Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: judge rules prosecution can’t call back psychologist in legal win for rapper
The social media influencer who was dating Sean “Diddy” Combs when he was arrested on sex trafficking charges has confessed she still loves the rapper who has scored an unexpected legal victory.
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The woman who claims she was brutally beaten and forced her to get drugged up and have sex with male escorts by Sean “Diddy” Combs said he used to declare he would “f*** or die trying.”
Teny Geragos, a defence attorney for Combs, began the cross-examining of accuser “Jane Doe” whose identity is protected, a day after she gave harrowing testimony for the prosecution.
The grilling of Combs’ former influencer girlfriend will likely last between two and three days.
Prosecutors have said Jane must be wrapped up by Thursday local time (Friday AEST) for a flight out of New York City.
Jurors first heard a March 2023 audio recording of Jane – Combs’ girlfriend until his arrest – telling the Bad Boy Records founder she wants to “f*** or die trying.”
Jane then explained to the jury she was referencing what Diddy said to her during a “hotel night” – aka “freak-off” – on their Turks and Caicos trip, from which they got back the day before.
“This was a quote from (Combs) from the night before where he says I’m gonna f*** or die trying,” Jane testified.
Meanwhile, the judge overseeing Combs’ trial ruled Tuesday local time (early Wednesday AEST) that the feds cannot call a psychologist back to the stand to explain why domestic violence victims stay with their abusers.
In a small legal win for the embattled hip-hop mogul, prosecutors will not get to have Dr Dawn Hughes testify about why Jane continued to date him even after his alleged brutal, hours-long beatdown of her in June 2024.
Judge Arun Subramanian announced the ruling from the bench in Manhattan federal court Tuesday morning.
Hughes testified earlier in the trial about the psychological impact of abuse in Combs’ relationship with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
She’s taken the stand at other high-profile sexual violence cases, including disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein’s Manhattan sex crimes retrial.
Combs, 55, is accused of using his fame, fortune and many businesses to run a decade-long scheme in which he controlled and manipulated his longtime girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, 38, and others including Jane using violence and threats, forcing them into the “freak-offs” that went on for days.
The rapper has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces life in prison if convicted.
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‘HOW MUCH DOES MY BODY COST?’: JANE FIRES UP
Jane had a spicy exchange with Combs’ lawyer Ms Geragos over designer handbags.
Ms Geragos grilled Jane about gifts Combs gave to her after Jane testified about being jealous when Combs bought other women expensive gifts.
“What is a Bottega bag?” Geragos asked Jane, implying that Combs had given her one.
“I’m sure you have one,” Jane quipped back.
Ms Geragos then asked her how much a Bottega bag costs.
“How much does my body cost?” Jane shot back.
Jane asked for a break shortly after the heated exchange.
Later, Ms Geragos began showing jurors droves of sexts the rapper’s former influencer girlfriend sent him in an apparent bid to undermine her testimony that she was victimised.
“What fantasy do you want to have,” the alleged victim wrote in one of the more tame messages.
RAPPER TOLD JANE HE WAS POLYAMOROUS
Combs was upfront with Jane that he was “dating” other women.
“What term did he use?” Combs’ lawyer Teny Geragos asked the witness.
“Polyamorous,” Jane responded.
Jane said she didn’t mind at first because she believed he was dating everyone “evenly.”
But then he started to go out in public with one woman and it “looked like a monogamous relationship” and that’s when things started bothering Jane, since she and Combs hadn’t come out publicly, she explained to the jury.
Jane explained to the court the “cuck” kink that the hip-hop mogul had.
She testified she researched the term – which is short for cuckold – because “I was just trying to deep-dive all the reasons why (cucks) derived so much pleasure watching their woman be with other men.”
She learned that cucks “could also have a lot of bicuriosity that they’re too ashamed to experience themselves, so they use the woman to venture out in this curiosity instead of actually doing the act themselves,” Jane told the jury.
Jane said Combs used the words “voyeurism” and “escapism” to explain what he liked.
But “I would use the word cuck for him, more so,” Jane testified.
Jane – who said she normally didn’t like having sex with anyone but Combs – said she had “good feelings” about her time with the rapper’s personal trainer Paul.
And Combs and Jane compared themselves and Paul to NBA players.
Jane was late baller Kobe Bryant, Combs was Michael Jordan and Paul was Shaquille O’Neal, Jane explained.
COMBS INTRODUCED JANE TO GOSPEL
Ms Gerago asked Jane to tell jurors some positive things that came out of her time dating Combs.
“Just giving me different perspective on life and introducing me to gospel,” Jane said.
She explained that Combs would tune into sermons on TV and the pair would watch them together and then talk about it.
