It’s the eighth day of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ racketeering and sex-trafficking trial. Thus far, the jury has heard testimony from 10 witnesses.
Before the jury was dismissed for lunch yesterday, David James, a Combs former assistant, described witnessing the music mogul use medicine, his position in stocking resort rooms for Combs, and being subjected to lie detector assessments and an intimidating search. Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura’s mom, testified about visits together with her daughter turning into much less frequent when she began relationship Combs, “memorializing” her daughter’s alleged abuse by taking pictures of her situation in a single occasion, and taking a house fairness mortgage to pay Combs the $20,000 he requested from her.
A male escort, Sharay Hayes, took the stand earlier than the lunch break yesterday, outlining his role in “making a scene, a horny scene, that was satisfying” with Ventura for Combs.
After Hayes wrapped up after lunch, Gerard Gannon, a particular agent with Homeland Security Investigations, gave proof beneath direct examination, which is about to renew immediately at 9 a.m. ET.
Right here’s a take a look at a few of what was mentioned yesterday:
Sharay Hayes, a male escort:
-
No sense of discomfort from Ventura: Beneath cross-examination from the protection, Hayes mentioned he didn’t “get any cues that there was a discomfort with what was happening,” from Ventura, saying as an unique dancer he at all times reads the room to gauge viewers comfortability. Throughout his encounters with the pair, he never saw any filming or violence, Hayes mentioned.
-
Dismissed by Combs and Ventura: Hayes testified that he by no means used medicine with Combs or Ventura, though they did typically supply him alcohol and marijuana however he by no means noticed Combs take medicine or look like intoxicated. Hayes did take medicines to assist his efficiency, he testified, describing the discomfort of a “sexual situation with a girl’s associate current.” Hayes’ final session with Ventura and Combs was in 2016 when he did not carry out and was never called back, he mentioned. Earlier than leaving, Hayes testified that Ventura paid him and thanked him for his discretion with their interactions.
Gerard Gannon, a particular agent with Homeland Security Investigations
-
2024 raid on Combs’ Miami Seaside dwelling: Gannon testified he was the special-agent-in-charge on the bottom for the search of Combs’ Miami Seaside dwelling in March 2024 and was assigned to his unit as a result of it was tied to a human-trafficking investigation. Between 80 and 90 regulation enforcement brokers participated within the search due to the scale of the property and it required a particular response crew to take care of safety measures, like armed safety guards.
-
AR-15 elements present in Combs’ fundamental bed room: The jury noticed pictures of items found inside Combs’ fundamental bed room closet through the raid. Excessive heels, intercourse toys, child oil, private lubricant and lingerie and “higher and decrease receivers of AR-15s,” that are elements of the weapon, had been all discovered, Gannon testified.
