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| Judge denies Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs lawyers’ bid for mistrial | Judge denies Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs lawyers’ bid for mistrial |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Defense lawyers argued prosecutors had improperly suggested Combs was involved in destruction of evidence | Defense lawyers argued prosecutors had improperly suggested Combs was involved in destruction of evidence |
| Sean “Diddy” Combs’s lawyers on Wednesday morning called for a mistrial in the hip-hop mogul’s federal sex-trafficking trial, alleging misconduct by prosecutors in the case – but their request was quickly denied by the judge. | Sean “Diddy” Combs’s lawyers on Wednesday morning called for a mistrial in the hip-hop mogul’s federal sex-trafficking trial, alleging misconduct by prosecutors in the case – but their request was quickly denied by the judge. |
| Defense lawyers moved to have the case declared a mistrial by arguing that prosecutors had improperly suggested and implied through questioning that Combs was involved in the destruction of evidence tied to the investigation into rapper Scott Mescudi’s (also known as Kid Cudi) car being firebombed. | Defense lawyers moved to have the case declared a mistrial by arguing that prosecutors had improperly suggested and implied through questioning that Combs was involved in the destruction of evidence tied to the investigation into rapper Scott Mescudi’s (also known as Kid Cudi) car being firebombed. |
| Judge Arun Subramanian quickly denied the motion for a mistrial. “There was absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape or form,” he said. | |
| Although such mistrial requests are common during lengthy federal trials involving hundreds of pieces of evidence and dozens of witnesses, this was the first request at Combs’s trial. | |
| The abrupt development came shortly after testimony had resumed in court in New York, with prosecutors planning to call several witnesses to the stand, including an alleged victim identified by the pseudonym “Mia”. | The abrupt development came shortly after testimony had resumed in court in New York, with prosecutors planning to call several witnesses to the stand, including an alleged victim identified by the pseudonym “Mia”. |
| Mia has been described as one of Combs’s former employees, who prosecutors say will testify that Combs “forced himself on her sexually” while she was working for him. | Mia has been described as one of Combs’s former employees, who prosecutors say will testify that Combs “forced himself on her sexually” while she was working for him. |
| The government’s first witness on Wednesday was Los Angeles police officer Christopher Ignacio, who responded to Mescudi’s call on 22 December 2011, the day Mescudi alleged Combs broke into his home after discovering that Mescudi had been dating Combs’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. | The government’s first witness on Wednesday was Los Angeles police officer Christopher Ignacio, who responded to Mescudi’s call on 22 December 2011, the day Mescudi alleged Combs broke into his home after discovering that Mescudi had been dating Combs’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. |
| Ignacio said he and his partner responded to a radio call for a possible burglary at Mescudi’s home around 8.20am that morning. When they arrived, Ignacio said that he noticed a black Cadillac Escalade in front of the house that sped off as their patrol car pulled up. | Ignacio said he and his partner responded to a radio call for a possible burglary at Mescudi’s home around 8.20am that morning. When they arrived, Ignacio said that he noticed a black Cadillac Escalade in front of the house that sped off as their patrol car pulled up. |
| Ignacio told the court that he noted the license plate, later when he ran the plate, he found that the car was registered to Bad Boy Productions Inc, one of Combs’s companies. | Ignacio told the court that he noted the license plate, later when he ran the plate, he found that the car was registered to Bad Boy Productions Inc, one of Combs’s companies. |
| Ignacio testified that the front door was unlocked and nothing was reported stolen. Mescudi later arrived at the house and filed a trespassing report, Ignacio said. Under cross-examination, Ignacio agreed with Combs’s attorney that the incident amounted to trespassing, not burglary. | Ignacio testified that the front door was unlocked and nothing was reported stolen. Mescudi later arrived at the house and filed a trespassing report, Ignacio said. Under cross-examination, Ignacio agreed with Combs’s attorney that the incident amounted to trespassing, not burglary. |
| Last week, Mescudi testified that a few weeks later, his car was firebombed with a molotov cocktail. He said he suspected Combs was involved. | Last week, Mescudi testified that a few weeks later, his car was firebombed with a molotov cocktail. He said he suspected Combs was involved. |
