{"id":168113,"date":"2025-05-13T22:56:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-13T22:56:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/13\/diddy-trial-opening-statements-biggest-takeaways\/"},"modified":"2025-05-13T22:56:07","modified_gmt":"2025-05-13T22:56:07","slug":"diddy-trial-opening-statements-biggest-takeaways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/13\/diddy-trial-opening-statements-biggest-takeaways\/","title":{"rendered":"Diddy Trial Opening Statements: Biggest Takeaways"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The trial of Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs<\/strong><\/a> began in New York City on May 5 following his September 2024 arrest<\/a> on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.<\/p>\n

The process began with jury selection, which was finalized on May 12 before opening arguments started that same day. Diddy, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied the allegations against him.<\/p>\n

The music mogul appeared in court as jury selection started, wearing a sweater over a white collared shirt with gray pants, per the Associated Press<\/a>. (Judge Arun Subramanian<\/strong> previously said that Diddy could wear casual clothing for the duration of the trial rather than his jail uniform.)<\/p>\n

Before voir dire (preliminary juror examinations) began, Diddy turned down a plea deal, which might have shortened his potential prison sentence if he agreed to plead guilty. When the judge asked him on May 1 if he rejected the prosecution\u2019s offer, Diddy replied, \u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Diddy was arrested last year after numerous accusers came forward with allegations of sexual assault. In November 2023, his ex-girlfriend Cassie<\/strong><\/a> filed a lawsuit against him, alleging that he sexually and physically abused her during their relationship, which lasted off and on from 2007 to 2018. Diddy denied her claims, and the duo settled out of court one day later.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Cassie Asks Judge to Stop Diddy\u2019s Subpoena Against Her Before Trial<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tCasandra \u201cCassie\u201d Ventura is one step closer to testifying against Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs in his upcoming trial. According to People, Cassie is prepared to testify in the rap mogul\u2019s federal trial that is expected to kick off on May 5. She will also be using her name to do so. Prosecutors stated in a motion [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

In May 2024, CNN published a surveillance video from 2016 that showed Diddy kicking and grabbing<\/a> Cassie, now 38, in a hotel. The rapper later apologized in an Instagram video, saying, \u201cMy behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. \u201cI was disgusted then when I did it. I\u2019m disgusted now. \u2026 I\u2019m not asking for forgiveness. I\u2019m truly sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n

In April, prosecutors filed a motion saying that the person mentioned in the indictment<\/a> under the alias \u201cVictim-1\u201d would be testifying under her own name. Multiple outlets reported at the time that \u201cVictim-1\u201d is Cassie, but she has not publicly confirmed her involvement in the trial.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling for daily updates from inside the courtroom:<\/p>\n

May 5<\/h3>\n

As jury selection began, the judge opened with a joke about Diddy\u2019s numerous nicknames and quipped that the list of potential jurors is as long as the famously extensive Lord of the Rings<\/em> novels.<\/p>\n

Us Weekly<\/em> can confirm several potential jurors said they had seen news reports<\/a> about the CNN video that showed Diddy hitting Cassie in 2016 while they were still dating. One woman described a still image from the video as \u201cdamning evidence\u201d and was removed from consideration.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Prosecutors Deny Leaking Diddy and Cassie Assault Video in New Court Docs<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tProsecutors in Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs\u2019 ongoing lawsuit have denied intentionally leaking footage of the disgraced rapper physically assaulting his now-ex Cassie in 2016. In court documents filed on Wednesday, October 30, and obtained by Us Weekly, prosecutors opposed Diddy\u2019s requests for a gag order related to the video. \u201cThe Court should deny the Leak Motion [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

At one point, Diddy also requested a bathroom break, per the AP, telling the judge, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, your honor, I\u2019m a little nervous today.\u201d<\/p>\n

Multiple celebrities were named as people who might be mentioned during the trial, and potential jurors were asked to say whether they were familiar with them. Some of the names mentioned were Michael B. Jordan,<\/strong>\u00a0Mike Myers<\/strong>, Kanye West<\/strong>,\u00a0Kid Cudi<\/strong> and Destiny\u2019s Child singer Michelle Williams<\/strong>, though it was not specified how they could be relevant to the proceedings.<\/p>\n

May 6<\/h3>\n

As jury selection continued, the judge revised his line of questioning about celebrities, asking potential jurors whether they \u201cpersonally know\u201d them rather than if they\u2019re just \u201cfamiliar\u201d with their names.<\/p>\n

Throughout the day, the judge expressed \u201cfrustration\u201d over receiving multiple prospective jurors with \u201cclear issues,\u201d leading to the dismissal of various people for a variety of reasons that included Crohn\u2019s disease, hearing problems and one woman who described herself as a \u201cvery sensitive person\u201d who once fainted at a teacher bringing up the topic of oral sex.<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Every Celebrity Mentioned During the Diddy Trial: Kanye West and More<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tAs the trial of Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs kicked off in New York City, observers were surprised to hear the names of numerous other celebrities mentioned during jury selection. When potential jurors were questioned starting Monday, May 5, they were asked about their familiarity with stars like Kanye West and former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

