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Michael R. Sisak/AP
This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.
This is week five of testimony in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
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Sean Combs trial reaches an end with mixed verdict
The highly anticipated trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached an end.
The jury found Sean Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious charge.
The jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura) and guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane").
He was found not guilty of both charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion in connection with Ventura and "Jane."
Combs was accused of being the ringleader of an alleged enterprise that "abused, threatened and coerced women" into prolonged, drug-fueled sexual orgies with male prostitutes, which he called "freak-offs," and then threatened them into silence. Combs has said that all of the sex was consensual and that while his relationships sometimes involved domestic violence, he wasn't engaged in trafficking.
Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said Combs was simply part of the swinger lifestyle and that he "vehemently denies the accusations made by the SDNY."
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'Jane' tells court Combs used 'love bombing' in order to force her into 'hotel nights'
The former Sean Combs girlfriend testifying under the pseudonym "Jane" told the court that there was a pattern to Combs’ behavior when he allegedly wanted to watch her have sex with other men, but she resisted.
“I would say that whenever he wanted me or wanted one of these nights, the love bombing and persistency would start,” "Jane" testified.
The jury saw a text message from Combs to Jane. “I want to see you. We don’t have to have sex,” the message said.
“You take the love out of us. You make it crystal clear exactly what you want me for,” "Jane" replied in a text message that was shown to the court. “You’re going to spend the day what love bombing me so you can get what you want. It’s not genuine. I’ve hit a mental and spiritual wall."
"Jane" followed up by texting, “I’m not trying to f--- strangers to fulfill your fetishes.”
Combs responded, “You got it all wrong.”
"Jane" wrote back, “You talk to me and treat me like a piece of animal anyone can f--- on.”
Combs replied, “You’re crazy.”
Prosecutor Maurene Comey asked Jane, “Had Sean called you crazy before?”
"Jane" testified that he had, “very often.”
Combs persisted over text. “When do I talk to you, crazy?” his message said.
"Jane" texted in reply, “You want to have me [perform oral sex] so you can jet off to an island with Gina or Yung,” apparently referring to Combs’ girlfriends Gina Huynh and Yung Miami. “Have me to do the dirty s--- in a hotel room.”
The jury saw a screenshot Combs sent to "Jane" hours later of a conversation between him and his doctor saying he needed surgery. The image was accompanied by a text from Combs that read, “I’m so stressed. Too much going on. On top of that I’m horny as f---. F---. SMH.”
"Jane" testified that she ended up in a hotel room having sex with three different male escorts.
“Who was the first entertainer?” Comey asked.
“Rico or Michael, whatever his name is,” "Jane" testified.
“Who was the second?” Comey asked.
“Paul,” "Jane" testified.
“Who was the third?” Comey asked.
“Anton,” "Jane" told the court.
In between the alleged sexual encounters with Paul and Anton, "Jane" testified that she vomited.
“I just remember Sean coming in the bathroom and I told him I had just thrown up and he just said, ‘Good, you’ll feel better now and let’s go outside,’” "Jane" testified.
"Jane" then had sex with Anton a second time, according to her testimony.
“At the end of that night how did you feel?” Comey asked.
“Absolutely terrible,” "Jane" testified in response.
After that night, "Jane" testified that she sent Combs a message asking for money to finish furnishing her home. She told the court that she had gone into debt buying furniture and testified that Combs had offered her “anything you need” during the "hotel night."
The jury heard Combs’ response in a voice note, which said in part, “I’m telling you leave me the f--- alone.”
The jury saw a later text in which Jane wrote, “Threatening me with the roof over my head ever since I f------ got here.”
Court adjourned for the week
Court was just adjourned for the week without addressing the "sensitive matter" discussed in a closed courtroom.
The judge also said nothing further about juror #6.
The parties spent the last hour discussing evidence outside the presence of the jury.
Federal prosecutors said they expect to rest no later than Friday of next week and as soon as Wednesday.
The next two witnesses are summary witnesses, followed by Combs' former assistant, Brendan Paul, and another summary witness. The last witness for the prosecution will be a law enforcement agent
The defense said it would take the weekend to think about the substance and duration of its case.
Juror 6 dismissed over 'inconsistencies' about where he lived: Judge
At the conclusion of court on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed juror #6 over "inconsistencies" in statements he made about where he lived, and he said they raised questions of candor and ability to follow instructions.
In an "offhand" remark to court staff, the juror mentioned he had moved in with his girlfriend in New Jersey and had been living there most of the time.
When questioned by the court, "the juror said actually he was spending four to five nights in his New York apartment," Subramanian said. In follow up questions, the juror said he moved to where his daughter lives, with his girlfriend in New Jersey.
During jury selection, "this juror had answered, in response to the simple and straightforward questions, ‘Where do you live and who do you live with,’ Bronx, with his fiancé and daughter," Subramanian said.
The judge said it raised concerns about the juror’s basic qualifications, the juror’s candor and whether he made a deliberate attempt to get himself onto the jury.
"The changing answers and inconsistency give the court worry about deception and lying, which further implicate the veracity of other answers, including to questions that go to the heart of the case," Subramanian said. "Removal of the juror is required in this court’s view."
Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson lamented the dismissal of a Black juror because he said there are not enough Black and Hispanic individuals serving on juries.
Three separate defense attorneys stood to object to the juror’s removal for different reasons.
"It is going to be a less diverse jury. That is a fact," Donaldson said. "I don’t generally play the race card. I’m not saying I’m playing it now."
