Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs forced women into ‘freak offs’, jurors told – as hotel CCTV is played in court
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s public persona was that of a “charismatic” hip-hop mogul – but behind the scenes he forced women into “freak off” sexual encounters with escorts and blackmailed them with videos, prosecutors alleged during the first day of his trial.
In the courtroom in Manhattan, New York, Combs blew a kiss to his mother and family members supporting him, before listening intently as opening statements from the prosecution and defence outlined the details of the high-profile case.
The hip-hop mogul, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution, and strenuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse.
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Sean Combs’s family arrive at court
His defence lawyers say all sexual encounters were consensual and that the case is really about nothing more than Combs’s sexual preferences, which they say should remain private. Combs is a “flawed individual”, they argue, but not a racketeer or a sex trafficker.
The court also heard evidence from two witnesses – a former hotel security guard and a male escort.
But first, prosecutor Emily Johnson gave her opening statement.
“To the public, he was Puff Daddy or Diddy,” she told the court, describing Combs as a “business icon” and “larger than life”.
However, there was another side to the rapper, she says – a side that “ran a criminal enterprise”, she said. He sometimes “called himself the king”, Ms Johnson said, and expected to be treated like one.
“This is Sean Combs,” Ms Johnson told jurors as she pointed at Combs, who leaned back in his chair. “During this trial you are going to hear about 20 years of the defendant’s crimes.”
Those crimes, she said, included kidnapping, arson, drugs, sex crimes, bribery and obstruction.
There are no cameras in the court building, so court artists capture the scenes inside. Sketch: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
Ms Johnson said Combs beat and sexually exploited his former long-term girlfriend Cassie, who was named in court, and compelled the singer and other women to take drugs and have sex with male escorts.
He threatened to ruin Cassie’s career by publicly releasing videos of these sexual encounters, which were dubbed “freak offs”, jurors heard.
“Her livelihood depended on keeping him happy,” the prosecutor said.
Jurors will hear testimonies from alleged victims who will talk about “some of the most painful experiences of their lives”, Ms Johnson continued. “The days they spent in hotel rooms, high on drugs, dressed in costumes to perform the defendant’s sexual fantasies.”
Combs and Cassie pictured in 2017. Pic: zz/XPX/STAR MAX/IPx 2017/AP
‘This is not a complicated case’
But Teny Geragos, who is on Combs’s defence team, painted a very different picture.
“Sean Combs is a complicated man,” she told the court. “But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money.”
Ms Geragos conceded that Combs could be violent and said she understood some jurors might not condone this, nor his “kinky sex”. But the rapper is “not charged with being mean”, she said, and his lifestyle may have been indulgent, but it was not illegal.
She also claimed Combs’s accusers were motivated by money.
Cassie hotel footage shown in court
Pic: CNN via AP May 2024
After the opening statements, the first witness, Israel Florez, was called to the stand.
Now a police officer in LA, in March 2016, Mr Florez worked as a security guard at a hotel in Los Angeles, where Combs was filmed on CCTV seemingly attacking R&B singer and model Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura.
After CNN aired video of the attack last year, the rapper apologised in a video on social media and said he was “disgusted” by his actions.
Video footage of this incident was shown in court as Mr Florez gave his testimony.
He told the court he recognised Combs after responding to a call of a woman in distress on the sixth floor of the hotel. The rapper was wearing only a towel and socks, Mr Florez told the court, and had “a blank stare, like a devilish stare, just looking at me”.
He said that as he was escorting Ms Ventura and Combs to their room, she indicated she wanted to leave and the rapper told her: “You’re not going to leave.”
Combs then offered him money and told him “don’t tell nobody”, Mr Florez said.
Read more:
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Everything you need to know about the trial
The second witness, Daniel Phillip, used to work as a male escort, the court was told. He said he met Ms Ventura at a hotel in Manhattan, where he thought he was attending a bachelorette party.
However, he said he ended up having sex with Ms Ventura as Combs watched and masturbated, and that he was paid several thousand dollars.
Mr Phillip said he had several subsequent encounters with the then couple, which lasted between an hour and 10 hours, and that he witnessed or heard the rapper being violent on two occasions.
He told the court he did not intervene as Combs was powerful, and that he feared for his life. His evidence will continue tomorrow.
