Diddy trial day 33 recap: Prosecutors say Combs used ‘power, violence and fear’ to commit a decade of crimes

“It is time to discover the defendant responsible, ” prosecutor Christy Slavik on Thursday advised the federal jury that can resolve the destiny of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs.

After a seven-week trial, Slavik delivered a virtually five-hour closing assertion that sought to tie collectively the mountain of proof in opposition to Combs, urging the eight males and 4 girls of the jury to seek out that Combs, behind the scenes, used “energy, violence and concern to get what he needed.”

Slavik took the jury by means of a tour of the case in opposition to Combs, arguing that the rapper and onetime tastemaker used his affect and enterprise empire to drag off years of felony conduct.

“Nobody might cease him,” Slavik claimed, “and he managed to do that for twenty years, as a result of he used his inside circle, his cash and his affect to cowl up his crimes.”

Combs has pleaded not responsible to racketeering conspiracy, intercourse trafficking and transportation to have interaction in prosecution. He might spend the remainder of his life in jail, if convicted on all counts. His lead protection legal professional, Marc Agnifilo, is scheduled to current his closing arguments to the jury Friday.

The case in opposition to Combs is centered on greater than 100 days-long drug-fueled intercourse orgies throughout which the rapper’s romantic companions have been allegedly compelled to have intercourse with male prostitutes to fulfill Combs’ unconventional sexual wishes. Based on the testimony, Combs would choreograph the periods after which watch them whereas masturbating.

Combs’ attorneys have acknowledged that the mogul is a violent man who has abused unlawful medication and leads a “polyamorous” way of life. However they insist that each one intercourse acts detailed for the jury have been the voluntary personal conduct of consenting adults and never the enterprise of legislation enforcement.

Calling 34 witnesses throughout 28 days of testimony, prosecutors allege Combs used his music empire as a felony group that allowed him to get away with intercourse trafficking, drug distribution, kidnapping, arson, bribery, compelled labor and witness tampering over a decade-long stretch of alleged criminality.

“Up till as we speak, the defendant was capable of get away together with his crimes due to his cash, his energy and his affect,” Slavik advised the jury. “That stops now. It is time to maintain him accountable. It is time for justice.”

Prosecutors eye a racketeering conspiracy conviction

The prosecution’s summation positioned Sean Combs squarely atop a felony enterprise that relied on an inside circle of staff who they referred to as “loyal lieutenants,” together with his chief of workers and bodyguards. The prosecutor argued Combs additionally relied on quite a few assistants she referred to as “foot troopers” within the enterprise.

“They have been younger,” Slavik mentioned. “They did not blink a watch.”

Prosecutors alleged these crimes included an settlement to distribute medication, kidnapping, arson, bribery, intercourse trafficking, acquiring labor by drive and threats, arranging journey for the needs of economic intercourse and serving to Combs cowl up different crimes. She advised the jury there have been “a whole bunch” of drug distribution offenses alone that may be sufficient to convict on the racketeering conspiracy cost. Slavik additionally highlighted for the jury three cases of alleged kidnapping, the firebombing of rapper Child Cudi’s automobile, two cases of alleged bribery, and dozens of occasions when Combs’ alleged victims traveled throughout state strains for the needs of the intercourse events.

To pronounce Combs responsible of racketeering, the jury should unanimously discover that he and one other member of the alleged conspiracy agreed that two crimes could be dedicated.

“Right here, although, you could have excess of two acts,” Slavik advised jurors.

Prosecutors say testimony of Cassie Ventura and “Jane” show intercourse trafficking

The singer Cassie Ventura referred to as them “freak-offs.” Combs’ ex-girlfriend, identified by the pseudonym Jane, referred to as them “lodge nights.” His assistants knew them as “wild king nights.”

No matter they’re referred to as, these episodes are proof of intercourse trafficking as a result of Combs used drive, threats, fraud and coercion to trigger Ventura and Jane to take part, Slavik mentioned throughout the federal government’s closing argument.

“The cost is in regards to the defendant’s use of unlawful actions to get Cassie and Jane to say sure,” Slavik mentioned. “This isn’t an try to criminalize dysfunctional relationships or unconventional sexual conduct.”

Slavik advised the eight males and 4 girls within the jury field they don’t want to seek out that each one the freak-offs have been the merchandise of drive, fraud or coercion.

“You solely want to seek out the weather of intercourse trafficking are met on one event,” she mentioned, answering a query that has been the topic of limitless hours of media protection of the Combs case. “So, if there was one time, one single freak-off, when the defendant knew or recklessly disregarded that Cassie or Jane was taking part due to his lies, his threats or his violence, that is it.”

The jury was proven a collage of male escorts prosecutors mentioned Ventura and Jane have been made to have intercourse with in a “sluggish development from masturbating and touching to oral intercourse to intercourse,” usually a number of occasions over a number of nights.

“They have been completed when the defendant mentioned they have been completed and never any earlier than that,” Slavik mentioned.

Prosecutors attempt to nail down prostitution counts

Among the many costs in opposition to Combs are two counts of transportation for the needs of prostitution, which carry smaller doable jail sentences than the costs of intercourse trafficking or racketeering conspiracy.

Prosecutors argued they simply proved Combs violated the legislation when he paid for his former girlfriends to journey throughout the nation for “freak-offs.” In a single instance, from August 2009, Slavik confirmed jurors textual content messages from Combs coordinating journey with an escort named Jules. She then confirmed Combs’ American Specific assertion that signifies Combs paid for Jules’ flight, automobile from the airport and the $2,000 invoice from The London lodge in New York Metropolis.

“Freak-offs didn’t happen in isolation. The defendant needed them on a regular basis,” Slavik advised the jury. “You heard about many cases when the defendant flew in escorts from throughout the nation so he might watch them have intercourse.”