JANE HAS IMMUNITY, STILL LOVES COMBS
Jane confirmed for the court she was testifying under the protection of an immunity deal with prosecutors.
The court heard that if she testifies truthfully, she can’t be prosecuted even if incriminating details emerge.
Jane has previously told jurors that on two occasions, she transported drugs for the Bad Boy Records founder from his California home to his Miami Beach house.
Jane told jurors that even as she is in court testifying against the hip-hop mogul, she still loves him.
The Bad Boy Records founder’s lawyer Ms Geragos said: “You love him currently.”
Jane responded, “Yes.”
Jane explained that she’s in therapy to learn more about why she kept going back to the I’ll Be Missing You rapper.
“I struggle with my ‘why,’ but it’s becoming more and more clear,” Jane testified.
Later, she added that at the end of a “freak-off” sex session with male prostitutes, she would then make love with Combs.
“That was truly the only reason why I endured these nights, so that at the end I could just have the love and affection with my partner.”
‘I PRAY FOR HIS CONTINUED HEALING’: JANE’S FINAL MESSAGE TO DIDDY
The prosecution wrapped up their questioning of star witness Jane on Monday local time.
The court heard Combs texted Jane just days before his bombshell arrest asking her for X-rated videos and for her to come see him in New York City.
Jane exchanged her final text conversation with Combs on September 9 – just five days before he was arrested.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey asked: “Did you end up going to New York to see him?”
“No,” Jane responded. “Because he was arrested.”
“How do you feel about Sean now?” prosecutor Maurene Comey asked the witness.
Jane let out a deep exhale before answering.
“I just pray for his continued healing and I pray for peace for him” she replied.
‘CHOKED ME’: DESCRIBES BEATING BY RAPPER
Diddy’s former partner described a vicious fight she got into with the rapper where he kicked in multiple locked doors and lifted her by the neck, choking her.
Jane described for jurors the romantic night at her home with Combs that turned dark and violent on June 18, 2024.
Jane admitted to kicking things off by calling Combs names, pushing his head onto the marble countertop and then throwing candles and glass at him before he launched a brutal, hours-long counter attack.
After losing it on Combs, Jane told the court she started to see that things were escalating she wanted to get away and started locking herself in various rooms, but the hip-hop mogul kicked in locked doors each time she hid in a new room, she testified.
Jane then made for the front door before “Sean kicked me from the back of my thigh and I fell down on my butt and then he picked me up in a chokehold and choked me.”
Jane says she managed to squirm free, run barefoot out of the house six blocks away and hide out for two hours before returning to the house only for Combs to resume the beating.
Combs kicked and punched his ex-girlfriend as she lay balled up on the ground, smacked her as she stood naked in the shower — and then demanded that she put on lingerie and high heels for a “freak-off,” she testified.
Jane told jurors that Combs brazenly told her to cover up her injuries including a black eye and two “golf ball sized” welts on her forehead.
“He said just put some make up on, put your hair to the side, you’ll be fine,” Jane recalled.
Afterwards, Combs told her, “just put some ice on it and put an outfit on,” she told jurors.
“He wanted me to put lingerie and high heels on,” Jane said.
“What did you do?” prosecutor Maurene Comey asked.
“I did that,” Jane replied.
Before the forced sex-session, the rapper pressured her to take an ecstasy pill, saying, “take this f***ing pill, you’re not gonna ruin my f***ing night” and then told her to start having sex with the escort – despite her objections.
COMBS IS FOOTING EX’S LEGAL BILL
Combs is still paying his influencer ex-girlfriend’s legal fees as she testifies against him, she told the court on Monday.
“Who has paid for the lawyer the whole time you’ve had that lawyer,” asked the prosecution, referring to the lawyer currently representing her.
“Sean,” replied Jane, who has testified that the rap mogul kept her financially beholden to him.
JANE WAS SLEEPING WITH RAPPER WHEN CASSIE VIDEO WENT PUBLIC
Jane was sleeping with the embattled mogul at his Miami home in May 2024 when CNN published the infamous footage of Combs brutally assaulting Cassie Ventura, jurors heard.
She said that one of the hip-hop producer’s adult sons knocked on their bedroom door to let them know that “something happened.”
She told jurors that she then went downstairs and watched the assault video on her phone.
Describing the day as “very eerie,” Jane said she recalled giving Combs “space” as he went into damage control, huddling up with his team and family.
“I just remember that they were just trying to come up with some sort of sincere apology post or something regarding the video,” she testified.
Jane said she was ultimately “disappointed” with Combs’ public apology he posted on his Instagram page.
“I felt there was no heart there,” she told jurors.
‘FREAK OFFS’ CONTINUED AFTER DIDDY RAIDED BY FEDS
Combs brazenly kept having “freak-offs” after the feds raided his homes in March 2024, according to testimony.
