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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.
Pinned
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."
Pinned
'Jane' to return to stand for cross-examination as defense argues she was a willful participant in Combs' lifestyle
Sean "Diddy" Combs’ ex-girlfriend, appearing under the pseudonym “Jane,” returns to the witness stand for more cross-examination when court resumes this afternoon.
The defense had been attempting to cast "Jane" as a willing partner in Combs' lifestyle, which included multiple-partner sexual encounters known as "hotel nights." "Jane" has maintained that she was coerced into participating.
"Jane" told the jury on direct examination that her three-year relationship with Combs made her feel “manipulated,” “used,” and “resentful.” On cross-examination, "Jane" testified, “I loved spending time with my partner.”
She told the jury how she like to bathe Combs and give him foot rubs. “He was my baby,” "Jane" testified. “I’m naturally nurturing.”
After "Jane" told federal prosecutors on direct examination that Combs subjected her to so much sex with male prostitutes that it took over her life, defense attorney Teny Geragos sought to highlight the benefits of her relationship with Combs, including a $20,000 investment in her line of swimwear and dresses, paying the $10,000 monthly rent on her 5,300-square-foot home, and giving her gifts, including a Van Cleef necklace and a luxury handbag.
“What is a Bottega bag?” Geragos asked Tuesday.
“I'm sure you have one,” "Jane" retorted from the witness stand.
“I actually don't,” Geragos shot back. “How much do Bottega bags run?”
“How much does my body cost?” "Jane" testified in reply.
Judge Arun Subramanian then reminded her to answer the question.
When Geragos asked whether Combs had given her a Chanel bag, "Jane" told the court, “No, I only got trauma.”
But the defense appeared skeptical of "Jane’s" claims that she was traumatized by “hotel nights.”
Geragos showed the jury an effusive text message "Jane" wrote about a night with a male prostitute that she previously testified left her in tears. “I love you so, so, so, so much,” the message said. “I feel closer to you on another level.”
The defense also showed more explicit messages that showed "Jane" initiating plans to “get slutty” or boasting about sex with a favorite escort named Paul. "Jane" said Combs called them the “trifecta” and that they compared themselves to basketball stars: "Jane" was Kobe Bryant, Paul was Shaquille O’Neal and Combs was Michael Jordan.
Defense cross-examination of "Jane" is expected to continue through Thursday.
'How much does my body cost?': 'Jane' pushes back against defense questioning over gifts from Combs
The cross-examination of Sean Combs’ ex-girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym "Jane," took a sharper tone when defense attorney Teny Geragos started asking about gifts Combs gave her and suggested she was jealous of what he gave other women.
Geragos showed the jury text messages in which "Jane" asked Combs whether he gave another girlfriend a Chanel handbag. She asked "Jane" whether she received one.
“No,” "Jane" testified. “I only got trauma.”
Geragos asked about another luxury handbag, by maker Bottega Veneta.
“What is a Bottega bag?” Geragos asked.
“I’m sure you have one,” "Jane" replied in testimony.
“How much do Bottega bags run? Geragos asked.
“How much does my body cost,” "Jane" snapped back in testimony.
"Jane" then asked the judge for a break.
Court hears explicit text messages between Combs and 'Jane' regarding male escort
Following a lunch break, the testimony of the former Sean Combs girlfriend appearing under the pseudonym "Jane" focused on sexually explicit text messages that "Jane" sent to Combs as the defense continues to attempt to show her as a willing, even eager, participant in “hotel night” sexual encounters with male escorts.
“Want to see that ATL with you,” "Jane" wrote in one message, referring to an escort who lived in Atlanta.
“Have you been thinking about it?” Combs replied.
“A little bit,” "Jane" responded. That message was followed by an explicit text exchange with Combs about the escort's genitalia and her own, including the use of oil during the future sexual encounter, echoing previous testimony.
During another exchange, Combs asked for “guidance” and "Jane" texted “Want to see me [perform oral sex] in a hotel room? I can shower and go to the store if you want. Some fresh outfits.”
Combs texted in reply, “I need something exciting I’m jaded.”
Another exchange included “fantasy talk” about an escort named Paul.
“I want to [perform oral sex on him] while you give me that strong stroke game,” "Jane" texted Combs.
After a few other back-and-forth messages, Combs texted, “Can’t have Paul at my house.”
Defense attorney Teny Geragos noted that despite the contention by prosecutors that Combs and some of his employees comprised a criminal enterprise that trafficked women like "Jane," Combs attempted to shield his housekeeper, house manager and other employees, plus his children, from male escorts.
Defense questions 'Jane' about, scouting, hiring male escorts with Combs' encouragement
The chemistry among Sean Combs, "Jane" and a male escort named Paul was so strong, "Jane" testified, that they had a nickname: “Trifecta.”
"Jane" also testified that they compared themselves to basketball stars, telling the court that she was Kobe Bryant. Paul was Shaquille O’Neal, and Combs was Michael Jordan.
"Jane," Combs' former girlfriend who's testifying under a pseudonym, identified Paul to the court as Combs’ personal trainer. Other escorts, she testified, they found by watching adult performers on a porn site. "Jane" testified that she sent direct messages to some of the performers “with the encouragement of my partner,” meaning Combs.
