NEW YORK (AP) — Jurors at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial were barely seated on the trial’s first day when they were shown a video of the hip-hop mogul viciously attacking his longtime girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie.
Over the next seven weeks, jurors heard from 34 witnesses. All were called to the stand by prosecutors, but each was questioned by defense lawyers as they tried to challenge the portrayal of Combs as an out-of-control, violent boss who drove his employees and associates to fear him as he demanded their help in carrying out vendettas, getting drugs and fulfilling his sexual fantasies.
After cross-examinations that often lasted longer than the questions posed by prosecutors, defense lawyers spent only a half hour more presenting evidence once prosecutors finished their side of the case. A relaxed and seemingly satisfied Combs himself confirmed he would not testify.
Now, jurors are set to hear closing arguments Thursday and Friday in the closing stages of a trial in which they have watched videos of drug-fueled “freak-offs” and “hotel nights” where Cassie and another ex-girlfriend, “Jane,” said Combs forced them to have sex with strangers as he watched.
They also have heard testimony from Cassie and Jane, from personal assistants who said they witnessed Combs’ violence and from other women who also accused him of abuse. They saw text and social media messages and travel records.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Here’s how the trial has played out so far:
Cassie: ‘I’m not a rag doll’
Cassie, whose real name is Casandra Ventura, dated Combs from 2007 to 2018 after he signed her to his Bad Boy Records label.
Over four days, she told jurors Combs beat her and ordered her to have “disgusting” sex with male sex workers during multi-day “freak-offs,” his term for sexual marathons. She also said Combs raped her after she said she was ending their relationship.
In 2016, security cameras captured Combs hitting, kicking and dragging Cassie as she left his room at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. The video was shown at the trial’s start. A hotel guard testified that Combs paid $100,000 to hide the video. It remained secret until CNN aired it in May 2024.
After the assault, Cassie texted Combs: “I’m not a rag doll. I’m somebody’s child.”
Cassie first detailed her allegations in a lawsuit against Combs in 2023. He settled the next day for $20 million.
Jane: ‘You beat the love out of us’
Jane, testifying under a pseudonym, dated Combs from 2021 until his arrest last September.
The model said she repeatedly told Combs she didn’t want to have sex with other men — pleading with him, “I’m not an animal. I need a break” — but that he kept pressuring her. She said she felt “obligated” in part because he paid her rent.
Jane said she tried to end the encounters, texting him in 2023: “Ever since I opened Pandora’s box, I haven’t been able to close it.” He responded: “Girl, stop.” Another time, she told him: “You beat the love out of us.”
Last year, Jane said, Combs put her in a chokehold, punched her in the face and forced her into an encounter with a sex worker. She said he told her: “You’re not going to ruin my night like this.”
Both women said Combs threatened to release their sex videos if they refused his demands.
Kid Cudi and others who say Combs wronged them
Rapper Kid Cudi testified that Combs broke into his home in late 2011 after learning he and Cassie were dating. His car was firebombed a few weeks later. Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, said he knew Combs “had something to do” with it, but Combs told him he wasn’t involved.
Ex-Combs employee Capricorn Clark said Combs came to her home waving a gun the day of the break-in and demanded she get dressed and go with him because “we’re going to kill Cudi.”
A former personal assistant testifying under the pseudonym “Mia” said Combs put his hand up her dress and forcibly kissed her at his 40th birthday party in 2009, forced her to perform oral sex on another occasion and raped her in 2010. His lawyers say the claims are false.
Cassie’s friend Bryana “Bana” Bongolan testified that Combs dangled her over the railing of Cassie’s 17th floor balcony and threw her onto patio furniture in September 2016, leaving her bruised and traumatized.
Baby oil, lubricant and AR-15s
Six of Combs’ former personal assistants testified.
George Kaplan said he’d toss out liquor bottles and drugs and clean up baby oil from Combs’ hotel rooms. He said he quit after seeing Combs fighting with Cassie but didn’t report it to authorities.
David James testified that Combs had him stock hotel rooms with baby oil, condoms, Viagra and other supplies. James said he saw Combs with three handguns on his lap as they drove to confront Combs’ record industry rival Suge Knight in 2008.
Brendan Paul said he bought drugs for Combs including cocaine, ketamine, ecstasy and marijuana.
Federal agents testified that they found “freak-off” supplies during raids last year on Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami-area homes and in the New York City hotel room where he was arrested. They said they also found AR-15 rifles, other guns and ammunition at Combs’ homes.
Playing defense with prosecution witnesses
Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking — one for Cassie, one for Jane — and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
His defense case lasted all of 30 minutes. Combs waived his right to testify, as defendants often do, and his lawyers didn’t call witnesses of their own. Instead, they sought to undercut the credibility of his accusers through cross-examination.
They seized on inconsistencies in witness accounts, highlighted accusers’ willingness to continue seeing him and warm messages they exchanged with him after alleged abuse. They also accused women of trying to cash in on “the #MeToo money grab against Sean Combs.”
Reluctant witnesses proved valuable to the defense
It wasn’t all bad for Combs. Jane acknowledged that despite everything she endured she still loves Combs. Other prosecution witnesses showered him with praise.
Kaplan said he still sends Combs birthday greetings and invited him to his wedding. Kaplan told jurors he was grateful to work for Combs and still has “a great deal of respect” for him.
Combs’ lawyers confronted celebrity stylist Deonte Nash with messages he sent expressing love for Combs. Some of them were from 2019 and 2020, two years after their professional relationship ended.
Missing pieces: Gina, KK and D-Roc
Originally, prosecutors built their case around four main witnesses: Cassie, Jane, Mia and Gina, a former Combs girlfriend who was referred to in his charging documents as “Victim-3.”
But Gina, who dated Combs from 2014 to 2019, was quietly dropped from the case and never testified. Still, she figured prominently in the trial.
Cassie noted she was really upset when she found out Combs was cheating with Gina. Kaplan said he once saw Combs hurling apples at Gina.
Others from Combs’ orbit who were mentioned but not seen in court included his former chief of staff, a bodyguard and other members of his security staff.