Jane testified that after the pair were on a break the hip-hop mogul wooed her back.
She ended up going on a few trips to Miami and Los Angeles in May, July and August 2024 where she got sucked back into more of the drugged-up sex marathons with male prostitutes for Combs’ pleasure.
COMBS AGREED TO PAY EX $A690K FOR ‘RESENTMENT’
Combs agreed to pay his influencer ex $450,000 ($A690k) in “reimbursement” for their relationship, according testimony.
“$150K ($A230k) to move on from resentment,” Jane texted him. “$100k ($A153k) per year.”
Jane told Combs she turned down work opportunities during her three years dating the hip-hop mogul and much of that time she was “high and coerced” to perform in sex marathons with male escorts for his pleasure.
Combs then called her and agreed to the $A690,000 demand, Jane testified.
“I remember he was saying ‘Charge me, charge me for your resentment. I don’t want any loose ends,’” Jane told the jury.
It was not immediately clear if Combs paid the money but Jane testified last week that her
$A15,000-monthly rent for a posh house was still being paid by him, per the terms of a “love contract.”
‘SIDE CHICK AND SEX WORKER IN MY OWN RELATIONSHIP’
The witness Jane testified she once texted the hip-hop mogul that she felt like a “sex worker” in their relationship.
“I became a side chick and sex worker in my own relationship,” Jane texted Combs in December 2023.
Jane told the court Combs once threatened to release their sex tapes to her baby daddy.
“You threatened to release my tapes and threatened to post them,” texts shown to the court read.
Jane explained to jurors what she meant by the text to Combs saying: “At the height of his anger he just said, ‘I’m just going to show your child’s father these tapes. I have nothing to lose.’”
‘IF ANYONE SAW THESE VIDEOS THEY’D SAY YOU WANTED IT’
Jane once texted him Combs “was consenting” to having sex with male escorts for his “freak-off” sex sessions.
Jurors have been shown dozens of messages in which Jane told Combs in 2023 that she didn’t want to take part in their “hotel nights” and that she felt he was simply using her for his sexual pleasure.
But in one text Jane sent Combs in the fall of 2023, she said: “I know I was consenting, like you say on tape.”
Prosecutor Maureen Comey asked Jane “Why did you say, ‘I know I was consenting?’”
“I picked the word up from (Combs.) He said, ‘If anyone saw these videos they’d say you wanted it.’”
Comey followed up by asking if it was true that Jane agreed to partake in the orchestrated sex marathons.
“I’m still trying to figure that out,” Jane told the jury.
But jurors also saw that Jane wrote on the note app on her phone that “I’m having real life PTSD from these nights and feeling extremely violated.”
‘I’M NOT A PORN STAR, I’M NOT AN ANIMAL’
Jane told the court she begged Combs to stop having drug-fuelled marathon sex sessions with her and male escorts declaring, “I’m not a porn star. I’m not an animal,” jurors heard Monday.
“Our experiences are desensitising sex for me,” the woman testifying under the alias “Jane” texted in another message during an October 2023 exchange.
“I need a break. I don’t want to do anything, I’ve hit a wall,” Jane continued over text.
“I can’t be used like this anymore. I just wanted to make you happy, but it’s creating a war inside me,” she added in another message to the Bad Boy Records founder.
Jane sobbed on the witness stand Monday morning while reading the texts.
“I was referring to not wanting to give my body to anybody else, period,” she testified.
‘USED AND LOCKED IN A ROOM TO PERFORM’
Combs demanded his influencer girlfriend send him X-rated videos while he was with another gal pal, according to Jane’s testimony on Monday local time.
Jane told the court she received messages from the Bad Boy Records founder pressuring her to send him videos of herself “being a bad girl.”
Jane – who is testifying anonymously under the pseudonym – said she got “upset” and pushed back against the request because the I’ll Be Missing You rapper was with another woman.
But Combs insisted anyway, saying, “Just do what I say please, I’m horny,” according to August 2023 messages shown to jurors.
“Stop it, don’t say no to me, please,” Combs wrote in a follow-up message.
The witness said she sent numerous text messages telling the hip-hop mogul she didn’t want to take part in “freak-offs” anymore.
“I don’t want to be used and locked in a room to perform and fulfil your fantasies,” Jane wrote in September 2023 texts to Combs.
“I’m coming to the realisation of what this really is.”
“I don’t want to feel obligated to keep performing these nights with you for the fear of losing the roof over my head,” Jane said in another message that month.
But the rapper completely glossed over her messages when he answered her in a voice message complaining about being “sick in bed.”
“This is a true open relationship, why do you have to make it a problem,” added a hoarse-voiced Combs.
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