Asked what she meant, "Jane" testified that Combs encouraged her by allegedly saying, “Can you get that d---, do you think you can get that d---?”
The defense asked "Jane" about Combs’ reaction when one of the performers, identified in court as Kobral, sold a sex tape of "Jane" to a media company.
“He told you he was so sorry that this happened?” defense attorney Teny Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“He was livid and pissed?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“He was trying to figure out how it doesn’t get released?” Geragos followed up.
“Yes,” "Jane" told the court.
Geragos asked if Combs’ chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, had any knowledge that escorts were joining Combs and "Jane" in "hotel night" sexual encounters.
“I don’t think so,” "Jane" testified.
Court is taking its lunch break
'Jane' answers defense questions about Combs' alleged sexual desires
Though she previously testified that Sean Combs made her feel “repulsed,” “disgusted,” “sleazy,” and like “an animal” and a “porn star,” "Jane" testified on cross-examination that she liked to “baby" Combs.
“Taking care of Mr. Combs was one of your favorite parts of your relationship?” defense attorney Teny Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“You liked that quality time with him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“Because he was your partner and your lover and you wanted to take care of him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" told the jury.
“You really wanted to please him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
"Jane," Combs' former girlfriend who's appearing under a pseudonym, testified that she began to research the lifestyle Combs appeared to be leading, “trying to figure out my relationship.”
She told the jury she came upon the word “cuck,” which she described as a “man who is in a relationship and is turned on by watching a woman have sex with another man.”
Geragos asked, “What did that word mean to you?”
"Jane" testified, “I was just like, 'this is spot-on.'”
"Jane" explained to the jury, “I was trying to deep-dive on all the reasons why they drew such pleasure watching their woman with other men.”
Combs has said all of the sex discussed at trial was consensual, and that the women who allegedly participated understood his desires and were not coerced, as prosecutors allege.
In her testimony, "Jane" agreed with Geragos that she was “OK” with being recorded having sex with male prostitutes and that she agreed to do certain things during those encounters because she wanted to make Combs happy.
The defense stressed moments in which they contended "Jane" appeared to have agency during the "hotel night” sexual encounters, such as forbidding escorts from using drugs and asking them to use condoms.
“There were instances when you did voice that you wanted something to end and he did listen?” Geragos asked.
“On rare occasions,” "Jane" testified.
Geragos reminded "Jane" of her previous testimony during which she called one male escort “repulsive” and dismissed another, an Italian man in New York to whom she was not attracted.
“He would say, ‘What else?’ And I would know what that meant,” "Jane" testified of Combs, recalling why she called preferred escorts after rejecting others.
The “hotel nights” regularly involved taking the drug ecstasy, "Jane" previously testified, saying "I feel that ecstasy made me feel extremely sexual and liberated and it helped me get through these nights with these men as well.”
Under cross-examination, "Jane" told the court that she and Combs would take ecstasy together at other times.
“It was not only when you were in hotel nights that you would take ecstasy, right?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" told the court.
'Jane' to return to stand for cross-examination as defense argues she was a willful participant in Combs' lifestyle
Sean "Diddy" Combs’ ex-girlfriend, appearing under the pseudonym “Jane,” returns to the witness stand for more cross-examination when court resumes this afternoon.
The defense had been attempting to cast "Jane" as a willing partner in Combs' lifestyle, which included multiple-partner sexual encounters known as "hotel nights." "Jane" has maintained that she was coerced into participating.
"Jane" told the jury on direct examination that her three-year relationship with Combs made her feel “manipulated,” “used,” and “resentful.” On cross-examination, "Jane" testified, “I loved spending time with my partner.”
She told the jury how she like to bathe Combs and give him foot rubs. “He was my baby,” "Jane" testified. “I’m naturally nurturing.”
After "Jane" told federal prosecutors on direct examination that Combs subjected her to so much sex with male prostitutes that it took over her life, defense attorney Teny Geragos sought to highlight the benefits of her relationship with Combs, including a $20,000 investment in her line of swimwear and dresses, paying the $10,000 monthly rent on her 5,300-square-foot home, and giving her gifts, including a Van Cleef necklace and a luxury handbag.
“What is a Bottega bag?” Geragos asked Tuesday.
“I'm sure you have one,” "Jane" retorted from the witness stand.
“I actually don't,” Geragos shot back. “How much do Bottega bags run?”
“How much does my body cost?” "Jane" testified in reply.
Judge Arun Subramanian then reminded her to answer the question.
When Geragos asked whether Combs had given her a Chanel bag, "Jane" told the court, “No, I only got trauma.”
But the defense appeared skeptical of "Jane’s" claims that she was traumatized by “hotel nights.”
Geragos showed the jury an effusive text message "Jane" wrote about a night with a male prostitute that she previously testified left her in tears. “I love you so, so, so, so much,” the message said. “I feel closer to you on another level.”
The defense also showed more explicit messages that showed "Jane" initiating plans to “get slutty” or boasting about sex with a favorite escort named Paul. "Jane" said Combs called them the “trifecta” and that they compared themselves to basketball stars: "Jane" was Kobe Bryant, Paul was Shaquille O’Neal and Combs was Michael Jordan.
Defense cross-examination of "Jane" is expected to continue through Thursday.