The trial is expected to last about eight weeks. Combs faces up to life in prison if he is convicted.
The outcome of the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial is in the hands of the 12 individuals who have been selected as jurors.
On Monday, the group of jurors – made up of eight men and four women – listened to opening statements from the prosecution and defence as the trial got underway in Manhattan, New York.
The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul has strenuously denied the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to five charges.
They are: One count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Members of the jury range in age from 30 to 74, coming from different neighbourhoods across New York, and from a wide range of professions.
Here is everything we know about the group tasked with deciding the outcome of the high-profile case.
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P Diddy trial begins in New York
How were jurors selected?
The 12 individuals were whittled down from a pool of 45 prospective jurors last week.
During the selection process, each individual was questioned by Judge Arun Subramanian in a legal process known as “voir dire” – translated from French as “to speak the truth”.
The process aims to find a panel of 12 main jurors and six alternates who can be fair and impartial.
That has been a particularly sensitive issue in this trial, given Combs’ celebrity status as an entrepreneur and rap mogul and the worldwide coverage of the case so far.
Combs motions a heart gesture to his family on day one of the trial. Pic: AP
Jurors were quizzed about their hobbies and musical tastes, with some of the younger jurors in their 30s and 40s saying they listen to hip-hop and R&B music – genres that are closely associated with Combs.
They were also asked if they had any views on the prosecution or the defence, if they or someone close to them had been a victim of crime, and their beliefs on hiring sex workers, the use of illegal drugs, hip-hop artists and law enforcement.
Judge Subramanian then asked jurors whether they had heard of names included on a list of individuals, including celebrities, who may be mentioned during the trial. The list is long, the court heard, with the judge saying it reminded him of Lord Of The Rings.
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Sean Combs’s family arrive at New York court
As jury selection unfolded, Combs sat in court wearing a white shirt with a black crew-neck sweater, grey trousers and glasses. He appeared to express his approval or disapproval at each individual, either with a nod or by shaking his head no, to his attorneys.
Read more about how jury selection unfolded in court here.
Read more:
Diddy on trial: Everything you need to know
Sean Combs: A timeline of allegations
What to know about those selected
The individuals selected to sit on the jury include an investment analyst, a healthcare worker, a massage therapist and a deli worker, according to Sky News’ US partner network, NBC News.
When called for jury duty, potential jurors are allocated a number, which allows the court to keep track of the individuals and ensures a random selection process.
Here is everything we know about those selected for Combs’s trial:
• Juror no 2: A 69-year-old male from Manhattan who works as an actor and massage therapist. He listens to classical, jazz and rock music, and his hobbies include music, theatre, cycling and hiking.
• Juror no 5: A 31-year-old male from Manhattan who works as an investment analyst. He enjoys playing sports and video games.
• Juror no 25: A 51-year-old male from Manhattan who has a PhD in molecular biology and neuroscience. He listens to classical music and opera, and his hobbies include art, science, cooking and the outdoors.
• Juror no 28: A 30-year-old female from the New York state of the Bronx, who works in a deli. She listens to hip-hop and reggaeton and enjoys reading and playing video games.
• Juror no 55: A 42-year-old female from Manhattan who is an aide in a nursing home. She likes to cook and paint, and watch Harry Potter and Disney films.
• Juror no 58: A 41-year-old male from the Bronx who works in communications at a US prison. He listens to reggaeton and ’90s hip-hop, and his hobbies include sports and fantasy football.
• Juror no 75: A 68-year-old male from Westchester County, just north of New York City, who is a retired bank worker. He listens to Indian music and plays cricket and volleyball.
• Juror no 116: A 68-year-old male from Westchester County who is retired and used to work at a telecommunications company. He listens to rock music, and likes to bowl and play golf.
• Juror no 160: A 43-year-old female from Westchester County who works as a healthcare worker. She listens to R&B and hip-hop, and likes dancing.
• Juror no 184: A 39-year-old male from the Bronx who is a social worker. He listens to R&B and popular music from West Africa, and enjoys watching sports.
• Juror no 201: A 67-year-old male from Westchester County who works as a logistics analyst. His hobbies include woodworking and cycling.
• Juror no 217: A 74-year-old female from Manhattan who works as a treatment coordinator. She listens to classical music and likes to travel.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
The six alternate jurors chosen include four men and two women, ranging in age from 24 to 71. Those individuals will hear the entire case but will only participate in the decision-making if one of the 12 main jurors cannot continue.
