Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has opted not to testify in his ongoing sex trafficking and racketeering trial, with his defence team presenting their case in under 30 minutes on Tuesday.
As per Rolling Stone, in a surprising move, the music mogul’s lawyers chose not to call any witnesses to the stand, instead reading aloud a series of text messages between Combs and his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura.
The brief defence presentation included messages that corresponded to specific periods in the couple’s decade-long relationship. In one message from late May 2017, Ventura wrote to Combs: “I think as long as we continue to communicate, we can keep it sexy and try new things because that trust will be there.” These messages appeared to show Ventura expressing love for the hip-hop mogul and enthusiasm about aspects of their sex life.
The 55-year-old Combs is facing up to life in prison if convicted on the five felony charges against him. He has pleaded not guilty to racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking of Ventura and another ex-girlfriend, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
When asked by US District Judge Arun Subramanian if it was his decision not to testify, Combs stood upright and complimented the judge on doing an “excellent job” overseeing the trial. In a somewhat husky voice, he confirmed that after careful consideration, he had decided not to testify in his own defence, stating: “That is solely my decision. It’s my decision, with my lawyers.”
Throughout the trial, Combs’ lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, had provided varying estimates on how long the defence’s case might take, initially suggesting it could span two weeks. More recently, he estimated needing between two and five days before ultimately revealing on Monday that the defence wouldn’t call any witnesses at all.
Now in its seventh week, the trial is approaching the July 4th holiday weekend, with Judge Subramanian previously informing jurors that he expected they would complete their service by then. Closing statements are set for Thursday, with the case expected to be in the hands of the jury by Monday.
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Combs appeared to be in good spirits as the prosecution concluded its case. During the cross-examination of the prosecution’s final witness, he was seen laughing with his attorneys, and at the end of Tuesday’s proceedings, a smiling Combs hugged his legal team.
Since Combs’ September arrest, his lawyers have argued that the charges, which span nearly 20 years, represent an unjust prosecutorial overreach. They’ve accused the government of inappropriately interfering in Combs’ personal life and passing judgment on his private sexual activity.
In her opening statement last month, defence attorney Teny Geragos claimed that the two women at the heart of the sex trafficking charges, Ventura and a woman using the pseudonym “Jane,” were not victims but “independent, capable adults who made their own decisions.” While acknowledging that Combs might have been a “jerk” and a controlling, jealous boyfriend who admitted to at least one instance of brutal violence, she emphasised: “Domestic violence is not sex trafficking.”
Throughout the trial, Combs’ attorneys have suggested that several of the government’s witnesses stood to gain something from their relationships with the music mogul, either romantically or professionally. They claimed that Ventura’s romance with the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment helped solidify her celebrity status and bolster her music career, despite her testimony that Combs effectively kept her music hostage, only releasing one album of a 10-album deal.
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