May 7<\/h3>\n

During jury selection, one potential juror explained the concept of doom-scrolling to the judge, who replied, \u201cI don\u2019t really use social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

May 9<\/h3>\n

Agnifilo said in court that the defense team plans to say Cassie was abusive toward Diddy during their relationship. \u201cI think we\u2019re probably going to refer to that as domestic violence,\u201d he told the court. The judge then indicated that he would decide on May 12 whether allegations of domestic violence will be admissible during the trial.<\/p>\n

Cassie\u2019s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

May 12<\/h3>\n

After the jury was finalized, both sides delivered their opening statements, which revealed that allegations by Cassie and an unnamed Jane Doe will be the focus of the case. \u201cThis is Sean Combs,\u201d Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson<\/strong> began. \u201cBut there is another side to him. A side that ran a criminal enterprise \u2026 but he didn\u2019t do it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The prosecution alleged that Diddy once \u201cbrutally\u201d beat Cassie after allegedly finding out she\u2019d been seeing another man and threatened her with videos of her having sex with other men. \u201cThat\u2019s not the only time he kidnapped someone,\u201d Johnson continued. \u201cThat\u2019s not the first girlfriend he sexually assaulted.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johnson went on to claim that Diddy\u2019s bodyguards and chief of staff \u201ccommitted crimes together, and they covered up those crimes,\u201d adding, \u201cThis case is not about a celebrity\u2019s private sexual choices.\u201d<\/p>\n

She later addressed Diddy\u2019s now-infamous freak offs, claiming they happened as often as once a week \u201cand took place over multiple days at a time.\u201d According to Johnson, Cassie once overdosed at a freak off where a sex worker urinated in her mouth. \u201cShe tried the first freak off because she loved the defendant and wanted to make him happy,\u201d the lawyer continued. Jane Doe, meanwhile, allegedly believed the freak off she attended was a \u201cone-time wild night.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tOpening statements have begun in Sean \u201cDiddy\u201d Combs\u2019 sex trafficking trial, and arguments by both sides revealed that allegations made by Cassie and an unnamed Jane Doe will be the primary focus of the trial. \u201cThis is Sean Combs,\u201d Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson began on Monday, May 12, after the jury was finalized. \u201cBut [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

After Johnson\u2019s statement, Diddy\u2019s attorney Teny Geragos<\/strong> presented the defense\u2019s opening argument, saying, \u201cSean Combs is a complicated man, but this is not a complicated case.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geragos claimed no witness will be able to back up the government\u2019s racketeering charges because there was no racketeering conspiracy, but she admitted that her client has a history of violence.<\/p>\n

\u201cSean Combs had a temper, and when he took drugs, he would get violent. My client is not proud of that,\u201d she said. \u201cWe take full responsibility that there is domestic violence in this case. Domestic violence is not sex trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that the jury will hear about Diddy\u2019s \u201clove of baby oil\u201d before saying, \u201cBut is that a federal crime? No.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geragos also addressed Cassie and Jane Doe\u2019s allegations, claiming, \u201cEvery witness in this case had free choice to make the choices they made.\u201d<\/p>\n

After opening statements, two different witnesses testified. The first, Israel Florez<\/strong>, a former security guard at the InterContinental Hotel in L.A., claimed he is the person who responded to a call<\/a> about the alleged incident between Cassie and Diddy that was captured on surveillance video in 2016 and published by CNN in 2024. Florez testified that he found Diddy in a \u201cdevilish state,\u201d while Cassie allegedly looked \u201cscared.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second witness, Daniel Phillip<\/strong>, claimed he was hired to have sex<\/a> with Cassie on multiple occasions while Diddy watched. Phillip claimed that he was paid anywhere from $700 to $5,000 or $6,000 to be intimate with Cassie while Diddy was present and \u201calways sitting in a corner masturbating.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phillip also claimed that Diddy recorded these alleged sexual encounters on his phone \u201conce or twice\u201d and took a photo of Phillip\u2019s driver\u2019s license. \u201cIt\u2019s just for insurance, just in case,\u201d Phillip alleged Diddy told him, adding, \u201cI understood it to [mean] that he was threatening me.\u201d<\/p>\n

May 13<\/h3>\n

The day began with details of the alleged and infamous freak off parties, with the prosecution claiming there would be approximately 10 bottles of baby oil used per party and the use of \u201cstrong smelling\u201d candles. Various escorts testified before Cassie took the stand. The singer began by describing her relationship with Diddy, claiming that it was marked by violence. She alleged that the rapper controlled \u201ca lot\u201d of her life, would videotape her during sexual encounters for \u201cblackmail\u201d and more.<\/p>\n

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