Diddy Trial Day 32 ABSTRACT: COMBS refuses to testify

Sean “Diddy” combs could have made his fortune with the letters, but told a judge on Tuesday that he is reserving the right not to share his words by not taking the position in his trial of sexual trafficking, which is expected to end this week.

The Dam decision occurred approximately one hour after prosecutors rested their long case against combs, after calling 34 witnesses for 28 days. Seven weeks spent trying to convince a federal jury that the rap tycoon used his commercial empire to force women to sex.

Facing the possibility of life imprisonment in prison if it is declared guilty of all aspects, combs has remained in a large extent since the trial began last month, but said with confidence the judge that supervises the case that will not testify.

“That is my decision with my lawyers,” said combs, while his voice raised through silence.

“How do you feel today?” The American district judge Arun Subramian asked Combs, to respond.

“I am very good, how are you, your honor? I want to tell you thanks. You’re doing an excellent job,” said combs.

The moment marked a rare deviation from the formality of judgment and testimony, which has been marked by a deeply emotional testimony and sometimes disturbing.

After the announcement of combs, his lawyers presented a solid case, only showing the evidence of the jury that, they say, he throws doubts about the testimony of some witnesses. The combs lawyers said the evidence suggests that the alleged victims in the case really consent to sexual parties sometimes known as “Freak offs” or “Nights Hotel.”

Those orgies are in the center of the case against combs, since prosecutors alleged that the rapper used their employees, wealth and influence to pressure women to participate and then blackmail or threaten them in silence. According to the testimony, combs would choreographer the episodes and then see and masturbate while their girlfriends would have sex with male prostitutes.

Combs declared himself innocent of sexual trafficking positions, extortion and transport conspiracy to participate in prostitution.

The defense rested his case on Tuesday after asking the judge to issue an immediate acquittal. Subramian did not rule on that motion, which is standard in criminal cases.

The lawyers for both parties will return to the Court on Wednesday to work with the judge on the specific instructions that will be issued to the jury before the deliberations begin.

The jury is expected to return to the Court on Thursday to listen to the closing statements. Deliberations could start as early as Friday.

The judge reserves the decision of the combs application to launch the case

As soon as the prosecutors rested their case against the combs, the defense lawyers asked the judge to find the non -guilty combs of all the charges.

The movement, known as a motion for a “directed verdict”, is an argument that prosecutors did not present a case that demonstrates guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The defense lawyers do the motion routinely after the government rests, and the judges rarely grant the request.

“The evidence does not establish that Mr. Comink conspired with any other person to violate the statute (extortion),” said defending lawyer Alexandra Shapiro. “They could not demonstrate that any other individual really conspired with him to carry out the affairs of this alleged 20 -year criminal company.”

Shapiro argued that any employee who might have helped combs to establish hotel rooms for “monsters” did tasks as “personal errands” for combs and did not know about the sexual activity that took place in the rooms.

Shapiro also pointed to the accusations made by federal prosecutors, who have argued that Comps bombarded the Porsche owned by rapper Kid Cudi or committed bribe to silence a security guard who witnessed the sequels of an assault of 2016.

The defense lawyers also returned to one of their key issues of the entire trial, while the combs may have been involved in domestic violence and led an unconventional sexual life, did not commit a crime, and that prosecutors could not prove that he dedicated himself to sexual trafficking.

“Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” Shapiro said.

The combs lawyers refuse to call any witness during a brief case of defense

The combs defense lawyers rested their case without calling any witnesses, instead, only read some elements in the registry.

The defending lawyer Anna Estevao read exchanges of text messages from singer Cassie Ventura, who expressed her love for combs even after years of what federal prosecutors argued that it was sex coerced with male companions. Ventura and combs were romantic partners for a long time.

“In a nutshell, I love you. You are important to me, and I know that I will never have a love like this in this life,” Ventura wrote in a 2012 message. “In addition to making love, talking to you is my favorite thing.”

In another message, Ventura told combs: “I miss you.”

Combs replied: “Then, what you are going to do.” Ventura replied: “Be your little monster.”

The defense lawyer Tey Geragos also read notes of the sessions of application of the law with witnesses, which suggests that some of the testimonies differ from the original statements.

Daniel Phillip, the second witness to testify during the trial, originally told the jury that he saw the combs throw a bottle towards Ventura and “grab her for her hair and drag her for her hair to the bedroom. Phillip testified the combs came out from the room a while later to ask Phillip” Are they ready to continue? “

Geragos read notes of application of the law of a meeting with Phillip that seemed to indicate that combs said something else: “In approximately 2013, Phillip saw Ventura be physically assaulted. The combs finally returned and said:” I, man, I will have to deal with this. You need to get the F-Out “,” Read Geragos.

While the combs lawyers presented a case of defense without witnesses, days spent in depth the witnesses of the Prosecutor’s Office and using the interrogation to present most of their arguments to the jury. They tried to doubt the testimony of the alleged victims, highlighting positive and loving messages exchanged with combs, and arguing that the interactions suggest that women were willing to participants in the orgies.