Numerous witnesses have taken to the stand within the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who’s dealing with allegations of racketeering and intercourse trafficking throughout his time as head of an leisure empire.
Testimony within the trial started on Monday after the ultimate section of jury choice and opening assertion from attorneys. Combs, donning a light-grey sweater, gave a thumbs-up to supporters within the courtroom in New York Metropolis in america.
“For 20 years, the defendant, with the assistance of his trusted inside circle, dedicated crime after crime,” Assistant US Lawyer Emily Johnson instructed the courtroom. “That’s why we’re right here as we speak. That’s what this case is about.”
Numerous witnesses testified that that they had skilled bodily violence, intimidation, and manipulation by Combs, whereas the rapper’s attorneys mentioned that he has been charged with the flawed classes of crimes and “his kinky intercourse and his preferences for intercourse” had been being portrayed as nefarious.
Lawyer Teny Geragos instructed jurors that they could find yourself pondering Combs was a “jerk” or “sort of imply”, however that he’s not being charged “with being imply or a jerk”.
“This case is about voluntary decisions made by succesful adults in consensual relationships,” Geragos mentioned throughout her opening assertion.
Johnson, the US legal professional, mentioned that Combs “viciously attacked” ladies who refused to take part within the events that had been referred to as “freak offs”.
“They may let you know about a number of the most painful experiences of their lives. The times they spent in lodge rooms, excessive on medication, wearing costumes to carry out the defendant’s sexual fantasies,” Johnson instructed jurors of testimony from victims within the case.
‘She was shaking’
The courtroom turned audibly silent as a video of Combs beating and kicking his former girlfriend Casandra Ventura in 2016 was proven.
A stripper named Daniel Phillip testified that Combs had thrown a liquor bottle in direction of Ventura earlier than grabbing her by the hair and dragging her screaming into one other room, the place Phillip says he heard Combs yelling and beating Ventura.
“She actually jumped into my lap and she or he was shaking, like actually her entire complete physique was shaking. She was terrified,” Phillip testified of Ventura.
Geragos conceded that Combs is susceptible to jealousy and had dedicated an act of “horrible, dehumanising violence” within the video proven to jurors, however that it was proof of home abuse, not alleged acts of intercourse trafficking or racketeering which might be on the centre of the case.
Prosecutors say that Combs, who faces a compulsory minimal sentence of 15 years in jail if convicted of all 5 felony counts to which he had pleaded not responsible, pushed ladies to have interaction in drug-fuelled events after which blackmailed them with movies of their encounters.
Combs’s standing as a high-profile entertainer has introduced substantial consideration to the trial, in addition to bigger debate about how highly effective figures in sectors corresponding to leisure, enterprise, sports activities, and politics typically evade accountability for acts of abuse.
Because the case started, the jury and alternates – 12 males and 6 ladies – had been seated within the courtroom. Opening arguments began after the decide completed explaining the regulation because it pertains to this trial, together with incidentals corresponding to {that a} gentle breakfast will likely be supplied to the jury along with lunch.
The jury for this case is basically nameless, which means their identities are identified to the courtroom and the prosecution and defence, however is not going to be made public.
“We’ll hold your names and identities in confidence,” Subramanian instructed jurors.
It’s a typical observe in federal circumstances to maintain juries nameless, significantly in delicate, high-profile issues the place juror security generally is a concern. Juror names additionally had been stored from the general public in US President Donald Trump’s legal trial final 12 months in state courtroom in New York.
Subramanian urged jurors to guage the case solely primarily based on the proof offered in courtroom. It’s an ordinary instruction, nevertheless it carried added significance on this high-profile case, which has been the topic of intense media protection.
“Something you’ve seen or heard outdoors the courtroom will not be proof,” the decide mentioned. “It have to be disregarded.”