You should feel bold, you should feel the courage that you will need to call this as you see it, and I am asking you to summon that courage and to do what needs to be done and to do the right thing.' He asked the jurors to acquit his client on all charges. 'He sits there innocent. Return him to his family who have been waiting for him.' Beginning her rebuttal, which is the last time the jurors will hear from the attorneys after seven grueling weeks of trial, prosecutor Maurene Comey sighed: 'We're almost done.' Comey delivered her most fiery remarks yet, taking the baton after fellow prosecutor Christy Slavik delivered a five-hour closing argument on Thursday. She laid into the defense, saying the notion that the male escorts were not paid for sex 'doesn't even pass the laugh test.' When Combs handed them wads of cash at the end of 'freak-offs,' it wasn't for their 'scintillating conversation,' Comey said. She referred to an escort's testimony that supported her argument. Despite what the defense posited, the escorts did not need to label themselves as prostitutes for their conduct to be considered prostitution. Supporting the racketeering charge, Comey listed a handful of alleged crimes carried out by Combs' employees on his behalf. 'This is a guy who cannot get his own water bottle or plug in his own phone charger,' she said, implying that of course he would not commit his own crimes. 'He's the general. Not a foot soldier, not a lieutenant. He delegated. And his inner circle did the dirty work for him,' Comey added, pointing to his chief of staff Kristina Khorram as his primary alleged co-conspirator. With respect to the drug distribution charges, Comey said, 'There is no requirement that drugs be distributed for profit or in large quantities to be illegal.' In other words, Combs handing ecstacy pills to Ventura and Jane would still be considered distribution under the law. The tone of her rebuttal intensified as Comey addressed the defense's underlying argument: that Ventura, another rape accuser 'Mia' and Jane are 'lying.' She explored each alleged victim's incentives to commit perjury. Ventura already won a $20 million settlement against Combs, so there's no money grab there. Mia similarly already settled with Combs, and because she isn't seeking fame or attention, she testified under a pseudonym. And Jane, who never sued Combs and has no plans to, testified that the defendant continues to pay her rent and legal fees. For that reason, if she had any incentive to lie, it would be in favor of Combs, Comey argued. Since opening arguments back in May, the defense has painted Combs' accusers as 'strong' women with agency. 'You know what, they're right about that,' Comey said. 'They were strong enough to survive what the defendant put them through and testify at this trial.' Comey returned to what she called 'the most clear-cut example of sex trafficking in this case,' when, in June 2024, Combs allegedly violently attacked Jane before giving her drugs and arranging a 'freak-off' with a male escort. 'Is this coercion?' Combs allegedly said to Jane, mocking the federal investigation looming over him. The trial reached an explosive climax as Comey rested her rebuttal. 'For 20 years, the defendant got away with his crimes. That ends in this courtroom,' she said. 'The defendant is not a god. He is a person. And in this courtroom, he stands equal before the law. Overwhelming evidence proves his guilt. It is time to hold him accountable. Find him guilty.' The jury could make its decision as early as next of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? 25 Hollywood Legends Who Deserve an Honorary Oscar
New York Times
14 hours ago
- New York Times
Sean Combs Trial Live Updates: ‘Freak-offs' and Violence Are Dissected by the Defense
Sean Combs in 2018. He has been largely outside public view during his federal trial, captured only by the sketches of courtroom artists. He has shaken his head and fidgeted in his seat during testimony, passed notes to his lawyers and blown kisses to his mother in the courtroom gallery. Sometimes Sean Combs has pulled out chairs for the women on his legal team. He brought a self-help book to court during the prosecution's closing argument. His federal trial has drawn worldwide attention, with minute-by-minute coverage from the press and social media influencers who broadcast live updates from the street outside U.S. District Court in Lower Manhattan. But since federal courts bar cameras, Mr. Combs's demeanor during perhaps them most critical time of his life — Does he smile? Does he seem mad, nervous, sad? — has been largely outside public view, captured only by the sketches of courtroom artists. Over a seven-week trial, Mr. Combs, who is facing sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison for the rest of his life, has been an attentive and largely easygoing presence in the courtroom. His expressions of disagreement with witnesses have been subdued, showing no inkling of the volcanic, violent temper often described in testimony. When George Kaplan, a former assistant, described the pace of working for Mr. Combs as 'almost like drinking from a fire hose,' the mogul nodded in approval. When another assistant, using the pseudonym Mia, said she would be punished if she did not do 'everything that he told me to do,' he just scoffed and shook his head. It has been an understated posture for a man whose profile as a chart-topping producer, rapper, reality-TV star and gossip-page fixture was larger than life. Mr. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers have strongly denied the central allegations of the case, that he coerced at least two women into drug-fueled sex marathons with male prostitutes and used bodyguards and other employees as part of a 'criminal enterprise' to facilitate and cover up the abuse. On most trial days, Mr. Combs, 55, arrived in the morning from the Brooklyn detention facility where he has been held since his arrest in September. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Service brought him into the courtroom between 8:30 and 9 a.m., and he often hugged a few of his nine lawyers and gazed at the attendees in the hushed, high-ceilinged room. His mother, sister and three adult sons were frequently, though not always, in attendance. They often sat in benches near the front of the court gallery and Mr. Combs smiled at them from the defense table, at times flashing heart signs with his hands. Without access to dye, Mr. Combs's hair has been turning ashen white. He wears not the designer suits and Sean John-branded street gear familiar to his fans but a rotating wardrobe of five sweaters, five button-down shirts, five pairs of pants, socks and two pairs of shoes without laces. At times during the trial, Mr. Combs has made eye contact with jurors. Once, while lawyers were conferring with the judge, Mr. Combs rubbed his hands together to keep warm in the chilly courtroom. Then he looked to his right to see a male juror rubbing his arms. 'Cold,' Mr. Combs mouthed with a grin; the juror nodded and smiled. At one point, judge in the case admonished Mr. Combs after he said he saw the mogul nodding at jurors. 'I saw your client looking at the jury and nodding vigorously,' Judge Arun Subramanian told Mr. Combs lawyers out of the presence of the jury. 'That is absolutely unacceptable.' Mr. Combs's lawyers told the judge it would not happen again. Charlucci Finney, who has worked in the music industry for decades and calls himself Mr. Combs's 'godbrother,' has attended the trial every day, often arriving at the same time as members of Mr. Combs's family. He can be seen speaking to Mr. Combs on breaks, and she fully endorsed the notion that Mr. Combs has been actively engaged in his defense. 'He's always been a C.E.O.,' Mr. Finney said in a phone interview. 'He's a C.E.O. of his case as well.'
