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The intercourse trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs received underway in a Manhattan courtroom immediately.
And as anticipated, the wild allegations started flying instantly.
In immediately’s opening argument, prosecutors outlined their case in opposition to the disgraced music mogul, highlighting among the most surprising accusations from his alleged victims.
Cassie and Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs aka Puff Daddy attend the “Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between” Costume Institute Gala at Metropolitan Museum of Artwork on Could 1, 2017 in New York Metropolis. (Picture by Mike Coppola/Getty Photos for Individuals.com)
Prosecutors talk about Diddy’s relationship with Cassie in opening arguments
Not surprisingly, most of the worst accounts stemmed from Diddy’s decade-long relationship with mannequin and R&B singer Cassie Ventura.
What began as an expert partnership between the musicians rapidly advanced right into a romantic relationship in 2007. Prosecutors acknowledged that Cassie “loved” Combs and “wanted to make him happy” by taking part in his notorious intercourse events often called “Freak-Offs.”
However in time, prosecutors declare, Combs started demanding increasingly more of Ventura, assaulting her if she took too lengthy within the lavatory or tried to go away the events early.
At one level, Diddy allegedly instructed a male prostitute to “urinate in” Cassie’s mouth, an act that made her really feel as if she had been “choking.”
Honoree Sean “Diddy” Combs attends the Pre-GRAMMY Gala and GRAMMY Salute to Business Icons Honoring Sean “Diddy” Combs on January 25, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Picture by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Photos for The Recording Academy)
Cassie is at present eight months pregnant along with her third baby. She’s one among greater than 20 witnesses prosecutors intend to name to the stand, and she or he’s anticipated to testify as early as Tuesday.
Cassie’s 2023 lawsuit in opposition to Diddy opened the door for extra accusers to come back ahead, ultimately resulting in his arrest and imprisonment.
Footage that exhibits Diddy assaulting Cassie in a lodge hall has been admitted into proof, however Diddy isn’t being tried for the assault.
Diddy attorneys say he’s responsible of home abuse, however not intercourse trafficking
Sean Combs attends the ‘Killing Them Softly’ Premiere throughout sixty fifth Annual Cannes Movie Competition at Palais des Festivals on Could 22, 2012 in Cannes, France. (Picture by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Photos)
Legal professionals for the defendant concede that Diddy is undeniably responsible of home violence, however they insist that he has by no means engaged in any kind of exercise that might be construed as intercourse trafficking.
“Domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” lawyer Teny Geragos instructed the jury.
At a pretrial listening to final month, Diddy lawyer Marc Agnifilo asserted that each one of Diddy’s sexual encounters had been consensual. Agnifilo argued that his shopper was a “swinger,” not a intercourse prison.
“There’s a lifestyle, call it swingers or whatever you will, that he thought was appropriate because it was common,” the lawyer mentioned.
“Many people think it’s appropriate because it’s common.”
Authorized specialists count on Diddy’s attorneys to insist that his actions — whereas morally reprehensible — weren’t unlawful.
They’re additionally anticipated to argue that Diddy was so incapacitated by medicine and alcohol that he couldn’t have dedicated the crimes of which he’s accused.
We’ll have additional updates on this growing story as new data turns into out there.