| After Ignacio’s testimony Wednesday morning, the prosecution called up Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator with the Los Angeles fire department who responded to Mescudi’s home in January 2012 to investigate the fire set to Mescudi’s Porsche. | After Ignacio’s testimony Wednesday morning, the prosecution called up Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator with the Los Angeles fire department who responded to Mescudi’s home in January 2012 to investigate the fire set to Mescudi’s Porsche. |
| Jimenez said that the Porsche had a cut canvas roof, burn patterns throughout the interior, and that he saw a bottle and a burned “designer” handkerchief inside the car. | Jimenez said that the Porsche had a cut canvas roof, burn patterns throughout the interior, and that he saw a bottle and a burned “designer” handkerchief inside the car. |
| The damage was “severe” Jimenez said, but told the court that it was less extensive than it could have been as the molotov cocktail didn’t shatter as the cloth fell out. | The damage was “severe” Jimenez said, but told the court that it was less extensive than it could have been as the molotov cocktail didn’t shatter as the cloth fell out. |
| Jimenez described the fire set inside Mescudi’s car as a “targeted” crime. | Jimenez described the fire set inside Mescudi’s car as a “targeted” crime. |
| Arson is one of the acts listed in the racketeering conspiracy allegations against Combs. | Arson is one of the acts listed in the racketeering conspiracy allegations against Combs. |
| Combs, 55, faces federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Arrested in September 2024, Combs has pleaded not guilty to all five counts. | Combs, 55, faces federal charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. Arrested in September 2024, Combs has pleaded not guilty to all five counts. |
| Earlier this week, one of Combs’s former employees, Capricorn Clark, gave a full day of testimony, telling jurors that in 2011 Combs kidnapped her and forced her to accompany him to Mescudi’s home the morning of the alleged break-in in December 2011. According to Clark, Combs said that he was going “to kill” Mescudi. | Earlier this week, one of Combs’s former employees, Capricorn Clark, gave a full day of testimony, telling jurors that in 2011 Combs kidnapped her and forced her to accompany him to Mescudi’s home the morning of the alleged break-in in December 2011. According to Clark, Combs said that he was going “to kill” Mescudi. |
| Clark told the court that Combs, accompanied by one of his security guards, entered Mescudi’s home with a gun, while she remained in the car. | Clark told the court that Combs, accompanied by one of his security guards, entered Mescudi’s home with a gun, while she remained in the car. |
| Clark also testified that she witnessed Combs violently assault Ventura upon learning of her brief relationship with Mescudi. | Clark also testified that she witnessed Combs violently assault Ventura upon learning of her brief relationship with Mescudi. |
| During her time working for Combs, Clark said that Combs repeatedly threatened her life, subjected her to lie detector tests, and once pushed her in 2006 at his Miami home, among other things. | During her time working for Combs, Clark said that Combs repeatedly threatened her life, subjected her to lie detector tests, and once pushed her in 2006 at his Miami home, among other things. |
| Since the trial began on 12 May, more than 15 witnesses have testified, including Ventura, Mescudi, singer Dawn Richard, two of Combs’s former assistants, Ventura’s former best friend and her mother, an exotic dancer, a male revue manager, a hotel security officer, a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a forensic psychologist, a makeup artist, the general manager of a Beverly Hills hotel and a computer forensics agent from HSI. | Since the trial began on 12 May, more than 15 witnesses have testified, including Ventura, Mescudi, singer Dawn Richard, two of Combs’s former assistants, Ventura’s former best friend and her mother, an exotic dancer, a male revue manager, a hotel security officer, a special agent from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a forensic psychologist, a makeup artist, the general manager of a Beverly Hills hotel and a computer forensics agent from HSI. |
| The trial is expected to continue for about six more weeks. If convicted on all counts, Combs could face up to life in prison. | The trial is expected to continue for about six more weeks. If convicted on all counts, Combs could face up to life in prison. |
| Reuters contributed reporting | |
| Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html | Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organizations. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html |