Introduction to the Case
The trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs continues, with several witnesses testifying against him on Wednesday. Combs was arrested in September and accused of two decades of abuse of women, sex trafficking, and converting his music and fashion empire into a criminal enterprise. He has pleaded not guilty to several counts, which include forced control, manipulation, blackmail, drug use, marathon sex sessions, and trafficking.
Testimonies from Witnesses
Three witnesses testified on Wednesday, including an agent who searched Combs’ Miami mansion, a psychologist who has testified in several high-profile cases, and one of Combs’ former assistants. The agent, Gerard Gannon, described the raid on Combs’ mansion, where agents found 80-90 assault rifles, sex toys, and drugs, including cocaine and ketamine.
The Raid on Combs’ Mansion
Gannon explained that the agents found a cell phone in a Balenciaga trunk and a Gucci bag with a white substance inside, which was later tested positive for cocaine and ketamine. The bag also contained smaller bags of various colored pills that were positively tested for MDMA and Xanax. Some of the MDMA pills were stamped with the Tesla logo. In a wooden box marked with "Puffy", Gannon said that a white, rocky substance was discovered.
Cross-Examination
Combs’ defender, Teny Geragos, worked to minimize the severity of what was discovered in the raid during cross-examination. Gannon agreed that the weapons found on the property were registered. The defense also pointed out that the psychologist, Dawn Hughes, had never evaluated Combs or his accuser, Cassie Ventura.
Testimony from the Psychologist
Hughes testified about the concept of "trauma bonding" and why certain victims cannot leave their perpetrators. She explained that a victim can sometimes feel trapped and still have a connection to their perpetrator, making it difficult to leave the relationship. Hughes told the jury that psychological, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse can all be factors in a person’s decision to stay with an abuser.
Attack on the Psychologist’s Credibility
The defense tried to tear down Hughes’ credibility, pointing out that she had never evaluated a sex crime defendant. Combs’ lawyer, Jonathan Bach, asked Hughes if she had ever represented someone who had accused a sex crime. Hughes replied that she had not. The defense also noted that the prosecution had paid her $600 an hour for her time.
Final Witness of the Day
The final witness of the day was George Kaplan, one of Combs’ former assistants. Kaplan described his tasks, which included cleaning hotel rooms after Combs left, and finding white powder near a sink in one of the rooms. Rapper Kid Cudi was expected to testify about his relationship with Ventura and an incident over a decade ago, but did not appear in court on Wednesday. He is expected to testify on Thursday.
