Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial updates: Court is adjourned until Tuesday

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Gerard Gannon returned to the witness stand Wednesday morning, following up on his testimony Tuesday about weapons and other materials that federal agents allegedly discovered at Sean Combs' Miami Beach home.

Federal prosecutors contend that the alleged close proximity of two AR-15 assault-style rifles with defaced serial numbers, as well as baby oil, personal lubricant, lingerie and seven-inch platform heels that Gannon also testified that agents discovered in Combs' home, provides visual representation of their allegation that Sean Combs used violence and threats of violence to coerce women into engaging in stage-managed sexual activity with male escorts allegedly hired for that purpose, an allegation that Combs denies.

According to Gannon's previous testimony, the upper receivers of the rifles were found wrapped in a towel, while the lower receivers and magazines were found in a box. The components were found on the same main bedroom shelving unit as the items that several witnesses have testified were used in so-called sexual "freak offs," Gannon told the court.

Once Gannon finishes his testimony, the jury is expected to hear from Dawn Hughes, a psychologist who specializes in sex trauma. Federal prosecutors are hoping she will explain to the jury why Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, would stay in a relationship that previous testimony by several witnesses has described as abusive, marred by jealousy, drug use and domestic violence.

Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerard Gannon told the court that the AR-15 assault-style rifle receivers and ammunition that he testified federal agents discovered in Combs' Miami Beach home were found on the same bedroom shelving unit as 7-inch platform heels and lingerie. He also testified that agents discovered a 30-round magazine containing 19 rounds, as well as a full 10-round magazine.

Court has recessed for the day. Gannon will resume testifying Wednesday, when the jury is expected to see additional items that agents allegedly recovered from Combs’ Miami Beach home.

Prosecutor Maureen Comey said subsequent witnesses Wednesday will include Dawn Hughes, a psychologist who specializes in sex trauma; George Kaplan, a former Combs assistant; and Scott Mescudi, better known as Kid Cudi, with whom Cassie Ventura testified she had a brief romantic relationship while with Combs and whom she testified Combs threatened because of it.

The jury was shown assault-style rifles with defaced serial numbers that were discovered on a shelf inside the main bedroom of Sean Combs’ Miami Beach home, according to a federal agent.

The jury also was shown various gun parts. These included a BCM-brand upper receiver rifle part, which the agent testified was discovered wrapped in a towel, along with a red-dot optic, or sighting mechanism. A second upper receiver, make unknown, with an iron sight was found wrapped in the same towel, according to the agent. Also discovered Inside of a box were two lower receivers and magazines, the federal agent testified.

Upper receivers contain the assault-style rifle barrel, ejection port and sights, the jury was told, while the lower receivers contain the trigger, pistol grip, the magazine well and the rifle stock. The jury was shown how the serial numbers on both firearms were defaced.

Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Gerard Gannon cut open the evidence bags containing the actual items and held them for the jury to inspect.

“Could these lower receivers be connected to the upper receivers we were just looking at?” prosecutor Madison Smyser asked.

“Yes, they could,” Gannon responded.

The search of Combs’ Miami home took an unusually large contingent of 80 to 90 agents “due to the size of the property and the security measures on the property,” testified Gannon, who led the search.

The 20,000-square-foot home at 2 Star Island is surrounded by walls and a gate in front, the jury was told, and features a main residence and a smaller guest house. Combs also owns the adjacent property, 1 Star Island, Gannon testified, but said federal agents did not search it.

Combs' Los Angeles and Miami homes were raided by federal agents in March 2024, according to authorities.

The jury saw a photo of the mangled front gate at the Miami property that Homeland Security Investigations used a special vehicle to break through, which Gannon described as “standard practice when conducting a search warrant.” The jury was also shown an image of the waterfront dock and pool.

On cross-examination, Hayes testified regarding a book he wrote about erectile dysfunction entitled “In Search of Freezer Meat" -- so titled, he said, because “what’s harder than freezer meat?” The remarked prompted a smattering of laughter in the courtroom.

Hayes testified that his book mentions his sexual encounters with Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura but does not name them, describing them instead as a “married, wealthy couple.”

Hayes also testified that he has danced semi-nude or clad in in a G-string for “hundreds of thousands of ladies” during a 30-year career as an exotic dancer, performances that sometimes included what he described as a “professional dry hump.” Hayes told the court that he began his career as an exotic dancer on Labor Day 1995 and noted that he has a “big anniversary” coming up.

“When you’re dry-humping all these ladies it’s a job, it’s not personal, right?” defense attorney Xavier Donaldson asked.

“Yes,” Hayes responded.

“You began to have feelings for Cassie, correct?” Donaldson asked.

“That is incorrect,” Hayes answered. Instead, he testified, he “felt special” because Ventura had selected him from among the male dancers available for the encounters.

“Most of what I do is more fun,” Hayes testified. “I’m not trying to turn anybody on. This was very sexually natured," he told the court, referring to the alleged sexual encounters with Ventura and Combs. "So, it was different from my exotic dancing performances.”

Hayes testified that part of his job was to understand how his clients felt during his performances. He told the court that he believed Ventura was comfortable with the sexual encounters between them.

“I didn’t get any cues there was any discomfort there,” Hayes testified.

“Because if you had gotten cues, you wouldn’t have done that, correct?” Donaldson asked.

“That is correct,” Hayes responded.

Federal prosecutors contend that Ventura was coerced into the so-called sexual "freak offs" under the alleged threat of violence or reputational harm from Combs.

“When you were performing oral sex on Cassie it appeared to you that she was enjoying herself, correct?” Donaldson asked.

“Yes,” Hayes replied.

After Sharay Hayes told the defense about one alleged “steamy” encounter with Cassie Ventura during which it appeared to him that she was “having a good time,” he told prosecutors on re-direct that her focus during the alleged session remained on Sean Combs.

“At other times you saw her wince?” prosecutor Meredith Foster asked.

“Yes,” Hayes answered. “At some of the directions.”

“And she would sigh?” Foster asked.

“Yes,” Hayes said. “There was a consistent awareness to Mr. Combs’ direction and his perception and desires during the moment.”

Hayes' testimony is now complete. The next witness is a federal agent. The jury also is expected to be shown some additional physical evidence.