NEW YORK — The cross-examination of the prosecution’s ultimate witness at Sean “Diddy” Combs ’ intercourse trafficking trial on Tuesday introduced the federal government near ending its over six-week-long presentation of proof in opposition to the hip-hop maven.
Protection lawyer Teny Geragos highlighted quite a few textual content messages Combs exchanged over the previous decade with two former girlfriends in a bid to point out that the ladies have been enthused about frequent multiday intercourse marathons that included male intercourse staff. She did so whereas questioning the ultimate witness: Joseph Cerciello, a Homeland Safety Investigations agent.
Prosecutors have cited the “freak offs” as proof of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy costs that resulted in Combs’ arrest final September.
Protection legal professionals, although, say they have been consensual sexual encounters according to the swingers life-style.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible and has remained incarcerated with out bail in a federal lockup in Brooklyn after a number of judges concluded final fall that he was a hazard to the neighborhood.
The federal government’s case has consisted of 34 witnesses, together with former workers of Combs’ Dangerous Boy Leisure corporations, however the bulk of its proof has come from the testimony of two former girlfriends: Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a mannequin and web persona identified to jurors solely by the pseudonym “Jane.”
Ventura, 38, testified for 4 days through the trial’s first week, saying she felt pressured to have interaction in lots of of “freak offs” as a result of the encounters would allow her to be intimate with Combs after performing sexually with male intercourse staff whereas he watched them slather each other with child oil and generally filmed the encounters.
Jane testified for six days concerning the sexual performances she labeled “resort nights,” saying that she was placing them into perspective after starting remedy three months in the past. She mentioned she felt coerced into participating in them as lately as final August, however did so as a result of she liked and nonetheless loves Combs.
Ventura was in a relationship with Combs from 2007 to 2018, whereas Jane was often with him from 2021 till his arrest, which canceled her plan to fulfill him on the New York resort the place he was taken into custody.
The Related Press doesn’t typically establish individuals who say they’re victims of sexual abuse except they arrive ahead publicly, as Cassie has carried out.
After prosecutors relaxation on Tuesday, a protection presentation is anticipated to be accomplished by the tip of the day with none witnesses.
All through the trial, protection legal professionals have made their case for exoneration by means of their questioning of witnesses, together with a number of who testified reluctantly or solely after they have been granted immunity from any crimes they could have dedicated.
Combs has been energetic in his protection, writing notes to his legal professionals and generally serving to them resolve when to cease questioning a witness.
He was admonished as soon as by the choose for nodding enthusiastically towards jurors throughout a profitable stretch of cross-examination by considered one of his legal professionals. Prosecutors complained that his gestures have been a type of testifying with out being topic to cross-examination. The choose warned that he may very well be excluded from his trial if it occurred once more.
Prior to now week, prosecutors and protection legal professionals have proven jurors over 40 minutes of recordings Combs manufactured from the “freak offs” or “resort nights.”
A number of jurors often appeared squeamish as they considered and listened to audio of the encounters, however most didn’t appear to react.
In her opening assertion, Geragos had referred to as the movies “highly effective proof that the sexual conduct on this case was consensual and never primarily based on coercion.”
Closing arguments have been tentatively scheduled for Thursday.
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