Kanye West at court, says he's supporting Combs
Sean "Diddy" Combs is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.
This is week five of testimony in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
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Sean Combs trial reaches an end with mixed verdict
The highly anticipated trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached an end.
The jury found Sean Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious charge.
The jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura) and guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane").
He was found not guilty of both charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion in connection with Ventura and "Jane."
Combs was accused of being the ringleader of an alleged enterprise that "abused, threatened and coerced women" into prolonged, drug-fueled sexual orgies with male prostitutes, which he called "freak-offs," and then threatened them into silence. Combs has said that all of the sex was consensual and that while his relationships sometimes involved domestic violence, he wasn't engaged in trafficking.
Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said Combs was simply part of the swinger lifestyle and that he "vehemently denies the accusations made by the SDNY."
'Jane' answers defense questions about Combs' alleged sexual desires
Though she previously testified that Sean Combs made her feel “repulsed,” “disgusted,” “sleazy,” and like “an animal” and a “porn star,” "Jane" testified on cross-examination that she liked to “baby" Combs.
“Taking care of Mr. Combs was one of your favorite parts of your relationship?” defense attorney Teny Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“You liked that quality time with him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
“Because he was your partner and your lover and you wanted to take care of him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" told the jury.
“You really wanted to please him?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
"Jane," Combs' former girlfriend who's appearing under a pseudonym, testified that she began to research the lifestyle Combs appeared to be leading, “trying to figure out my relationship.”
She told the jury she came upon the word “cuck,” which she described as a “man who is in a relationship and is turned on by watching a woman have sex with another man.”
Geragos asked, “What did that word mean to you?”
"Jane" testified, “I was just like, 'this is spot-on.'”
"Jane" explained to the jury, “I was trying to deep-dive on all the reasons why they drew such pleasure watching their woman with other men.”
Combs has said all of the sex discussed at trial was consensual, and that the women who allegedly participated understood his desires and were not coerced, as prosecutors allege.
In her testimony, "Jane" agreed with Geragos that she was “OK” with being recorded having sex with male prostitutes and that she agreed to do certain things during those encounters because she wanted to make Combs happy.
The defense stressed moments in which they contended "Jane" appeared to have agency during the "hotel night” sexual encounters, such as forbidding escorts from using drugs and asking them to use condoms.
“There were instances when you did voice that you wanted something to end and he did listen?” Geragos asked.
“On rare occasions,” "Jane" testified.
Geragos reminded "Jane" of her previous testimony during which she called one male escort “repulsive” and dismissed another, an Italian man in New York to whom she was not attracted.
“He would say, ‘What else?’ And I would know what that meant,” "Jane" testified of Combs, recalling why she called preferred escorts after rejecting others.
The “hotel nights” regularly involved taking the drug ecstasy, "Jane" previously testified, saying "I feel that ecstasy made me feel extremely sexual and liberated and it helped me get through these nights with these men as well.”
Under cross-examination, "Jane" told the court that she and Combs would take ecstasy together at other times.
“It was not only when you were in hotel nights that you would take ecstasy, right?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" told the court.
Defense questions 'Jane' about her reaction towards other women involved with Combs
On a trip to Turks and Caicos early in her relationship with Sean Combs, "Jane" -- the former Combs girlfriend testifying under a pseudonym -- told the court that she had taken a large ecstasy pill and experienced an adverse reaction.
Defense attorney Teny Geragos asked if Combs’ chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, helped "Jane" through the incident.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified. “She turned on the shower and got me in the shower. Everybody was just kind of around and making sure I was OK.”
"Jane" also testified under cross-examination that she sought to secure the $10,000-per-month house in Los Angeles in which she lived in part to keep Combs' bodyguards from finding out about the alleged "hotel night" arranged sexual encounters with male prostitutes, suggesting they had no role in the arrangements.
"Jane" previously testified, as did other witnesses, that Combs’ assistants and bodyguards set up the rooms and arranged cash payments for encounter participants.
