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Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Defense concludes closing argument in sex trafficking case, says he's a ‘swinger,' not a criminal
The defense delivered its closing argument in the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Friday, arguing the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is a 'swinger' and a drug abuser guilty of past domestic violence, but not the 'leader of a criminal enterprise' as prosecutors portrayed him. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense attorney, told jurors. 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' Agnifilo scoffed at the government's investigation into Combs, who federal prosecutors say abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called 'freak offs' with male escorts while he watched. 'They are swingers,' Agnifilo said. 'This is their lifestyle.' He pushed back against the allegations that Combs used 'power, violence and fear,' along with kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. Agnifilo attacked the testimony of Cassie Ventura, Combs's former girlfriend, who told the court that he repeatedly beat her and forced her to take part in the 'freak offs.' Agnifilo said their decade-long relationship was 'complicated,' but argued it was also 'a great modern love story.' Combs is facing 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. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Judge Arun Subramanian said he will give the jury instructions on Monday before the 12-member panel begins its deliberations. Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including the New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and the Washington Post. As Marc Agnifilo started to wrap up the defense team's closing speech, he told the jury he hoped he had proved the government had "targeted" Combs in this case. "It takes a lot of courage to acquit," Agnifilo said. "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 sits there innocent," the defense attorney continued. "Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him.' Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the jury for a 15-minute break, during which he said it was "improper" that Agnifilo argued to the jury that the government "targeted" Combs. Subramanian said he was going to emphasize to the jury, when they returned, that their focus should be on whether the prosecution actually proved each charge with evidence. Agnifilo spoke for 4 hours and 3 minutes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik's closing arguments yesterday lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs was paying for escorts' time, not for sex. Agnifilo referenced how the prosecution called on two men who participated in "freak offs" with Combs and Cassie Ventura to testify, and neither of them formally identified themselves as a prostitute. "There's no evidence that there was negotiation of sex for money," Agnifilo said. The witnesses did testify earlier on in the trial that they were paid in cash after sexual encounters with Ventura. But Agnifilo pointed out that one of the witnesses, Daniel Phillip, who testified he got paid $6,000 for having sex with Ventura in front of Combs, also said, "I didn't care if I was paid one way or another. ... I didn't ask to get paid, they gave that to me." Christian Combs, a rapper known as King Combs and the 27-year-old son of King Combs, collaborated with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, on a collection of new songs that dropped today. One of the songs on the seven-track "Never Stop" EP is called "Diddy Free," which features a chorus with the lyrics, 'Ain't goin' sleep 'till we see Diddy free.' The song is credited to King Combs and Ye, who is also listed as the executive producer. Ye's oldest child, North West, is also featured on the EP. Christian Combs was in court Friday to support his father. Ye made an appearance at the courthouse earlier this month. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo has begun to discuss "Jane," the woman who testified under the pseudonym and dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. Agnifilo argued Jane did love Combs but, unlike Cassie Ventura, was more focused on what she could get out of the relationship and post on social media. Agnifilo suggested she "really likes the trappings" of fame. Jane testified that Combs started to pay her rent in 2023 — and still does — which the prosecution described yesterday as financial coercion to get Jane to participate in "hotel nights," which is what she called "freak offs" or sexual encounters with male escorts, typically in hotel rooms. Agnifilo argued to the jury that Combs paying her rent was a "gesture of kindness and decency." He also pointed to a hotel night in September 2023 when Jane rejected an escort who had been hired, but the escort was still paid $1,000. 'The government said they're not saying every single 'hotel night' was sex trafficking," Agnifilo said. "Well then, which ones were? And how's Sean Combs supposed to know the difference?' Resuming his closing argument after lunch, Combs's attorney Marc Agnifilo described the videos Combs recorded of male escorts having sex with his girlfriends during "freak offs" as "homemade porn." "He's not the only man in America making homemade porn," Agnifilo said. Prosecutors say Combs used videos as blackmail, threatening to release the footage if he didn't get what he wanted from the women. "There is no way on this earth' his client would ever release them, Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also argued that the drug-fueled marathon sex encounters were not as sinister as the government made them out to be. "There is a nice quality to these evenings," he said. The court is back in session. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said he anticipates he has another hour left of his closing arguments. After he's finished, prosecutor Maurene Comey will share her rebuttal, which she says will take about 90 minutes. Judge Arun Subramanian told the court he will give the jury instructions before they start deliberating next week instead of this afternoon. The courtroom is taking a break for lunch. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo will continue his closing argument around 1:45 p.m. ET. The defense is trying to establish a different narrative for the security video showing Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in March 2016. The prosecution argued that this video footage showcases Combs hurting Ventura in the hotel hallway because she left a "freak off" and he wanted her back in the room. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo showed the video to the jury and pointed out that Combs grabs a phone from Ventura. Agnifilo argued that the fight was not over sex but because of the phone. (Agnifilo did not show any of the later security footage where Combs becomes violent with Ventura after taking the phone.) The defense has argued throughout the trial that Combs had taken a bad batch of drugs before this incident. "He stays in a towel in a public hallway way too long," Agnifilo pointed out, suggesting Combs was not in the right headspace. Agnifilo then argued that once Combs got the phone, Ventura later did come back to the hotel room because it "was not a scary place." He also referenced a sexual text exchange the couple had before they met at the hotel that day. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo recounted the relationship between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura, again arguing that Ventura is not a victim. "They are swingers," Agnifilo said about the couple. He went on to say that the "sex trafficking" charge would apply if Combs had made money off of selling Ventura into prostitution but argued that it didn't happen. 'Your likes and their likes become one,' Agnifilo continued, referring to Ventura's involvement in "freak offs." "That's actually what love is, and that's what's going on with Cassie.' "She is not clutching her pearls," he added as he read the jury some sexually explicit messages Ventura sent Combs. 'There was nothing that would say to him this was against her will." Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said his client "obviously has a drug problem," but pushed back on the prosecution's argument that Combs intended to distribute and sell the drugs. "Distribution as part of a racketeering conspiracy, and there is no evidence of that," Agnifilo argued. "This is personal-use drugs." Resuming his closing argument, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo moved on to addressing allegations from "Mia," a former assistant who testified under a pseudonym. She described a harrowing and 'toxic' work environment dominated by Combs's 'unpredictable and terrifying' behavior, telling the court that he physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times. Agnifilo argued that the sex was consensual. 'There was not any unwanted sexual contact between Mr. Combs and Mia,' Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also denied the prosecution's assertion that Mia was a victim of "forced labor." "Mia loved working with Sean Combs; she loved the work she did," Agnifilo argued. "Forced labor is when you want to be out of there as soon as possible.' The defense displayed a photo Mia posted on social media showing her smiling along with several of Combs's employees. "This is your racketeering enterprise, folks,' Agnifilo said sarcastically. During the break when jurors were out of the room, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution thought the defense's arguments were too sarcastic about the government's charges against Combs. "Respectfully, I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic," defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. In response to the prosecution's complaint, Judge Subramanian told Agnifilo not to question or speculate why the government was pursuing its charges against Combs, calling the situation "grossly improper." When jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge reminded the group, "I will be instructing you on the law in this case." Judge Arun Subramanian is back on the bench after the court took a break. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo spoke for around 94 minutes before the break. The defense said its closing argument should be around three hours long. Judge Arun Subramanian has called for a 15-minute midmorning break. The defense will continue with its closing argument when court resumes. After mentioning Capricorn Clark's testimony claims that she was kidnapped by Combs and taken to rapper Kid Cudi's house at gunpoint in December 2011, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo addressed the prosecution's allegations that Combs was behind Kid Cudi's Porsche catching on fire in early 2012. Kid Cudi testified that his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs learned that he and Cassie Ventura were dating. Prosecutor Christy Slavik reminded the jury of Kid Cudi's testimony about the Porsche yesterday and said, "Of course, the defendant was behind this." Agnifilo argued that the small DNA profile that was found on the Molotov cocktail bottle was "consistent with a female." 'There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the Porsche,' he said. Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense lawyer, started to comb through some of the prosecution's key witnesses and their testimonies, reminding the jury members that they are allowed to question or disregard testimonies if they don't trust them. Agnifilo brought up Capricorn Clark, whom the prosecution argued had been a victim of being kidnapped by Combs twice while working as his personal assistant. The first alleged experience was in 2004, after Clark had started working for Combs. Clark testified she had to undergo five days of lie detector tests to prove she hadn't stolen jewelry and was repeatedly told by the test administrator that if she was caught lying, "they're going to throw you in the East River." But Agnifilo emphasized that Clark testified she went home after the lie detector tests every day. "It's not a kidnapping," he said, before pointing out that the jurors had spent hours watching the trial for the last seven weeks. "Anyone feel kidnapped?" The second alleged incident was in 2011. Clark testified that Combs came to her home with a gun and brought her to Kid Cudi's house, but Agnifilo emphasized that Kid Cudi testified Clark did not mention any guns when she called him and Cassie Ventura that day. 'Had Capricorn said 'gun,' Cudi would've remembered 'gun.' You're not gonna forget 'gun,'' Agnifilo argued. He also reiterated his earlier point that Clark, like most of Combs's employees, loved working for him and would willingly do anything for him. 'If he asked her to take a trip to the moon, she'd go, and he knows that. He doesn't need a gun." Moments after conceding his client was "guilty" of assaulting Cassie Ventura, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo called Ventura a "gangster" for using a burner phone to contact Kid Cudi while she was seeing both men. 'Cassie's keeping it gangster!' Agnifilo said. "She played them both.' During her relationship with Kid Cudi, Ventura repeatedly lied to Combs, Agnifilo said, arguing that it showed she was "not afraid of him." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's defense attorney, used part of his closing argument to mock the raids on Combs's homes. In its indictment, the prosecut said that federal agents recovered guns, drugs and 'more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.' 'Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,' Agnifilo said. 'Thank goodness for the special response team," he added. "They found the Astroglide, they found the baby oil, they found like five valium pills. Way to go, fellas.