Tuesday introduced one other day of gripping testimony within the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs intercourse trafficking trial, with only one particular person taking the stand — however offering loads of surprising particulars.
Capricorn Clark, a former assistant to Combs, mentioned throughout an emotional day of testifying that the once-powerful leisure mogul mentioned he wished to kill rapper Child Cudi as a part of a jealous rage over ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
Check out what Clark mentioned, and what could possibly be coming because the week continues.
Who testified within the Combs trial on Tuesday?
One other one in all Combs’ former high staff took the witness stand, one of many many staff who helped Combs run his empire.
Prosecutors known as Clark, the previous world model director for Combs’ Unhealthy Boy Leisure, to assist a cost that he led a two-decade racketeering conspiracy that relied on beefy bodyguards, demise threats and the silence of frightened workers to make sure he received what he wished.
Clark sobbed as she mentioned Combs demanded excellence and the threats of violence began her first day on the job.
“He told me he didn’t know I had anything to do with Suge Knight and if anything was to happen he would have to kill me,” Clark testified.
As Clark testified, Combs watched from the protection desk he had been leaning on.
She additionally broke down emotionally whereas discussing taking lie detector exams after somebody stole diamonds that had belonged to Combs. Clark, who had been on the job for only a few weeks at that time, mentioned she endured 5 days of grueling testing. The examiner, a person who appeared 5 instances bigger than her, allegedly instructed her “if you fail this test, they are going to throw you in the East River.”
By way of extra tears, Clark additionally addressed the day she mentioned Combs pressured her to get off the bed at gunpoint after he had discovered in regards to the relationship between Cassie and Child Cudi.
“He said, ‘Get dressed, we’re going to go kill this [expletive],” she testified.
Her voice shaky, Clark recounted how they rode in a black Cadillac Escalade to Cudi’s Los Angeles house, the place Combs and his bodyguard entered the residence whereas Clark sat within the SUV and known as Cassie.
Clark testified she instructed Cassie that Combs “got me with a gun and brought me to Cudi’s house to kill him.”
Clark mentioned she heard Cudi within the background asking, “He’s in my house?” She mentioned she instructed Cassie, “Stop him, he’s going to get himself killed.” Cassie instructed her she couldn’t cease Cudi, she recalled.
Combs returned to the Escalade and requested Clark who she was speaking to, she mentioned, then grabbed the telephone and known as Cassie again.
They subsequent heard Cudi driving up the highway, Clark mentioned. Combs and his bodyguard received again within the SUV and chased after Cudi, lastly giving up once they handed police automobiles that have been heading to Cudi’s home.
After the break-in, Clark mentioned, Combs instructed her she needed to persuade Cudi “it wasn’t me.”
“If you don’t convince him of that I’ll kill all you,” he mentioned, punctuating his risk with an expletive, Clark mentioned.
Clark mentioned she and Cassie then went to Cudi’s house, telling jurors: “We wanted to speak to him. We wanted to verify he wasn’t going to make a police report about Puff.”
After that, she mentioned, she watched in shock as Combs viciously assaulted Cassie over her relationship with Cudi. Combs kicked Cassie with “100% full force” to the legs and again as she curled on the bottom exterior his house in a fetal place and wept silently, Clark mentioned.
Clark mentioned her “heart was breaking from seeing her get hit like that” and that neither she nor Combs’ bodyguard intervened. The reply prompted an objection from Combs’ attorneys, and Choose Arun Subramanian instructed jurors to ignore it.
Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo questioned Clark’s recollection, main her to rethink sure particulars. She admitted some haziness about occasions that occurred “such a very long time in the past.”
Final yr, after federal brokers raided Combs’ properties, she instructed returning to his employment as his chief of workers. Combs rejected the supply, Agnifilo mentioned.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible to an indictment alleging he abused his longtime girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, and others. If convicted, he may face 15 years to life in jail.
Who will testify on Wednesday?
The testimony on Wednesday will begin with LAPD Officer Chirstopher Ignacio, then flip to LAFD Arson Investigator Lance Jiminez. The ultimate witnesses are anticipated to be Deonte Nash and an alleged sufferer named Mia.
Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister of the Related Press contributed to this report.
