Diddy trial day 18 recap: 2nd Combs victim concludes ‘humiliating’ cross-examination

A former assistant to Sean “Diddy” Combs concluded three days on the witness stand, with attorneys for the music mogul grilling her so intensely {that a} prosecutor requested the choose to cease the cross-examination, calling it “humiliating” and “harassing.”

The witness, testifying below the pseudonym “Mia,” instructed jurors final week that Combs tormented and sexually assaulted her throughout her time working as his private assistant.

Protection attorneys tried to assail her credibility over her final two days showing on the stand, urgent her about dozens of textual content messages and social media posts she authored about Combs that have been playful, respectful and even adoring.

Combs’ attorneys argued Mia misrepresented how Combs handled her and fabricated a part of her story. Mia largely stood by her testimony, telling jurors that she was “brainwashed” by Combs and defined that she now needs to talk honestly in regards to the years of harassment and abuse she endured.

“It is the worst factor I ever needed to discuss in my life,” Mia instructed the jury about her reluctance to speak about how Combs sexually assaulted her.

Mia’s testimony marked the start of the fourth week of testimony in Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial. Prosecutors cost that Combs used his wealth and affect to run a prison enterprise that served to guard his fame and coerce girls into intercourse.

If convicted on all counts, the music mogul might spend the remainder of his life behind bars. Combs has pleaded not responsible, and his attorneys argue that, whereas he might need been violent in the direction of romantic companions and abused illicit medication, he didn’t commit the crimes alleged by the Division of Justice.

Protection attorneys stress Mia’s loving messages to Combs

Persevering with his cross-examination from final week, protection legal professional Brian Metal returned to Mia’s social media posts and textual content messages to problem the lady and the model of occasions she shared with the jury.

“Life is f—— insane and supposedly all of it occurs for a motive with a view to elevate us in our human expertise, however it’s tough,” Mia wrote Combs in 2020, greater than three years after she stopped working for him. “I like you with all of my coronary heart and I am right here for you eternally.”

Metal additionally confirmed the jury different textual content messages from the 2019-2022 time-frame by which Mia expressed love and admiration to Combs.

“Hey. Noticed our doc on Netflix high 10. Congrats I miss you,” learn one textual content from July 2022.

Combs responded, “Love, love, love, love.” Mia wrote again, “And I like, love, love you.”

“The whole lot is constructive and loving from you to Mr. Combs, would you agree with that?” Metal requested.

“Sure, in fact,” Mia answered. She rapidly defined to the jury she was nonetheless “brainwashed” by Combs from her years working for him.

As soon as the prolonged and contentious cross-examination of Mia concluded, federal prosecutors tried to attenuate any injury which may have been finished to her credibility.

“Did you put up on social media as a part of your job?” prosecutor Madison Smyser requested on re-direct examination.

“Sure,” Mia answered, including that posting about Ciroc, Diddy Door, the Unhealthy Boy reunion, and Combs himself have been a part of her job. She described her Instagram posts “just like the spotlight reel” of Combs and never meant for posts in regards to the draw back of working for him.

“Is that why you did not put up about Mr. Combs slamming Cassie’s head right into a mattress body?” Smyser requested. “Sure,” Mia answered.

“Is that why you did not put up about Mr. Combs throwing a pc at your head?” Smyser requested. “Sure,” Mia answered.

“Is that why you did not put up about Mr. Combs sexually assaulting you?” Smyser requested. “Sure,” Mia answered.

Metal tries to solid doubt on Mia by asking why she did not doc abuse

All through his searing cross-examination, protection legal professional Metal tried to poke holes in Mia’s testimony by highlighting how she didn’t doc the abuse she stated she suffered from Combs, whilst she documented the upside.

“Do you have got any recording of Mr. Combs berating you?” requested Metal, who highlighted that a part of Mia’s job was to hold a small digital camera to doc Combs’ life. “No, I’d not have been allowed to report that,” Mia responded.

“As a result of it isn’t true, is it, Mia?” Metal accused. “Your statements that you just have been the sufferer by the hands of Mr. Combs of brutality is not true?”

Mia fired again, testifying, “The whole lot I’ve stated on this courtroom is true.”

Metal additionally questioned Mia’s account of escaping Combs with Ventura in Turks and Caicos by paddleboarding out to sea. Metal requested whether or not there have been any textual content messages, emails or images documenting these allegations.

“Was that simply made up by you?” Metal pointedly requested. “No,” Mia testified.

Metal’s subsequent query — “How is it that every one these occasions haven’t any {photograph} or textual content message or electronic mail from you?” — was stopped by the choose after an objection.

At one level, prosecutors requested the choose overseeing the case to intervene, arguing the “humiliating” cross-examination borders on harassment and will deter different crime victims from coming ahead in different circumstances.

“Eyes are on this trial. Victims in different circumstances are going to see how victims are handled,” Comey stated in a transparent nod to the worldwide headlines being created by the Combs trial. “Our concern is that if this sufferer is just not protected against additional harassment, it’s going to deter different victims in different circumstances.”

Decide Arun Subramanian stated he heard no yelling and noticed no improper therapy, however he did warning Metal in regards to the type of his questions.

Metal suggests Mia fabricated her story after Ventura’s lawsuit

Metal advised Mia timed her disclosure of alleged sexual assault by Combs with the submitting of a civil lawsuit by the singer Cassie Ventura, Combs’ former longtime girlfriend. Ventura is the prosecution’s star witness, and she or he has alleged that Combs abused her for a decade. Her lawsuit, the start line for the federal investigation that culminated with the present prosecution, was settled after a day for $20 million, Ventura testified. There was no admission of wrongdoing.

Metal questioned why Mia didn’t inform federal prosecutors about her declare that Combs sexually assaulted her till June 2024, six months after she started assembly with the authorities and 7 months after Ventura’s civil lawsuit. The protection emphasised to the jury that Mia met with federal prosecutors a complete of 28 occasions.

“Do you keep in mind the primary time you ever made a declare Mr. Combs ever sexually assaulted you was on June 18, 2024?” Metal requested.

“I do not keep in mind the dates, however I do keep in mind that horrible dialog,” Mia answered.

On redirect examination, Smyser requested Mia to make clear why she met so usually with federal prosecutors. “I met with the federal government a lot with a view to perceive my story and since I used to be so terrified and I used to be studying on the identical time,” she testified, and, utilizing Combs’ earlier road identify, stated she was “fearful of Puff.” She stated she has by no means been capable of discuss her declare that Combs sexually assaulted her with out wanting down.

“It is the worst factor I ever needed to discuss in my life,” she defined.

Newest witness tells jury about injury to Combs’ lodge room

Prosecutors concluded the day by calling Susan Oken, supervisor of the Beverly Hills Lodge, to testify in regards to the occasions when Combs was a visitor of her institution.

She stated Combs checked into the Beverly Hills Lodge below aliases like “Frank Black” or “Phillip Pines” and Cassie Ventura was listed below Combs’ profile as a visitor.

Oken testified that Combs as soon as incurred an additional $300 cost to scrub the drapes and one other $500 cost to scrub “oil injury.” Oken stated the cost mirrored one thing “past the scope of what we might usually clear.” The prosecution’s questioning was a callback to earlier testimony in regards to the so-called “freak-off” orgies that Combs would allegedly host and, in accordance with testimony, featured gallons of child oil.

Court docket is about to renew on Tuesday with Eddie Garcia, an worker of the InterContinental Lodge in Century Metropolis, CA., the scene of Combs’ caught-on-camera assault on Ventura that has created maybe probably the most enduring photos to come back from the high-profile prison trial.