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued to the jury that Cassie Ventura is not part of a "one-sided, oppressive" relationship with Combs, as the prosecution argued, but ultimately the financial "winner" of the breakup. "She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million," Agnifilo said. Ventura won a $20 million civil settlement from Combs after filing a lawsuit against him in November 2023, and is expecting a $10 million settlement from the owner of the InterContinental hotel where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016. Agnifilo called Combs and Ventura's relationship 'a great modern love story,' and said that this case isn't about crime. "We're here because of money," he said. In his closing argument, Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs is "guilty" of domestic violence, but that's not what he's been charged with. Multiple women, including Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that he beat them repeatedly. And a key piece of evidence for prosecutors was a surveillance video that showed Combs assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. "We own the domestic violence — I hope you guys know that," Agnifilo said. 'It happened. That's not charged. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo said. 'He didn't commit racketeering — he just didn't.' The lawyer added: 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' As Marc Agnifilo started to wrap up the defense team's closing speech, he told the jury he hoped he had proved the government had "targeted" Combs in this case. "It takes a lot of courage to acquit," Agnifilo said. "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 sits there innocent," the defense attorney continued. "Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him.' Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the jury for a 15-minute break, during which he said it was "improper" that Agnifilo argued to the jury that the government "targeted" Combs. Subramanian said he was going to emphasize to the jury, when they returned, that their focus should be on whether the prosecution actually proved each charge with evidence. Agnifilo spoke for 4 hours and 3 minutes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik's closing arguments yesterday lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs was paying for escorts' time, not for sex. Agnifilo referenced how the prosecution called on two men who participated in "freak offs" with Combs and Cassie Ventura to testify, and neither of them formally identified themselves as a prostitute. "There's no evidence that there was negotiation of sex for money," Agnifilo said. The witnesses did testify earlier on in the trial that they were paid in cash after sexual encounters with Ventura. But Agnifilo pointed out that one of the witnesses, Daniel Phillip, who testified he got paid $6,000 for having sex with Ventura in front of Combs, also said, "I didn't care if I was paid one way or another. ... I didn't ask to get paid, they gave that to me." Christian Combs, a rapper known as King Combs and the 27-year-old son of King Combs, collaborated with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, on a collection of new songs that dropped today. One of the songs on the seven-track "Never Stop" EP is called "Diddy Free," which features a chorus with the lyrics, 'Ain't goin' sleep 'till we see Diddy free.' The song is credited to King Combs and Ye, who is also listed as the executive producer. Ye's oldest child, North West, is also featured on the EP. Christian Combs was in court Friday to support his father. Ye made an appearance at the courthouse earlier this month. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo has begun to discuss "Jane," the woman who testified under the pseudonym and dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. Agnifilo argued Jane did love Combs but, unlike Cassie Ventura, was more focused on what she could get out of the relationship and post on social media. Agnifilo suggested she "really likes the trappings" of fame. Jane testified that Combs started to pay her rent in 2023 — and still does — which the prosecution described yesterday as financial coercion to get Jane to participate in "hotel nights," which is what she called "freak offs" or sexual encounters with male escorts, typically in hotel rooms. Agnifilo argued to the jury that Combs paying her rent was a "gesture of kindness and decency." He also pointed to a hotel night in September 2023 when Jane rejected an escort who had been hired, but the escort was still paid $1,000. 'The government said they're not saying every single 'hotel night' was sex trafficking," Agnifilo said. "Well then, which ones were? And how's Sean Combs supposed to know the difference?' Resuming his closing argument after lunch, Combs's attorney Marc Agnifilo described the videos Combs recorded of male escorts having sex with his girlfriends during "freak offs" as "homemade porn." "He's not the only man in America making homemade porn," Agnifilo said. Prosecutors say Combs used videos as blackmail, threatening to release the footage if he didn't get what he wanted from the women. "There is no way on this earth' his client would ever release them, Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also argued that the drug-fueled marathon sex encounters were not as sinister as the government made them out to be. "There is a nice quality to these evenings," he said. The court is back in session. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said he anticipates he has another hour left of his closing arguments. After he's finished, prosecutor Maurene Comey will share her rebuttal, which she says will take about 90 minutes. Judge Arun Subramanian told the court he will give the jury instructions before they start deliberating next week instead of this afternoon. The courtroom is taking a break for lunch. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo will continue his closing argument around 1:45 p.m. ET. The defense is trying to establish a different narrative for the security video showing Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in March 2016. The prosecution argued that this video footage showcases Combs hurting Ventura in the hotel hallway because she left a "freak off" and he wanted her back in the room. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo showed the video to the jury and pointed out that Combs grabs a phone from Ventura. Agnifilo argued that the fight was not over sex but because of the phone. (Agnifilo did not show any of the later security footage where Combs becomes violent with Ventura after taking the phone.) The defense has argued throughout the trial that Combs had taken a bad batch of drugs before this incident. "He stays in a towel in a public hallway way too long," Agnifilo pointed out, suggesting Combs was not in the right headspace. Agnifilo then argued that once Combs got the phone, Ventura later did come back to the hotel room because it "was not a scary place." He also referenced a sexual text exchange the couple had before they met at the hotel that day. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo recounted the relationship between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura, again arguing that Ventura is not a victim. "They are swingers," Agnifilo said about the couple. He went on to say that the "sex trafficking" charge would apply if Combs had made money off of selling Ventura into prostitution but argued that it didn't happen. 'Your likes and their likes become one,' Agnifilo continued, referring to Ventura's involvement in "freak offs." "That's actually what love is, and that's what's going on with Cassie.' "She is not clutching her pearls," he added as he read the jury some sexually explicit messages Ventura sent Combs. 