Protection rests in Sean “Diddy” Combs intercourse trafficking trial after calling no witnesses
The prosecution and protection rested their instances Tuesday in the intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The prosecution rested after calling greater than 30 witnesses, together with former workers and male escorts. Two former girlfriends, together with Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a girl utilizing the pseudonym “Jane” took the stand and instructed the jury they didn’t wish to take part in so-called “freak offs,” described as drug fueled sexual encounters with male escorts they stated Combs would direct.
Jurors noticed photos of weapons, medicine, child oil and different lubricant, and so they noticed a video of a 2016 Los Angeles resort incident throughout which Combs was seen attacking Ventura.
On cross-examination, the protection confirmed texts and different messages, arguing it confirmed the ladies had been keen contributors.
As quickly because the prosecution rested, Combs’ protection staff moved for acquittal, claiming the federal government failed to fulfill its burden in proving the costs. The choose stated he’d reserve judgment on the movement.
“You are doing a superb job,” Combs tells choose
Combs’ protection staff didn’t name any witnesses.
The choose requested Combs how he was doing, and Combs replied he was doing nice.
“You are doing a superb job,” Combs instructed the choose.
The choose then requested Combs about his choice to not testify.
“That’s my choice, your honor,” Combs stated Tuesday. “That’s solely my choice.”
Combs’ attorneys entered reveals, together with regulation enforcement notes of interviews, then rested.
“I do not see what the upside would have been for the protection to place him on the stand to try to quibble in regards to the technicalities of the claims towards him, after which he could be cross-examined for days about each dangerous factor he did,” stated legal professional Richard Schoenstein, who just isn’t concerned within the case.
Concerning the prices
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible to 5 counts and faces as much as life in jail if he is convicted.
The primary rely is racketeering conspiracy, which alleges combs “abused, threatened and coerced ladies and others round him to satisfy his sexual wishes, shield his repute, and conceal his conduct.” Prosecutors allege Combs relied on workers, assets and affect of his enterprise empire to create a prison enterprise that engaged in, or tried to have interaction in, “intercourse trafficking, compelled labor, interstate transportation for the needs of prostitution, coercion and enticement to have interaction in prostitution, narcotics offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.”
The opposite 4 counts are intercourse trafficking and transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
“I believe they’ve proved that prostitutes had been moved from one state to a different and that Diddy was concerned,” Schoenstein stated.
Schoenstein stated the opposite counts are extra debatable.
“Intercourse trafficking by drive, and that is going to be extra of an evaluation of what the relationships between Diddy and Cassie and what Diddy and Jane had been like and what the jury thinks of all that,” Schoenstein stated.
Closing arguments are set for Thursday at 9 a.m. Attorneys indicated that closing arguments could take all day Thursday and Friday, which means that deliberations could not start till Monday.
The trial is in its seventh week. A juror was dismissed because the prosecution neared the top of its case over questions on the place that juror really lived. And rapper Ye, previously often called Kanye West, stopped by the trial to look at the proceedings briefly at one level.