New York Times
16 hours ago
- New York Times
Sean Combs Trial Live Updates: Defense Tries to Dismantle Arson, Kidnapping and Bribery Accusations
Sean Combs in 2018. He has been largely outside public view during his federal trial, captured only by the sketches of courtroom artists. He has shaken his head and fidgeted in his seat during testimony, passed notes to his lawyers and blown kisses to his mother in the courtroom gallery. Sometimes Sean Combs has pulled out chairs for the women on his legal team. He brought a self-help book to court during the prosecution's closing argument. His federal trial has drawn worldwide attention, with minute-by-minute coverage from the press and social media influencers who broadcast live updates from the street outside U.S. District Court in Lower Manhattan. But since federal courts bar cameras, Mr. Combs's demeanor during perhaps them most critical time of his life — Does he smile? Does he seem mad, nervous, sad? — has been largely outside public view, captured only by the sketches of courtroom artists. Over a seven-week trial, Mr. Combs, who is facing sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison for the rest of his life, has been an attentive and largely easygoing presence in the courtroom. His expressions of disagreement with witnesses have been subdued, showing no inkling of the volcanic, violent temper often described in testimony. When George Kaplan, a former assistant, described the pace of working for Mr. Combs as 'almost like drinking from a fire hose,' the mogul nodded in approval. When another assistant, using the pseudonym Mia, said she would be punished if she did not do 'everything that he told me to do,' he just scoffed and shook his head. It has been an understated posture for a man whose profile as a chart-topping producer, rapper, reality-TV star and gossip-page fixture was larger than life. Mr. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers have strongly denied the central allegations of the case, that he coerced at least two women into drug-fueled sex marathons with male prostitutes and used bodyguards and other employees as part of a 'criminal enterprise' to facilitate and cover up the abuse. On most trial days, Mr. Combs, 55, arrived in the morning from the Brooklyn detention facility where he has been held since his arrest in September. Officers from the U.S. Marshals Service brought him into the courtroom between 8:30 and 9 a.m., and he often hugged a few of his nine lawyers and gazed at the attendees in the hushed, high-ceilinged room. His mother, sister and three adult sons were frequently, though not always, in attendance. They often sat in benches near the front of the court gallery and Mr. Combs smiled at them from the defense table, at times flashing heart signs with his hands. Without access to dye, Mr. Combs's hair has been turning ashen white. He wears not the designer suits and Sean John-branded street gear familiar to his fans but a rotating wardrobe of five sweaters, five button-down shirts, five pairs of pants, socks and two pairs of shoes without laces. At times during the trial, Mr. Combs has made eye contact with jurors. Once, while lawyers were conferring with the judge, Mr. Combs rubbed his hands together to keep warm in the chilly courtroom. Then he looked to his right to see a male juror rubbing his arms. 'Cold,' Mr. Combs mouthed with a grin; the juror nodded and smiled. At one point, judge in the case admonished Mr. Combs after he said he saw the mogul nodding at jurors. 'I saw your client looking at the jury and nodding vigorously,' Judge Arun Subramanian told Mr. Combs lawyers out of the presence of the jury. 'That is absolutely unacceptable.' Mr. Combs's lawyers told the judge it would not happen again. Charlucci Finney, who has worked in the music industry for decades and calls himself Mr. Combs's 'godbrother,' has attended the trial every day, often arriving at the same time as members of Mr. Combs's family. He can be seen speaking to Mr. Combs on breaks, and she fully endorsed the notion that Mr. Combs has been actively engaged in his defense. 'He's always been a C.E.O.,' Mr. Finney said in a phone interview. 'He's a C.E.O. of his case as well.'