'There was nothing that would say to him this was against her will." Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said his client "obviously has a drug problem," but pushed back on the prosecution's argument that Combs intended to distribute and sell the drugs. "Distribution as part of a racketeering conspiracy, and there is no evidence of that," Agnifilo argued. "This is personal-use drugs." Resuming his closing argument, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo moved on to addressing allegations from "Mia," a former assistant who testified under a pseudonym. She described a harrowing and 'toxic' work environment dominated by Combs's 'unpredictable and terrifying' behavior, telling the court that he physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times. Agnifilo argued that the sex was consensual. 'There was not any unwanted sexual contact between Mr. Combs and Mia,' Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also denied the prosecution's assertion that Mia was a victim of "forced labor." "Mia loved working with Sean Combs; she loved the work she did," Agnifilo argued. "Forced labor is when you want to be out of there as soon as possible.' The defense displayed a photo Mia posted on social media showing her smiling along with several of Combs's employees. "This is your racketeering enterprise, folks,' Agnifilo said sarcastically. During the break when jurors were out of the room, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution thought the defense's arguments were too sarcastic about the government's charges against Combs. "Respectfully, I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic," defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. In response to the prosecution's complaint, Judge Subramanian told Agnifilo not to question or speculate why the government was pursuing its charges against Combs, calling the situation "grossly improper." When jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge reminded the group, "I will be instructing you on the law in this case." Judge Arun Subramanian is back on the bench after the court took a break. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo spoke for around 94 minutes before the break. The defense said its closing argument should be around three hours long. Judge Arun Subramanian has called for a 15-minute midmorning break. The defense will continue with its closing argument when court resumes. After mentioning Capricorn Clark's testimony claims that she was kidnapped by Combs and taken to rapper Kid Cudi's house at gunpoint in December 2011, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo addressed the prosecution's allegations that Combs was behind Kid Cudi's Porsche catching on fire in early 2012. Kid Cudi testified that his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs learned that he and Cassie Ventura were dating. Prosecutor Christy Slavik reminded the jury of Kid Cudi's testimony about the Porsche yesterday and said, "Of course, the defendant was behind this." Agnifilo argued that the small DNA profile that was found on the Molotov cocktail bottle was "consistent with a female." 'There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the Porsche,' he said. Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense lawyer, started to comb through some of the prosecution's key witnesses and their testimonies, reminding the jury members that they are allowed to question or disregard testimonies if they don't trust them. Agnifilo brought up Capricorn Clark, whom the prosecution argued had been a victim of being kidnapped by Combs twice while working as his personal assistant. The first alleged experience was in 2004, after Clark had started working for Combs. Clark testified she had to undergo five days of lie detector tests to prove she hadn't stolen jewelry and was repeatedly told by the test administrator that if she was caught lying, "they're going to throw you in the East River." But Agnifilo emphasized that Clark testified she went home after the lie detector tests every day. "It's not a kidnapping," he said, before pointing out that the jurors had spent hours watching the trial for the last seven weeks. "Anyone feel kidnapped?" The second alleged incident was in 2011. Clark testified that Combs came to her home with a gun and brought her to Kid Cudi's house, but Agnifilo emphasized that Kid Cudi testified Clark did not mention any guns when she called him and Cassie Ventura that day. 'Had Capricorn said 'gun,' Cudi would've remembered 'gun.' You're not gonna forget 'gun,'' Agnifilo argued. He also reiterated his earlier point that Clark, like most of Combs's employees, loved working for him and would willingly do anything for him. 'If he asked her to take a trip to the moon, she'd go, and he knows that. He doesn't need a gun." Moments after conceding his client was "guilty" of assaulting Cassie Ventura, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo called Ventura a "gangster" for using a burner phone to contact Kid Cudi while she was seeing both men. 'Cassie's keeping it gangster!' Agnifilo said. "She played them both.' During her relationship with Kid Cudi, Ventura repeatedly lied to Combs, Agnifilo said, arguing that it showed she was "not afraid of him." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's defense attorney, used part of his closing argument to mock the raids on Combs's homes. In its indictment, the prosecut said that federal agents recovered guns, drugs and 'more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.' 'Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,' Agnifilo said. 'Thank goodness for the special response team," he added. "They found the Astroglide, they found the baby oil, they found like five valium pills. Way to go, fellas.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued to the jury that Cassie Ventura is not part of a "one-sided, oppressive" relationship with Combs, as the prosecution argued, but ultimately the financial "winner" of the breakup. "She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million," Agnifilo said. Ventura won a $20 million civil settlement from Combs after filing a lawsuit against him in November 2023, and is expecting a $10 million settlement from the owner of the InterContinental hotel where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016. Agnifilo called Combs and Ventura's relationship 'a great modern love story,' and said that this case isn't about crime. "We're here because of money," he said. In his closing argument, Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs is "guilty" of domestic violence, but that's not what he's been charged with. Multiple women, including Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that he beat them repeatedly. And a key piece of evidence for prosecutors was a surveillance video that showed Combs assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. "We own the domestic violence — I hope you guys know that," Agnifilo said. 'It happened. That's not charged. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo said. 'He didn't commit racketeering — he just didn't.' The lawyer added: 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.'