The defense also asserted that "Jane" was upset with Combs about more than having to participate in “hotel nights” with other men, and questioned "Jane" regarding how she felt about his many girlfriends and his alleged “polyamorous” lifestyle.
“What was hard for me was the imbalance in treatment,” "Jane" testified. “When I walked into the relationship I just thought he was dating. It was definitely difficult when it became a relationship that publicly looked monogamous.”
Geragos asked "Jane" about a time when she was departing at the end of a trip to the Bahamas and saw other women Combs had flown in.
“It was definitely something new to see. It was shocking,” "Jane" testified.
“And that hurt your feelings?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” Jane testified.
“Do you remember calling that woman some insults?” Geragos asked.
“Unfortunately,” "Jane" testified. “I feel very badly about this. And I really do love women. Back in the day I was very colorful with my words. I called them a 'ho'.”
'You are the crack pipe': Defense highlights affection in 'Jane's' relationship with Combs
After a trip to Turks and Caicos that the former Sean Combs girlfriend appearing under the pseudonym "Jane" previously testified she would not have attended had she known a male escort would show up, the jury heard a voice note "Jane" sent to Combs that said, “I had so, so, so much fun with you.”
Defense attorney Teny Geragos asked, “There were entertainers there?” referring to the male escorts.
“Unfortunately," "Jane" testified in response.
Geragos pointed out, “You’re saying, ‘I feel closer to you, I had so, so, so much fun?’”
"Jane" testified, “Yes, specifically you, meaning him.”
Geragos asked, “And you feel close to him on another level, right?”
“Yes," "Jane" told the court.
The voice note came in response to a voice note Combs had sent "Jane" in which the jury heard him saying, “You are the crack pipe. That’s my new name for you, crack pipe. Call you CP.”
The jury also saw a text from "Jane" expressing happiness with Combs after she signed a lease for a house that Combs funded.
“Thank you so, so, so, so much baby you have no idea how much this means I’m beyond grateful,” "Jane" wrote in the text message.
“At the end of the day you never believed he would withhold the rent?” Geragos asked.
“There were times,” "Jane" told the court in answer. “The rent was always a reminder.”
“Do you remember saying to the government that when he would use the rent as a tool that you would tell him ‘I’m not Cassie. I could make your life hell?’” Geragos asked.
“That was one argument,” "Jane" testified in response. “Towards the end."
'Jane' testifies about financial relationship with Combs: 'My ideal partner is a protector and a provider'
Sean Combs introduced "Jane" to gospel and his favorite pastor, made her more self-confident and invested $20,000 in her dress line, "Jane" testified under cross-examination.
“It was definitely something I appreciated,” testified "Jane," a former Combs girlfriend appearing under a pseudonym.
Defense attorney Teny Geragos questioned "Jane’s" direct testimony that alleged "hotel night" sexual encounters occupied her time and prevented her from working.
“A lot of my presence was focused on Combs and my child,” "Jane" testified. “I probably scratched 10% of my potential during those three years.”
Prior to her relationship with Combs, "Jane" told the court, she could make about $50,000 from being an Instagram influencer.
“You also received child support at the time?” Geragos asked.
“It was very minimal,” "Jane" told the court. “At the time it was around $4,700.”
“You were responsible for paying your own rent?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.
"Jane" testified that she agreed when Geragos asked if Combs wired her about $150,000 over the course of their relationship.
“I do find men who are successful attractive. As a woman, my ideal partner is a protector and a provider,” "Jane" testified.
Two years after their first “hotel night,” "Jane" testified, Combs started paying her $10,000 monthly rent. She agreed when Geragos asked her if part of the reason Combs paid her rent was to shift performances with male escorts from hotels to a private home.
“We had just done so many hotels and privacy was just starting to become an issue for me. If we got a home that was to his taste level we could just start doing them here in the privacy of our own home,” "Jane" testified.
“It was important that none of the general public knew about these nights, right?” Geragos asked.
“Yes,” "Jane" testified.