Sean “Diddy” Combs case is heading to jury deliberation this week, with both prosecution and defence expected to rest their cases as early as Tuesday following six weeks of testimony and more than 30 witnesses.
As per Rolling Stone, prosecutors plan to conclude their case after Homeland Security Special Agent Joseph Cerciello completes his testimony. Combs’ legal team, led by Marc Agnifilo, has indicated they may rest their case without calling any witnesses, instead relying on their cross-examinations of government witnesses to build their defence.
Closing arguments are scheduled to begin Thursday, with each side expected to present for four hours. Jurors will likely start deliberations on Friday, with a verdict anticipated before the 4th of July holiday.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to five felony charges including racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors have accused him of using his billion-dollar empire as a criminal enterprise.
The prosecution’s case against Combs centres on allegations that he sex trafficked his ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and another woman identified as “Jane.” Extensive evidence presented includes photos, text messages, bank statements, hotel records, and travel itineraries, which prosecutors used to identify more than a dozen instances where Combs allegedly paid for male escorts to fly cross-country between 2009 and 2024.
Last Friday, prosecutors shared new text exchanges between Combs and Ventura that were included in a summary chart compiling numerous alleged “freak-offs” – sexual encounters that prosecutors claim Ventura was coerced into through physical force and manipulation.
In one particularly explicit message, Combs wrote to Ventura: “You really think you can have me jerk my dick for ten hours and not come… Your [sic] nuts. One minute you down asking about shit. Then the next minute you acting like you doing something you don’t want to. Make up your minds. I’m trying to figure out how I get this nut out my dick.”
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The trial also featured testimony from Brendan Paul, a recent former employee of Combs who has been described as his alleged drug “mule” in various civil lawsuits. The 26-year-old was arrested for cocaine possession during the March 2024 raids on Combs’ homes. When asked by defence attorney Brian Steel if he agreed with the “mule” description, Paul laughed and responded, “Absolutely not.”
Combs’ attorneys have consistently argued that he never coerced his accusers and that the women participated in these sexual encounters voluntarily. By not calling witnesses, the defence appears to be betting that their cross-examinations have sufficiently challenged the prosecution’s narrative.
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