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Yahoo
Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial live updates: Defense concludes closing argument in sex trafficking case, says he's a ‘swinger,' not a criminal
The defense delivered its closing argument in the sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs on Friday, arguing the 55-year-old hip-hop mogul is a 'swinger' and a drug abuser guilty of past domestic violence, but not the 'leader of a criminal enterprise' as prosecutors portrayed him. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense attorney, told jurors. 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.' Agnifilo scoffed at the government's investigation into Combs, who federal prosecutors say abused, threatened and coerced women to participate in drug-fueled marathon sexual encounters called 'freak offs' with male escorts while he watched. 'They are swingers,' Agnifilo said. 'This is their lifestyle.' He pushed back against the allegations that Combs used 'power, violence and fear,' along with kidnapping and arson, to conceal his crimes. Agnifilo attacked the testimony of Cassie Ventura, Combs's former girlfriend, who told the court that he repeatedly beat her and forced her to take part in the 'freak offs.' Agnifilo said their decade-long relationship was 'complicated,' but argued it was also 'a great modern love story.' Combs is facing 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. If convicted, he could face life in prison. Judge Arun Subramanian said he will give the jury instructions on Monday before the 12-member panel begins its deliberations. Follow the live blog below for the latest updates culled from various reporters and news organizations in the courtroom, including the New York Times, CNN, NBC News, and the Washington Post. As Marc Agnifilo started to wrap up the defense team's closing speech, he told the jury he hoped he had proved the government had "targeted" Combs in this case. "It takes a lot of courage to acquit," Agnifilo said. "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 sits there innocent," the defense attorney continued. "Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him.' Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed the jury for a 15-minute break, during which he said it was "improper" that Agnifilo argued to the jury that the government "targeted" Combs. Subramanian said he was going to emphasize to the jury, when they returned, that their focus should be on whether the prosecution actually proved each charge with evidence. Agnifilo spoke for 4 hours and 3 minutes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik's closing arguments yesterday lasted 4 hours and 49 minutes. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued that Combs was paying for escorts' time, not for sex. Agnifilo referenced how the prosecution called on two men who participated in "freak offs" with Combs and Cassie Ventura to testify, and neither of them formally identified themselves as a prostitute. "There's no evidence that there was negotiation of sex for money," Agnifilo said. The witnesses did testify earlier on in the trial that they were paid in cash after sexual encounters with Ventura. But Agnifilo pointed out that one of the witnesses, Daniel Phillip, who testified he got paid $6,000 for having sex with Ventura in front of Combs, also said, "I didn't care if I was paid one way or another. ... I didn't ask to get paid, they gave that to me." Christian Combs, a rapper known as King Combs and the 27-year-old son of King Combs, collaborated with Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, on a collection of new songs that dropped today. One of the songs on the seven-track "Never Stop" EP is called "Diddy Free," which features a chorus with the lyrics, 'Ain't goin' sleep 'till we see Diddy free.' The song is credited to King Combs and Ye, who is also listed as the executive producer. Ye's oldest child, North West, is also featured on the EP. Christian Combs was in court Friday to support his father. Ye made an appearance at the courthouse earlier this month. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo has begun to discuss "Jane," the woman who testified under the pseudonym and dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. Agnifilo argued Jane did love Combs but, unlike Cassie Ventura, was more focused on what she could get out of the relationship and post on social media. Agnifilo suggested she "really likes the trappings" of fame. Jane testified that Combs started to pay her rent in 2023 — and still does — which the prosecution described yesterday as financial coercion to get Jane to participate in "hotel nights," which is what she called "freak offs" or sexual encounters with male escorts, typically in hotel rooms. Agnifilo argued to the jury that Combs paying her rent was a "gesture of kindness and decency." He also pointed to a hotel night in September 2023 when Jane rejected an escort who had been hired, but the escort was still paid $1,000. 'The government said they're not saying every single 'hotel night' was sex trafficking," Agnifilo said. "Well then, which ones were? And how's Sean Combs supposed to know the difference?' Resuming his closing argument after lunch, Combs's attorney Marc Agnifilo described the videos Combs recorded of male escorts having sex with his girlfriends during "freak offs" as "homemade porn." "He's not the only man in America making homemade porn," Agnifilo said. Prosecutors say Combs used videos as blackmail, threatening to release the footage if he didn't get what he wanted from the women. "There is no way on this earth' his client would ever release them, Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also argued that the drug-fueled marathon sex encounters were not as sinister as the government made them out to be. "There is a nice quality to these evenings," he said. The court is back in session. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said he anticipates he has another hour left of his closing arguments. After he's finished, prosecutor Maurene Comey will share her rebuttal, which she says will take about 90 minutes. Judge Arun Subramanian told the court he will give the jury instructions before they start deliberating next week instead of this afternoon. The courtroom is taking a break for lunch. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo will continue his closing argument around 1:45 p.m. ET. The defense is trying to establish a different narrative for the security video showing Combs assaulting Cassie Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in March 2016. The prosecution argued that this video footage showcases Combs hurting Ventura in the hotel hallway because she left a "freak off" and he wanted her back in the room. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo showed the video to the jury and pointed out that Combs grabs a phone from Ventura. Agnifilo argued that the fight was not over sex but because of the phone. (Agnifilo did not show any of the later security footage where Combs becomes violent with Ventura after taking the phone.) The defense has argued throughout the trial that Combs had taken a bad batch of drugs before this incident. "He stays in a towel in a public hallway way too long," Agnifilo pointed out, suggesting Combs was not in the right headspace. Agnifilo then argued that once Combs got the phone, Ventura later did come back to the hotel room because it "was not a scary place." He also referenced a sexual text exchange the couple had before they met at the hotel that day. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo recounted the relationship between Sean "Diddy" Combs and Cassie Ventura, again arguing that Ventura is not a victim. "They are swingers," Agnifilo said about the couple. He went on to say that the "sex trafficking" charge would apply if Combs had made money off of selling Ventura into prostitution but argued that it didn't happen. 'Your likes and their likes become one,' Agnifilo continued, referring to Ventura's involvement in "freak offs." "That's actually what love is, and that's what's going on with Cassie.' "She is not clutching her pearls," he added as he read the jury some sexually explicit messages Ventura sent Combs. 'There was nothing that would say to him this was against her will." Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said his client "obviously has a drug problem," but pushed back on the prosecution's argument that Combs intended to distribute and sell the drugs. "Distribution as part of a racketeering conspiracy, and there is no evidence of that," Agnifilo argued. "This is personal-use drugs." Resuming his closing argument, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo moved on to addressing allegations from "Mia," a former assistant who testified under a pseudonym. She described a harrowing and 'toxic' work environment dominated by Combs's 'unpredictable and terrifying' behavior, telling the court that he physically and sexually assaulted her multiple times. Agnifilo argued that the sex was consensual. 'There was not any unwanted sexual contact between Mr. Combs and Mia,' Agnifilo said. Agnifilo also denied the prosecution's assertion that Mia was a victim of "forced labor." "Mia loved working with Sean Combs; she loved the work she did," Agnifilo argued. "Forced labor is when you want to be out of there as soon as possible.' The defense displayed a photo Mia posted on social media showing her smiling along with several of Combs's employees. "This is your racketeering enterprise, folks,' Agnifilo said sarcastically. During the break when jurors were out of the room, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey told Judge Arun Subramanian that the prosecution thought the defense's arguments were too sarcastic about the government's charges against Combs. "Respectfully, I think I'm allowed to be sarcastic," defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said. In response to the prosecution's complaint, Judge Subramanian told Agnifilo not to question or speculate why the government was pursuing its charges against Combs, calling the situation "grossly improper." When jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge reminded the group, "I will be instructing you on the law in this case." Judge Arun Subramanian is back on the bench after the court took a break. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo spoke for around 94 minutes before the break. The defense said its closing argument should be around three hours long. Judge Arun Subramanian has called for a 15-minute midmorning break. The defense will continue with its closing argument when court resumes. After mentioning Capricorn Clark's testimony claims that she was kidnapped by Combs and taken to rapper Kid Cudi's house at gunpoint in December 2011, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo addressed the prosecution's allegations that Combs was behind Kid Cudi's Porsche catching on fire in early 2012. Kid Cudi testified that his Porsche was set on fire with a Molotov cocktail after Combs learned that he and Cassie Ventura were dating. Prosecutor Christy Slavik reminded the jury of Kid Cudi's testimony about the Porsche yesterday and said, "Of course, the defendant was behind this." Agnifilo argued that the small DNA profile that was found on the Molotov cocktail bottle was "consistent with a female." 'There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the Porsche,' he said. Marc Agnifilo, Combs's lead defense lawyer, started to comb through some of the prosecution's key witnesses and their testimonies, reminding the jury members that they are allowed to question or disregard testimonies if they don't trust them. Agnifilo brought up Capricorn Clark, whom the prosecution argued had been a victim of being kidnapped by Combs twice while working as his personal assistant. The first alleged experience was in 2004, after Clark had started working for Combs. Clark testified she had to undergo five days of lie detector tests to prove she hadn't stolen jewelry and was repeatedly told by the test administrator that if she was caught lying, "they're going to throw you in the East River." But Agnifilo emphasized that Clark testified she went home after the lie detector tests every day. "It's not a kidnapping," he said, before pointing out that the jurors had spent hours watching the trial for the last seven weeks. "Anyone feel kidnapped?" The second alleged incident was in 2011. Clark testified that Combs came to her home with a gun and brought her to Kid Cudi's house, but Agnifilo emphasized that Kid Cudi testified Clark did not mention any guns when she called him and Cassie Ventura that day. 'Had Capricorn said 'gun,' Cudi would've remembered 'gun.' You're not gonna forget 'gun,'' Agnifilo argued. He also reiterated his earlier point that Clark, like most of Combs's employees, loved working for him and would willingly do anything for him. 'If he asked her to take a trip to the moon, she'd go, and he knows that. He doesn't need a gun." Moments after conceding his client was "guilty" of assaulting Cassie Ventura, Combs's lawyer Marc Agnifilo called Ventura a "gangster" for using a burner phone to contact Kid Cudi while she was seeing both men. 'Cassie's keeping it gangster!' Agnifilo said. "She played them both.' During her relationship with Kid Cudi, Ventura repeatedly lied to Combs, Agnifilo said, arguing that it showed she was "not afraid of him." Marc Agnifilo, Combs's defense attorney, used part of his closing argument to mock the raids on Combs's homes. In its indictment, the prosecut said that federal agents recovered guns, drugs and 'more than 1,000 bottles of baby oil and lubricant.' 'Boxes of Astroglide, taken off the streets, whoo! I feel better already,' Agnifilo said. 'Thank goodness for the special response team," he added. "They found the Astroglide, they found the baby oil, they found like five valium pills. Way to go, fellas.' Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued to the jury that Cassie Ventura is not part of a "one-sided, oppressive" relationship with Combs, as the prosecution argued, but ultimately the financial "winner" of the breakup. "She is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million," Agnifilo said. Ventura won a $20 million civil settlement from Combs after filing a lawsuit against him in November 2023, and is expecting a $10 million settlement from the owner of the InterContinental hotel where she was assaulted by Combs in 2016. Agnifilo called Combs and Ventura's relationship 'a great modern love story,' and said that this case isn't about crime. "We're here because of money," he said. In his closing argument, Marc Agnifilo acknowledged that Combs is "guilty" of domestic violence, but that's not what he's been charged with. Multiple women, including Combs's ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, testified that he beat them repeatedly. And a key piece of evidence for prosecutors was a surveillance video that showed Combs assaulting Ventura in the hallway of a Los Angeles hotel. "We own the domestic violence — I hope you guys know that," Agnifilo said. 'It happened. That's not charged. 'He did not do the things he's charged with,' Agnifilo said. 'He didn't commit racketeering — he just didn't.' The lawyer added: 'He did what he did. But he's going to fight to the death to defend himself from what he didn't do.'