The dismissed juror would be replaced with an alternate.
"There are differences between principal jurors and alternate jurors," Marc Agnifilo said.
Subramanian promised to think about what the defense lawyers said and advise the parties if he changes his mind.
Subramanian called the attorneys to the bench and then announced the court had a "sensitive matter" to discuss.
He ordered the courtroom closed to all but the parties.
He did not say what the sensitive matter is.
Combs’ assistant testifies personal errands were part of his job
On re-direct examination, Sean Combs’ former personal assistant Jonathan Perez testified that personal errands were part of his job.
"Who told you to set up king nights?" prosecutor Madison Smyser asked. "KK," Perez testified, referring to Combs’ chief of staff, Kristina Khorram.
"Did you set up those king nights for free?" Smyser asked. "No," Perez told the jury.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
"Ever set up king nights on vacation?" Smyser followed up. "No," Perez told the jury.
Perez testified that part of his job involved doing personal things for Combs like writing cards to his girlfriends and buying them flowers.
Perez has concluded his testimony, thus concluding five weeks of testimony.
The judge dismissed jurors for the weekend with customary instructions not to talk to anyone about the case and turn off news notifications.
Combs' assistant testified he set up hotel rooms, procured drugs
On cross-examination, Sean Combs’ former personal assistant Jonathan Perez testified that setting up hotel rooms and procuring drugs were personal errands and not work-related tasks.
"It had nothing to do with your work?" defense attorney Brian Steel asked. "No," Perez responded on the stand. Combs is accused of conspiring with his employees as part of a criminal enterprise.
Perez told the jury under cross-examination that he performed those tasks 1% of the time compared with his business-related duties.
"You just did it because you’re a nice person?" Steel asked. "Yes," Perez testified.
Perez testified that he helped "Jane" -- a former Combs girlfriend who took the stand under a pseudonym -- with outfits for hotel nights because she trusted his fashion sense.
"She would ask you to go out and go shopping for her?" Steel asked. "Yes," Perez told the jury.
"Would you look for her for lingerie?" "Yes," Perez testified on the stand.
"Would you look for her for dresses?" "Yes," Perez told the jury.
"The goal for her was to look good for Mr. Combs?" "Yes," Perez replied on the stand.
"Did you ever get the feeling that she was hesitant of joining the king nights?" Steel asked, using Perez’s term for "hotel nights" or "freak offs." "No," Perez testified.
Steel followed up, asking, "Did it always appear to you that she was willing?" "Yes," Perez told the jury.
Steel tried to emphasize Perez's testimony, asking, "Did ‘Jane’ ever appear to you, from your observation, that she was upset or unhappy after the king nights?" "No," Perez testified.
'Jane' tells court Combs used 'love bombing' in order to force her into 'hotel nights'
The former Sean Combs girlfriend testifying under the pseudonym "Jane" told the court that there was a pattern to Combs’ behavior when he allegedly wanted to watch her have sex with other men, but she resisted.
“I would say that whenever he wanted me or wanted one of these nights, the love bombing and persistency would start,” "Jane" testified.
The jury saw a text message from Combs to Jane. “I want to see you. We don’t have to have sex,” the message said.
“You take the love out of us. You make it crystal clear exactly what you want me for,” "Jane" replied in a text message that was shown to the court. “You’re going to spend the day what love bombing me so you can get what you want. It’s not genuine. I’ve hit a mental and spiritual wall."
"Jane" followed up by texting, “I’m not trying to f--- strangers to fulfill your fetishes.”
Combs responded, “You got it all wrong.”
"Jane" wrote back, “You talk to me and treat me like a piece of animal anyone can f--- on.”
Combs replied, “You’re crazy.”
Prosecutor Maurene Comey asked Jane, “Had Sean called you crazy before?”
"Jane" testified that he had, “very often.”
Combs persisted over text. “When do I talk to you, crazy?” his message said.
"Jane" texted in reply, “You want to have me [perform oral sex] so you can jet off to an island with Gina or Yung,” apparently referring to Combs’ girlfriends Gina Huynh and Yung Miami. “Have me to do the dirty s--- in a hotel room.”
The jury saw a screenshot Combs sent to "Jane" hours later of a conversation between him and his doctor saying he needed surgery. The image was accompanied by a text from Combs that read, “I’m so stressed. Too much going on. On top of that I’m horny as f---. F---. SMH.”
"Jane" testified that she ended up in a hotel room having sex with three different male escorts.
“Who was the first entertainer?” Comey asked.
“Rico or Michael, whatever his name is,” "Jane" testified.
“Who was the second?” Comey asked.
“Paul,” "Jane" testified.
“Who was the third?” Comey asked.
“Anton,” "Jane" told the court.
In between the alleged sexual encounters with Paul and Anton, "Jane" testified that she vomited.
“I just remember Sean coming in the bathroom and I told him I had just thrown up and he just said, ‘Good, you’ll feel better now and let’s go outside,’” "Jane" testified.
"Jane" then had sex with Anton a second time, according to her testimony.
“At the end of that night how did you feel?” Comey asked.
“Absolutely terrible,” "Jane" testified in response.
After that night, "Jane" testified that she sent Combs a message asking for money to finish furnishing her home. She told the court that she had gone into debt buying furniture and testified that Combs had offered her “anything you need” during the "hotel night."
The jury heard Combs’ response in a voice note, which said in part, “I’m telling you leave me the f--- alone.”
The jury saw a later text in which Jane wrote, “Threatening me with the roof over my head ever since I f------ got here.”
