Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial updates: Defense closes; deliberations set for Monday

The defense will deliver a closing statement to the jury Friday at the federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs, hoping to raise doubt about his guilt among the eight men and four women after federal prosecutors told them, “It’s time to hold him accountable.”

The defense is expected to argue that Cassie Ventura and a woman testifying under the pseudonym “Jane” were not trafficking victims but long-term girlfriends who willingly, sometimes enthusiastically, participated in drug-powered sexual marathons with male prostitutes.

In the government’s summation, a federal prosecutor, Christy Slavik, argued Combs “tricked” "Jane" into so-called "hotel nights" under the guise of a real relationship.

“He told her that they would go on trips; that they'd go shopping; that they'd go on a yacht, but only after she did a hotel night with him,” Slavik said. “They were just lies he told 'Jane' to make her keep participating in these hotels nights.”

Slavik argued Ventura took part in "freak offs" because Combs deployed force, threats of force or coercion. She told the jury it “shouldn’t be a surprise” they were not something Ventura wanted to do.

“Think about how she described them, hours and hours long, covered in baby oil, wearing uncomfortable outfits, sometimes when Cassie had her period and when she had UTIs. Sometimes the defendant told the escorts to urinate on her, and sometimes he did too,” Slavik said.

Prosecutors depicted Combs as the leader of a criminal enterprise who relied on an inner circle of “loyal lieutenants” to help get drugs for the "freak offs," cash to pay the escorts and to keep Ventura and "Jane" in line.

“The evidence showed you how he and his inner circle helped him carry out these crimes and how far they would go to cover them up,” Slavik said.

To find Combs guilty of racketeering conspiracy the jury must find he agreed to commit at least two underlying criminal acts, which could include sex trafficking, drug distribution, kidnapping, arson, bribery, witness tampering, forced labor and transportation for the purposes of prostitution.

Slavik argued drug distribution alone is enough to convict. She said Combs and his aides “participated in hundreds of acts of drug distribution” and it does not matter if the quantities were small or the drugs were for personal use.

“The defendant and his staff were all involved in buying and distributing drugs,” the prosecutor said.

Combs has denied all government charges against him.

The prosecution's nearly five-hour closing argument in the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs ended with federal prosecutor Christy Slavik imploring the jury to convict the defendant as charged.

“Up until today, the defendant was able to get away with his crimes because of his money, power and influence,” Slavik claimed. “It’s time to hold him accountable. It’s time for justice. It’s time to find the defendant guilty.”

Slavik told jurors that a lot of the evidence presented during the trial was difficult to witness but, she argued, that evidence “proves to you that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

She asserted that Combs “ran his criminal enterprise with total control” and with the support of an inner circle whose “one job was to say yes to the defendant.”

Court is adjourned for the day. The defense closing argument is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. ET Friday morning.

The racketeering conspiracy predicate act of witness tampering in Sean Combs' trial occurred, according to prosecutor Christy Slavik, after Cassie Ventura filed her quickly settled civil lawsuit against Combs and Combs and Kristina Khorram recorded a phone call with the former Combs girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane."

Slavik told the jury that Combs reached out to "Jane" because he was concerned about a criminal investigation into his conduct with her.

Slavik played excerpts of two phone calls in which she alleged Combs was attempting to get a recording of "Jane" saying she was a willing participant in so-called "hotel night" sexual encounters he allegedly had with her, but "Jane" wouldn't do it.

“He tried to corruptly persuade her to adopt his lies,” Slavik told the court.

Similarly, Slavik alleged, Combs and his bodyguard, D-Roc, reached out to former Combs assistant "Mia." Appearing under a pseudonym, "Mia" testified that the outreach “terrified” her.

“D-Roc and the defendant worked together to neutralize the 'Mia' threat. She knew too much,” Slavik told the court. “The defendant is attempting to corruptly persuade 'Mia' to stay silent while fully aware of the likelihood of a criminal investigation.”

Federal prosecutors, delivering closing statements in the racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs, said testimony from four witnesses satisfies the racketeering predicate of forced labor: former girlfriends Cassie Ventura and "Jane," and former Combs assistants "Mia" and Capricorn Clark.

Ventura and "Jane," the latter of whom testified under a pseudonym, provided labor and services when they endured hours of grueling sex as part of so-called "freak-off" sexual encounters, Christy Slavik told the jury.

“Combs did not let Cassie or 'Jane' sleep. Instead, he gave them drugs to stay awake,” Slavik argued. “After each 'freak-off,' Cassie and 'Jane' were so exhausted they took days to recover.”

Slavik reminded the jury that both women had testified that Combs told them to “keep going” and to “finish strong” even when they were tired; how their bodies were sore from hours in uncomfortable positions; how they frequently contracted urinary tract infections.

“Cassie said she had so many UTIs that antibiotics stopped working to cure them,” Slavik said. "'Jane' texted, 'I’m the one putting all the physical and mental work in for 48 hours straight.'”

Slavik then turned to the woman who testified under the pseudonym "Mia," who she said was so traumatized by her alleged experiences with Combs that “she could not look up” on the witness stand.

“It should be clear to you that the defendant treated 'Mia' differently from the other personal assistants. He demanded more and he abused her,” Slavik alleged. “The labor the defendant got from 'Mia' was not standard personal assistant stuff.”

Slavik also reminded jurors that 'Mia' testified that Combs sexually assaulted her, allegedly including penetration and forced oral sex.

Capricorn Clark testified that Combs ripped up a paper she submitted to him for $80,000 in overtime, Slavik told the jury. Clark also testified that Combs and his bodyguard, Uncle Paulie, allegedly walked with her in New York's Central Park on her first day working for him to threaten her because she had previously worked for rival record producer Marion "Suge" Knight, Slavik further told the jury.

Though Clark conceded during her testimony that she kept returning to Combs despite his alleged treatment of her, Slavik said it was because Clark needed a job and Combs allegedly used his influence in the industry to make sure Clark wouldn't get one unless she worked for him.