CTV News
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs trial takes a day off due a juror's illness
Sean "Diddy" Combs is seen May 30, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP) NEW YORK — A juror's vertigo on Wednesday ended another day of the sex trafficking trial for music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs before it began. Prosecutors had expected to rest their case by Friday after presenting evidence for the last six weeks, but the delay means they are unlikely to finish until Monday. Judge Arun Subramanian announced in the morning that a juror reported symptoms of vertigo on his way to the courthouse. The judge said it was possibly a 'momentary issue' and cancellation of the trial for a day may enable the juror to return Friday after the trial pauses for the Juneteenth holiday on Thursday. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said the defense presentation could last up to five days, although it could be finished in less than two days. Prosecutors say Combs used his fame and power in the music industry, along with violence and money, to coerce girlfriends for nearly two decades to submit to sexual performances involving male sex workers, sometimes on a weekly basis. The sex marathons, called 'freak-offs' and 'hotel nights,' sometimes lasted several days as Combs watched, directed and sometimes filmed his girlfriends having sex with other men, according to testimony. Two former girlfriends testified that they relied on drugs supplied by Combs to stay awake — and numb — throughout the events. They both said they endured the sexual marathons because they were in love with Combs and it enabled them to spend more time with him. Defense lawyers say prosecutors are trying to criminalize sexual activity between consenting adults. They say their client was involved in domestic abuse, but had not committed the federal crimes of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Combs has remained jailed without bail since his September arrest. Michael R. Sisak And Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press
CBS News
13-06-2025
- CBS News
Karen Read's attorneys abandon third-party culprit plans before closing arguments
Defense attorneys for Karen Read abandoned their plans to blame two other men for John O'Keefe's death ahead of Friday's closing arguments in the high-profile trial. Jurors had the day off Thursday while attorneys held a final hearing with Judge Beverly Cannone, setting the stage for closing arguments and the start of deliberations on Friday in the high-profile trial. Jurors will be deciding Read's fate on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. Prosecutors say that after a night of heavy drinking, Read hit and killed her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her Lexus SUV and left him to die in the snow outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton. Read's attorneys say several people, including law enforcement, are trying to frame her. Defense withdraws "missing witness instruction" request The defense changed course on one topic that was expected to be discussed Thursday. The defense had previously filed a motion for jurors to receive a "missing witness instruction" for Brian Albert, Brian Higgins, and Michael Proctor. Early in Thursday's hearing, defense attorney David Yannetti withdrew that request. Albert owned the home at 34 Fairview Road at the time of O'Keefe's death, and Higgins was in the home on the night in question. Both have been repeatedly called alternate suspects in the death of O'Keefe by the defense. Proctor was fired by Massachusetts State Police for his conduct as a lead investigator in Read's case. None of the men were called by the prosecution to testify. Until Thursday, the defense said it planned to seek a missing witness argument and jury instruction, which means the court "may instruct the jury that an adverse inference may be drawn from a party's failure to call a witness" under Massachusetts law. Brian Higgins and Brian Albert cannot be blamed During Read's first trial, the defense spent a great deal of time attempting to highlight that Albert and his teenage nephew Colin Albert, along with Higgins, could have killed O'Keefe inside the home during a fight. Ahead of Read's second trial, Cannone ruled the defense had not presented enough evidence against Colin Albert and could not blame him as part of their case. The judge said that if attorneys presented enough evidence during trial, they could name Higgins and Brian Albert as alternate suspects in their closing arguments. "Is the defense going to argue that Brian Higgins did this?" Cannone asked on Thursday. "We're going to argue that police failed to investigate whether Brian Higgins did it," Yannetti answered. The judge said that Read's defense did not present enough evidence against the men and will not be allowed to say they should be considered suspects. "I did say that I would give you the opportunity to develop testimony regarding Brian Higgins and Brian Albert as third-party culprits. That threshold that you need to make to do that, to argue them as third-party culprits has not been made by the defense," Cannone said. "So you cannot argue that either Brian Higgins or Brian Albert committed or had the motive and all of that, not pure third-party culprit." Cannone said the defense is allowed to argue that police were aware Higgins could have been a suspect in O'Keefe's death, but did not act on the information. WBZ legal analyst Katherine Loftus explains the theory, called a Bowden defense. Loftus said her lawyers could say, "hey this is a police investigation that was so substandard you can't possibly find her guilty, which is a very different argument than he went in the house and was killed there." Text messages revealed that Higgins and Read had exchanged "flirty" text messages in the weeks before O'Keefe's death. Yannetti argues that Higgins was angered by seeing O'Keefe kiss Read at the Waterfall Bar & Grille in Canton on the night in question. Closing arguments in Karen Read trial Closing arguments are expected to begin at or just before 9 a.m. on Friday. Cannone informed attorneys during Thursday's hearing that they will have 75 minutes for closing arguments. On Wednesday, defense attorney Alan Jackson had asked for 90 minutes instead of the standard one hour. Once arguments are complete, there will be a short lunch break. After lunch, jurors will return to receive instructions on how they will deliberate the charges. Jurors will be in a room with all of the evidence, including books of reports, O'Keefe's clothing and the taillight from Read's SUV. Cannone said she hopes jurors will be able to begin deliberating before the day is over. She plans to ask members of the jury on Friday if they are able to stay potentially as late as 5:30 p.m. instead of the typical 4 p.m. dismissal. Karen Read verdict slip Read's first trial ended in a mistrial due to a "starkly divided" hung jury. In arguments that were rejected as high as the U.S. Supreme Court, Read's defense tried to have two charges thrown out because jurors revealed after the trial that they were unanimous to acquit her on charges of murder and leaving the scene. The jurors said they were only deadlocked on manslaughter. Those discussions were never revealed in open court before the mistrial was declared. As part of the hearing Thursday, defense attorneys introduced a proposed new verdict slip for the manslaughter charge. "Very important as I learned the hard way," Read said outside court Thursday. During her first trial, the jury received