The trial is expected to last around eight weeks.
Rapper Tory Lanez has said he was stabbed 14 times while serving his prison sentence for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the foot.
Lanez, 32, sustained “7 wounds to his back, 4 to his torso, 2 to the back of his head, and 1 to the left side of his face”, according to a post on his verified Instagram account.
Canadian Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was attacked at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi at 7.20am (3.20pm UK time) on Monday, according to a spokesman for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
He was hospitalised following the stabbing, which is being investigated by authorities.
Rapper Tory Lanez performs in 2018. File pic: Scott Roth/Invision/AP
“Both of his lungs collapsed,” the rapper’s social media statement said, adding Lanez was “now breathing on his own”.
“Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support,” the post said.
Lanez is serving a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, 30, in the foot and shouting at her to dance as she walked away from an SUV they drove in after leaving a party at Kylie Jenner‘s Hollywood Hills home in July 2020.
He was convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence in December 2022.
US rapper Megan Thee Stallion at the Met Gala. Pic: Reuters
In January, a Los Angeles judge granted her request for a protective order until early 2030 after she alleged Lanez had been harassing her from prison through surrogates.
Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, was already a rising hip-hop star at the time of the shooting, and her music’s popularity has only soared since.
Read more from Sky News:
What it was like in court for start of P Diddy trial
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She had number one singles with Savage and as a guest on Cardi B’s WAP in 2020, winning a Grammy for best new artist a year later.
Lanez started to release mixtapes in 2009 and steadily rose in popularity, moving on to major label albums, with his last two reaching the top 10 on the Billboard charts.
Donald Trump has claimed it would be “stupid” not to accept the gift of a free Qatari plane to replace Air Force One, with the jet already in the US, according to flight tracking data.
The US president toured the Boeing 747-8 earlier this year and he is now preparing to accept it as a gift from the Qatari royal family.
Despite concerns raised over the president accepting the $400m (£303m) gift, Mr Trump told reporters on Monday: “I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar.”
The Boeing jet that Mr Trump toured back in February after it took off from an airport in Florida.
Pic: AP/Ben Curtis
He added: “I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer.
“I mean, I could be a stupid person saying: ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane’.”
The jet is currently sitting at San Antonio International Airport, according to tracking data, Sky News’ US partner NBC News reported, adding it has been parked there since 3 April.
It is the same plane the US leader toured at Palm Beach International Airport on 15 February.
Friendly fire
Critics of the plan have warned that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns.
In an effort to cut off some opposition, Mr Trump said he would not keep the plane after his term finished, instead donating it to a future presidential library.
However, that has done little to quell anger, which has even come from within the Republican party.
Mr Trump’s motorcade parked next to the Qatari-owned Boeing 747-8 when the US president toured it in February.
Pic: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
“My view is that it would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal,” said senator Josh Hawley.
Senator Rand Paul, when asked whether Mr Trump should accept the plane, simply said: “No.”
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Trump 100: Could Putin, Zelenskyy and Trump really meet?
Some of the most vocal members of his MAGA group of supporters, including Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer, have voiced their opposition to the move in a rare show of dissent to the president they usually back so vociferously.
Mr Trump will likely face questions over the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar.
Inside the ‘palace in the sky’
The following images are from inside the Boeing 747-8 that Mr Trump is pushing to accept.
It shows the luxury jet before any potential refitting it might undergo in the hands of the US president.
Inside the Qatari plane Mr Trump wants to use as a replacement for Air Force One.
Pic: Amac Aerospace
Pic: Amac Aerospace
Pic: Amac Aerospace
The 78-year-old has previously complained about Boeing taking too long to deliver the new Air Force One planes commissioned during his first term.
The current Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War and host a range of improved security features, including being hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and hosting a vast communications suite.
A former US official briefed on the replacement project said there would be no time to add the full host capabilities to the Qatari replacement plane.
Read more:
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Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
There are fears Mr Trump would be compromising security by rushing to modify the replacement jet.
William Evanina, who served as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center during Mr Trump’s first term, said checking the Qatari plane for surveillance devices alone would “take years”.
Others have also questioned what it means for the sitting president to accept such an expensive gift.
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