NEW YORK (AP) — A few of Sean “Diddy” Combs ’ ex-employees took a central function within the third week of his intercourse trafficking trial, together with private assistants who testified that the hip-hop mogul was capricious, controlling and violent.
The week started with Capricorn Clark, a private assistant who was later a worldwide model director for Combs’ firm. She recalled witnessing Combs beating his longtime girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, and stated he raged about desirous to kill rapper and romantic rival Child Cudi.
It ended with one other ex-assistant, testifying beneath the pseudonym “Mia,” who alleges Combs raped her throughout a torturous eight-year tenure working for the rap star. She is the second of three girls anticipated to testify that he sexually assaulted them. Combs has pleaded not responsible.
The trial resumes Monday in federal court docket in Manhattan.
Listed here are key moments from Week 3:
Ex-Combs aide says worry stopped her from calling police
Former staff of Combs’ Unhealthy Boy Leisure described repeatedly witnessing him beat Cassie, whose actual identify is Casandra Ventura, however stated they didn’t report the abuse to regulation enforcement as a result of they feared Combs would hurt them.
Clark testified that the day she began as Combs’ private assistant in 2004, he threatened he would kill her if her earlier work for rival rappers interfered together with her work for him.
Then, she testified, she watched in shock as Combs viciously assaulted Cassie, his on-again, off-again girlfriend for greater than a decade, in 2011 after studying she was courting Cudi. Clark stated her “coronary heart was breaking from seeing her get hit like that,” and neither she nor Combs’ bodyguard intervened.
She stated she known as Cassie’s mom and informed her: “Please assist her. I can’t name the police, however you’ll be able to.”
Weeks later, Clark stated, she reported what occurred to Cassie to the president of Unhealthy Boy Information.
She additionally testified about her personal run-ins with Combs, telling jurors that he kidnapped her at gunpoint and took her to Cudi’s home as he fumed that he was going to kill the rapper. Cudi testified that he believed Cassie and Combs had damaged up. He stated his relationship with Cassie solely lasted a number of weeks.
Clark stated she stayed in Combs’ SUV whereas he broke into the house. She stated she was fired weeks later for what she contends was a trumped-up cause.
Cassie delivers her third youngster after testifying for 4 days
One of many week’s greatest developments got here outdoors the courtroom. Cassie, 38, delivered her third youngster lower than two weeks after testifying for 4 days because the prosecution’s prize witness.
The information of her son’s delivery Tuesday reached the jury the following day when Cassie’s longtime stylist, Deonte Nash, testified that he was nonetheless near Cassie and had despatched her nicely needs after the delivery.
Cassie, identified for the platinum-selling 2006 hit single “Me & U,” married private coach Alex Positive in September 2019 — a few 12 months after breaking apart with Combs for good. Their first daughter, Frankie Stone Positive, was born in 2019. They welcomed a second daughter, Sunny Cinco Positive, in 2021.
Assaults on Child Cudi’s property put regulation enforcement on the stand
Jurors heard from a Los Angeles police officer who responded to the December 2011 break-in at Cudi’s residence and an arson investigator who spoke about his efforts to unravel the firebombing of Cudi’s Porsche 911 weeks later.
Officer Chris Ignacio stated he discovered Christmas presents, some opened, with luxurious watches and purses. Cudi has testified that his canine was traumatized after being locked in a rest room by intruders.
Ignacio stated he noticed a automotive with tinted home windows registered to Unhealthy Boy outdoors the home however didn’t strategy it as a result of he had no proof a criminal offense had occurred.
Prosecutors try to show that Combs was behind the break-in and the next firebombing, which concerned a Molotov cocktail dropped via a gap sliced within the convertible’s material roof.
Lance Jimenez, a Los Angeles Fireplace Division arson investigator, stated the explosive was comprised of a 40-ounce Olde English 800 malt liquor bottle and a silky designer handkerchief.
“I personally felt it was focused,” he stated of the Jan. 9, 2012, assault.
A stylist delivers solutions from the witness stand like no one else
Movie star stylist Deonte Nash was a witness like no different, including aptitude and humor inside seconds of taking the stand on Wednesday. Requested if he wished to testify, he declared: “Completely not!”
Nash stated he knew Combs as “Puff” and Cassie as “Cass.” He stated he responded to a Craigslist advert and began working at Unhealthy Boy Leisure as an intern after which a stylist from 2008 to 2018.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey put an image of Nash in entrance of him and requested, “Is it a glamour shot of you?”
“Sure. I look wonderful,” Nash responded, drawing laughs.
Requested what he had heard Combs name Cassie over time, Nash answered “Um, Child Woman, CC, Cass” after which listed quite a lot of slurs in opposition to girls. Requested how usually Combs used one specific slur, Nash stated: “Um, fairly a bit. That was his fave.”
Nash later testified that Cassie had confided in him that she didn’t at all times need to associate with Combs’ calls for that she have intercourse with different males throughout his drug-fueled “freak-off” marathons.
A second girl testifies she was raped by Combs
Mia testified that Combs sexually assaulted her on a number of events: forcibly kissing her and placing his hand up her gown at his fortieth party, forcing her to carry out oral intercourse as they packed for a visit, and raping her after he climbed into her mattress at his Los Angeles residence.
Mia stated she thought her sexual abuse was sporadic sufficient that every time it occurred, she thought it could by no means occur once more. She stated she placed on a courageous face and continued to work for Combs, partially as a result of she felt disgrace, blamed herself and feared what would occur if she reported him to authorities.
Cassie testified beforehand that Combs raped her after she broke up with him in 2018.
Mia stated she witnessed Combs bodily attacking Cassie “on a regular basis” at his homes, her residences, lodges, occasions and whereas touring. She stated Combs additionally turned his wrath on her, throwing her right into a swimming pool, dumping a bucket of ice on her and hurling a bowl of spaghetti in her route.
As prosecution’s case shrinks, protection’s might broaden
Prosecutors insisted all week that they’re forward of schedule in presenting their case and stated they may very well be executed calling witnesses by mid-June.
However Combs lawyer Marc Agnifilo stated the protection’s presentation would possibly take longer than anticipated — notably after prosecutors revealed they had been making “pretty substantial modifications” to their plan.
“It might be that due to witnesses the federal government shouldn’t be calling, we’d have extra on the protection case,” he stated.
In consequence, he added, the trial would possibly run to the beginning of July.