a separate verdict slip for each charge with an option of guilty or not guilty. One change was made to the manslaughter slip during Read's last trial. Instead of just "not guilty," it read "not guilty of manslaughter or any lesser included charge," at the request of defense attorneys. For Read's second trial, defense attorneys proposed a new verdict slip for count two which they say could clear up confusion. Judge Cannone indicated that she likely would stick with similar verdict slips like the first trial, but would take the defense's proposed verdict slip under consideration. "I think it's less so the jury form itself, which was a problem," Loftus said. "And you know what we have heard from jurors from trial number one was, they were confused could they, you know, could they report back a verdict on some, even if they were undecided." Karen Read trial nears end Read's defense rested its case late Wednesday after Andrew Rentschler, a biomechanist from ARCCA, completed a second day of testimony and said he concluded O'Keefe was not hit by a vehicle. Rentschler was the 11th witness called by the defense after the defense called 38 people to testify. The prosecution was expected to call several rebuttal witnesses at the conclusion of Rentschler's testimony. Instead, once the defense rested, special prosecutor Hank Brennan said he would not be calling any more witnesses. During Read's first trial, deliberations began on June 25. Jurors first signaled they were deadlocked on June 28, and a mistrial was declared on July 1.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Yahoo
Defense attorney's dramatic courtroom move has legal experts talking in Karen Read murder trial
Wearing two black gloves and slamming his palms on the podium Monday, Karen Read's defense attorney Robert Alessi moved for a mistrial for a second time in her retrial on murder charges in the death of her former boyfriend, Boston cop John O'Keefe. The exchange, based on special prosecutor Hank Brennan's questioning of a defense witness regarding holes in the back of O'Keefe's sweatshirt that were put there by a state crime lab employee, got Alessi trending among true crime followers on X Monday afternoon, but it also drew praise from defense attorneys who are not connected to the case. Read's defense denies the prosecution's allegation that she killed O'Keefe by backing into him with her Lexus SUV amid a drunken argument and fled the scene. They have maintained that the vehicle never struck him at all, and that something else caused his injuries. "If I'm Alessi, I'm throwing out those missiles every time," said Louis Gelormino, a New York City defense lawyer. Karen Read Judge Blocks Sandra Birchmore Mentions; Expert Says Cases Should Be Wake-up Call For Police During a motion hearing without jurors present, Brennan asked the judge to instruct jurors about his error rather than grant the motion for a mistrial. Read On The Fox News App "It appears that I made a mistake," he said, conceding that a state criminologist made the holes and documented them in her records. Gelormino told Fox News Digital that the longer things play out, the better off Read will be – especially if this trial ends without a verdict like her first one. WATCH: Karen Read defense moves for a mistrial again "A third trial, the county might not wanna pay for," he said. "They might give her a plea at that point. The longer these things go out, the better it is for the defense. All the time." Karen Read's Defense Links John O'keefe Head Wound To Fall, Not Vehicle Impact Read's first trial ended with a deadlocked jury last year, prompting Judge Beverly Cannone to declare a mistrial and the district attorney's office to bring in high-profile defense attorney Brennan as a special prosecutor. His rich and powerful clients have included the mobster James "Whitey" Bulger. The defense moved for a mistrial earlier in the second trial as well in another contentious exchange over O'Keefe's hoodie, arguing Brennan improperly brought up the absence of dog DNA evidence during cross-examination of a witness who claimed holes in O'Keefe's sweatshirt were consistent with dog bites. Cannone denied that motion as well as the new one Monday. A routine motion seeking to have her declared not guilty after the prosecution rested its case was also denied. Jury Skepticism Of Experts Could Determine Outcome In Karen Read Murder Trial: Former Judge Other legal experts raised doubts about whether the misstep was a mistake or a calculated move. "It is unfathomable that he didn't know that the holes were made by his own witness," said Mark Bederow, another New York City defense attorney who is representing Read ally Aidan Kearney, a Canton blogger. "And what about the two other prosecutors sitting next to him? Are we to believe they didn't know after handling this case for three years?" Unlike Brennan, they were working for the district attorney's office during her first trial, which assistant district attorney Adam Lally led. "There are many reasons why a large segment of the population believes the investigation and prosecution of Karen Read is unjust and lacks credibility," Bederow said. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE True Crime Hub Canton police were cleared of Read's conspiracy allegations in an independent audit completed just before her second trial began – but they made a series of embarrassing missteps during the investigation, including storing DNA evidence in red Solo cups and a grocery bag. The lead homicide detective, Michael Proctor, lost his job with the Massachusetts State Police after another investigation found he improperly shared sensitive and confidential information in a group chat that included lewd and "inappropriate" messages about Read that were read in court. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X "The prosecution has a higher standard because they are supposed to be about fairness and justice – which is what Brennan said to the press when he took the case," said Grace Edwards, a Massachusetts trial attorney who is closely following the case. "This was not a mistake by a seasoned attorney." Brennan is tasked with overcoming the state's credibility issues and also clean-up after a witness for the commonwealth admitted she gave an incorrect statement to the grand jury and the defense grilled another whose resume showed inflated credentials. "He is good, but he can only play the cards he's dealt," said David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area defense lawyer and former prosecutor, who invoked OJ Simpson's high-drama 1990s trial after Alessi donned black gloves in court and then invoked his A-list defense again. "You can be Johnnie Cochran, and it won't matter." Sign Up To Get The True Crime Newsletter Jack Lu, a former Massachusetts judge and now a law professor at Boston College, was more forgiving of the special prosecutor. "To the aspiring trial lawyer-law student, it shows that even the greatest stumble," he told Fox News Digital. "What a grueling occupation." Dr. Elizabeth Laposata returns to the stand Tuesday for a second day of testimony as the defense nears an end to its case. She testified Monday that O'Keefe's skull fracture was consistent with a backward fall – but something else, possibly a fist, caused the cut above his right eye. Read could face up to life in prison if convicted of the top charge of second-degree murder. She is also accused of drunken driving manslaughter and leaving the article source: Defense attorney's dramatic courtroom move has legal experts talking in Karen Read murder trial
