Whereas Wednesday’s proceedings within the Sean “Diddy” Combs intercourse trafficking trial have been sidetracked by a request to get a mistrial declared — a request the decide rapidly shot down — there was nonetheless loads that the jury heard from witnesses in regards to the leisure mogul’s alleged abuse.
There was additionally skilled testimony from a fireplace investigator who make clear the alleged firebombing of Child Cudi’s Porsche.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible to expenses that he led a racketeering conspiracy for 20 years that relied on concern and violence to get what he needed. If convicted, he might face 15 years to life in jail.
Here is what the jury heard from each witnesses on the stand, and what will be anticipated Thursday:
Who testified on Wednesday?
Los Angeles hearth investigator
Arson Investigator Lance Jimenez, of the Los Angeles Fireplace Division, answered questions because the jury examined further images of Child Cudi’s automobile. These images confirmed a pink lighter, glass bottle and fabric — parts for a Molotov cocktail.
“In my opinion it was targeted, from where the car was located,” Jimenez testified.
The incident occurred in 2012 across the time Cudi and Cassie Ventura have been courting — and when Diddy came upon about it. The automobile with the sliced roof, charred particles and torched seating was in Cudi’s driveway.
The month earlier than the alleged firebombing, in accordance with Cudi, somebody broke into his residence. When he was on the stand, Cudi mentioned it was Combs. The jury heard afterwards that Cudi had fingerprints lifted from a glass door, and investigators deliberate to check them to some on the arson scene, however they couldn’t.
That is as a result of they have been destroyed, after it was ordered by somebody from the LAPD.
The decide then instructed jurors to ignore testimony about fingerprint information that ended up being destroyed months after the fireplace.
Combs’ attorneys moved for a mistrial after Jimenez, prompted by prosecution questioning, testified that fingerprints taken from Cudi’s automobile have been destroyed in Aug. 2012, about eight months after the fireplace. Jimenez mentioned somebody on the Los Angeles Police Division who wasn’t concerned within the investigation ordered the fingerprint playing cards destroyed. He mentioned this wasn’t regular protocol.
Combs’ lawyer Alexandra Shapiro accused the federal government of prosecutorial misconduct for even broaching the concept that one thing untoward occurred with the fingerprint playing cards. She mentioned prosecutors ought to’ve identified higher as a result of some potential jurors have been eradicated from consideration for the trial after they mentioned they believed Combs might purchase his means out of hassle.
“These questions were designed to play right into that,” Shapiro mentioned.
Assistant U.S. Legal professional Christy Slavik countered that “a mistrial is totally unwarranted right here,” telling the decide that she solely requested Jimenez in regards to the destiny of the fingerprint playing cards to counter protection ideas that the firebombing was poorly investigated and that the world was not canvassed for fingerprints.
No arrests have been made on account of Jimenez’s investigation, however federal prosecutors contend Combs was answerable for the fireplace and have included the episode as considered one of a number of acts of alleged wrongdoing supporting the racketeering cost in opposition to him.
Superstar stylist
After the arson investigator, a superstar stylist, Donate Nash, took the stand. He mentioned Combs attacked him a number of instances and he witnessed Combs hit, kick and drag Cassie, leaving her with black eyes and bruises. He additionally mentioned Combs typically threatened her.
“That he would beat her a–, that he wouldn’t put out her music, that he’d get her parents fired, put out the sex tapes,” Nash mentioned.
He additionally testified, Cassie instructed him greater than as soon as, she did not need to take part within the “freak offs,” however did it due to Combs.
Nash testified that the 2015 dialog was considered one of a number of instances Cassie, whose actual title is Casandra Ventura, confided to him that she did not need to interact in Combs’ drug-fueled resort encounters.
Nash mentioned he stays shut with Cassie, even advising her on her trial wardrobe. He mentioned he contacted her Tuesday to congratulate her on the delivery of her third youngster.
The stylist mentioned he was at Cassie’s condominium, serving to her pack for a music competition, when Combs stormed in, grabbed her by the hair, pulled her off a sofa and hit her repeatedly. Nash mentioned he jumped on Combs’ again in an try and get him to cease, however Combs bucked and threw him to the bottom.
Combs resumed whaling on Cassie, who’d fled to a bed room with Nash and one other good friend, knocking her head into the sting of the mattress body and inflicting a big, bloody gash above her eye, the witness mentioned.
“Look what y’all made me do,” Combs mentioned, in accordance with Nash.
When he was pressed as to why he did not go to the police after his experiences, Nash attributed it to “fear…retaliation from Puff,” referring to Combs.
Nash additionally testified about hiding with Cassie in inns to attempt to get away from Combs. He recalled one time the place Cassie although about leaping from a balcony to get away from the leisure mogul, however finally didn’t do it.
Who will likely be testifying subsequent?
Nash will proceed his testimony on Thursday. After he wraps his time on the witness stand, Sufferer 4 — who has been given the pseudonym Mia — is anticipated to testify Thursday as properly. Her testimony is anticipated to proceed till court docket ends for the week on Friday afternoon.
Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister of The Related Press contributed to this report.
