Latest news with #racketeering
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Jury set to begin deliberating in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial. Here's what to know
For seven weeks, a jury in Manhattan has listened as prosecutors laid out a criminal sex trafficking and racketeering case against rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs. They heard his ex-girlfriends and other witnesses deliver shocking accounts of violence and drug-fueled sexual marathons. On Monday, jurors are set to begin deliberating, ultimately deciding whether Combs was running a criminal enterprise, as the government says, or — as his lawyer insists — merely living a swinger lifestyle that included recreational drug use and, regrettably, domestic violence. The answer will determine the future of one of the biggest music moguls and cultural figures of the past four decades. If convicted, Combs, 55, would face 15 years to life in prison. Here's what to know about the case: What are the charges? The three-time Grammy Award winner has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors say Combs coerced women into abusive sex parties involving hired male sex workers, ensured their compliance with drugs like cocaine and threats to their careers, and silenced victims through blackmail and violence that included kidnapping, arson and beatings. 'He's the leader of a criminal enterprise. He doesn't take no for an answer," Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said in her closing arguments on Thursday. Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, portrayed the Bad Boys Records founder as the victim of overzealous prosecutors who exaggerated elements of his lifestyle and recreational drug use to bring charges that resulted in what he called a 'fake trial.' What is racketeering? The most serious charge, racketeering conspiracy, alleges that Combs ran a criminal enterprise for two decades that relied on bodyguards, household staff, personal assistants and others in his orbit to facilitate and cover up crimes. Federal prosecutors brought the charge under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Congress passed the federal law in 1970 with the declared purpose of targeting organized crime, but its use has been more widespread. To prove the charge, prosecutors must show that an enterprise existed and was involved in a pattern of racketeering activity. In this case, that alleged activity includes kidnapping, arson, bribery and sex trafficking. Key pieces of evidence Early in the trial, prosecutors showed jurors 2016 security video of Combs beating and kicking his former longtime girlfriend Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel. Cassie, an R&B singer whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified the assault took place as she was trying to leave one of the sexual encounters, which witnesses say he referred to as 'freak-offs" or 'hotel nights.' Jurors saw numerous explicit clips of such encounters, some involving Cassie and others involving a later girlfriend who was identified only by the the pseudonym ' Jane.' Both women took the stand. Cassie testified over four days that she participated in hundreds of the events with paid sex workers while she and Combs were in a relationship from 2007 until 2018, often feeling like she didn't have a choice. She sued Combs in 2023, alleging years of abuse. He settled within hours, and dozens of similar lawsuits followed. Jane testified over six days that she was romantically involved with Combs from 2021 until his September arrest at a New York hotel, and that she, too, felt forced to have sex with the hired strangers in multiday sex marathons while Combs watched. The Associated Press doesn't generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done. Testimony also included hours of text message exchanges, some of which involved Combs or other people in his orbit, that were read aloud by a Homeland Security Investigations agent. In all, 34 people took the stand, all of them called by the prosecution. Combs did not testify. How will jury deliberations work? Judge Arun Subramanian will give instructions to the jurors on Monday before sending them off to deliberate inside the Manhattan federal courthouse. The jury of 8 men and 4 women must unanimously decide guilty or not guilty on each count. That means all 12 jurors must agree. If jurors don't reach an agreement, they could come back and say they are deadlocked. Traditionally, the judge would then encourage them to continue deliberating, but if they can't reach a consensus, it would be up to the judge to decide whether to declare a mistrial.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Jury set to begin deliberating in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial. Here's what to know
NEW YORK (AP) — For seven weeks, a jury in Manhattan has listened as prosecutors laid out a criminal sex trafficking and racketeering case against rapper Sean 'Diddy' Combs. They heard his ex-girlfriends and other witnesses deliver shocking accounts of violence and drug-fueled sexual marathons. On Monday, jurors are set to begin deliberating, ultimately deciding whether Combs was running a criminal enterprise, as the government says, or — as his lawyer insists — merely living a swinger lifestyle that included recreational drug use and, regrettably, domestic violence. The answer will determine the future of one of the biggest music moguls and cultural figures of the past four decades. If convicted, Combs, 55, would face 15 years to life in prison. Here's what to know about the case: What are the charges? The three-time Grammy Award winner has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors say Combs coerced women into abusive sex parties involving hired male sex workers, ensured their compliance with drugs like cocaine and threats to their careers, and silenced victims through blackmail and violence that included kidnapping, arson and beatings. 'He's the leader of a criminal enterprise. He doesn't take no for an answer,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said in her closing arguments on Thursday. Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, portrayed the Bad Boys Records founder as the victim of overzealous prosecutors who exaggerated elements of his lifestyle and recreational drug use to bring charges that resulted in what he called a 'fake trial.' What is racketeering? The most serious charge, racketeering conspiracy, alleges that Combs ran a criminal enterprise for two decades that relied on bodyguards, household staff, personal assistants and others in his orbit to facilitate and cover up crimes. Federal prosecutors brought the charge under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Congress passed the federal law in 1970 with the declared purpose of targeting organized crime, but its use has been more widespread. To prove the charge, prosecutors must show that an enterprise existed and was involved in a pattern of racketeering activity. In this case, that alleged activity includes kidnapping, arson, bribery and sex trafficking. Key pieces of evidence Early in the trial, prosecutors showed jurors 2016 security video of Combs beating and kicking his former longtime girlfriend Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel. Cassie, an R&B singer whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified the assault took place as she was trying to leave one of the sexual encounters, which witnesses say he referred to as 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights.' Jurors saw numerous explicit clips of such encounters, some involving Cassie and others involving a later girlfriend who was identified only by the the pseudonym 'Jane.' Both women took the stand. Cassie testified over four days that she participated in hundreds of the events with paid sex workers while she and Combs were in a relationship from 2007 until 2018, often feeling like she didn't have a choice. She sued Combs in 2023, alleging years of abuse. He settled within hours, and dozens of similar lawsuits followed. Jane testified over six days that she was romantically involved with Combs from 2021 until his September arrest at a New York hotel, and that she, too, felt forced to have sex with the hired strangers in multiday sex marathons while Combs watched. The Associated Press doesn't generally identify people who say they are victims of sexual abuse unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has done. Testimony also included hours of text message exchanges, some of which involved Combs or other people in his orbit, that were read aloud by a Homeland Security Investigations agent. In all, 34 people took the stand, all of them called by the prosecution. Combs did not testify. How will jury deliberations work? Judge Arun Subramanian will give instructions to the jurors on Monday before sending them off to deliberate inside the Manhattan federal courthouse. The jury of 8 men and 4 women must unanimously decide guilty or not guilty on each count. That means all 12 jurors must agree. If jurors don't reach an agreement, they could come back and say they are deadlocked. Traditionally, the judge would then encourage them to continue deliberating, but if they can't reach a consensus, it would be up to the judge to decide whether to declare a mistrial.
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs's 'private sex life' turned into 'crime scene', defence says in closing argument
Sean "Diddy" Combs is facing a "fake trial" in which his unusual sexual preferences have been unfairly criminalised and his "private sex life" turned into a "crime scene", his defence team has argued in the final day of closing arguments. At the end of week seven in the sex-trafficking trial, Combs's lead counsel, Marc Agnifilo, told the court Combs was the victim of an overzealous prosecution, who had portrayed his "swinger" lifestyle as a racketeering conspiracy. Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking, and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has strenuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse. If found guilty, he could face being put behind bars for life. Frequently adopting a sarcastic tone, Agnifilo mocked the government's case against Combs, belittling the agents who seized hundreds of bottles of Astroglide lubricant and baby oil at his properties last year. Commenting that America's streets were now "safe from Astroglide", he went on, "Way to go, fellas", before adding, "you do you". He said prosecutors had "badly exaggerated" the evidence against Combs, presenting "threesomes as racketeering", arguing that he is not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The defence also highlighted the prosecution's decision to indict Combs on a racketeering conspiracy charge alone, flagging that no alleged co-conspirators have been indicted alongside him. The defence's closing arguments lasted for just over four hours, with members of Combs's family, including six of his children and his mother, watching on in the public gallery. Agnifilo said Combs has "taken care of people", including Jane, a former girlfriend who testified under a pseudonym, paying for her rent and for her legal representation. The defence lawyer said: "I don't know what Jane is doing today, but she's doing it in a house he's paying for." He went on: "This isn't about crime. It's about money. This is about money." Presenting the trial as a zero-sum game, he described his former girlfriend of almost 11 years Cassie Ventura as the "winner in this whole thing", noting that she settled her civil case with Combs for $20m (£14m) in November 2023, as well as a $10m (£7.3m) from the InterContinental Hotel. Cassie and Jane both gave evidence during the trial that they were coerced repeatedly by Combs to perform in drug-fuelled, days-long sex marathons with male sex workers, while Combs watched, directed, masturbated and sometimes filmed the encounters. But the defence accused prosecutors of having invaded Combs's bedroom and his most intimate personal affairs. Agnifilo asked: "Where's the crime scene? It's [Combs's] sex life." Continuing his line of sarcastic quips, he joked, "We need a bigger roll of crime scene tape", referencing a line from the classic movie Jaws. Agnifilio's sarcasm irked the prosecution, who later complained to the judge that he was using "improper arguments". The defence characterised Combs's relationship with Cassie as "a great modern love story", going on to describe her as a "gangster" for cheating on him with rapper Kid Cudi. They also characterised the "freak offs" as "beautiful", saying the videos showed "everyone smiling", eating and listening to music, and commenting that Combs was "not the only man in America making homemade porn". The defence admitted Combs was a domestic abuser, but said such behaviour did not justify the grave charges he faces. Agnifilo advised the jury to "Call this as you see it," asking them to "acquit Sean Combs of all the counts" and "return him to his family", who he said has been waiting for him. Combs, who has been in a New York jail since his arrest in September last year, did not give evidence during the trial. Following the defence's closing argument, assistant US attorney Maurene Comey delivered a rebuttal summation in which she said the defence's argument that Cassie, Jane and Mia, a former employee who also testified under a pseudonym, all "wanted sex" was a lie, telling the court none of the women had reason to speak anything other than the truth. She also said the "freak off" videos tell only "part of the story". Comey said Combs had spent the last 20 years believing himself to be "above the law", seeing himself as "untouchable" and "a god among men". She said his impunity would end now in this courtroom, before urging the jury to "find him guilty" and "hold him accountable". On Monday, the judge will read the law to the jury, after which deliberations will begin.
Yahoo
5 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
5 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
