Diddy's whisper to lawyer accidentally caught on courtroom mic following emotional testimony by Cassie
A courtroom mic awkwardly picked up what Diddy whispered to his lawyer amid an emotional testimony by Cassie.
In case you've missed it, the high-profile trial of Diddy, whose real name is Sean Combs, commenced on Monday (May 12) as he stands accused of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and racketeering among other criminal charges, all of which he denies.
This week, his former long-term partner, Cassandra 'Cassie' Ventura, took to the stand for three days where she lifted the lid on what allegedly went on at Combs' 'freak-off' sex parties and claimed she suffered physical violence at the hands of the rapper.
The defense then turned to cross-examine Ventura for her claims, as Combs' attorney Anna Estevao confronted the musician with intimate text messages the pair had sent to each other throughout the duration of their 11-year relationship.
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As she did so, Combs appeared to whisper something to the lawyer, which was awkwardly caught on a hot mic in the court.
The 55-year-old reportedly told Estevao he was 'proud' in a comment he appeared to believe would go under the radar in the New York courtroom, according to the Daily Mail.
The comment came as Estevao unearthed text messages that appeared to show Ventura loved her former boyfriend as the defense tries to suggest the 'freak-offs' were consensual.
While on the stand, Ventura had said she engaged in the alleged sex parties, which allegedly included her having sex with mostly male escorts, against her wishes, describing them as 'humiliating' while physically demanding.
In one horrifying incident, she told the court Combs instructed an escort to 'urinate' in her mouth, and later went on to say the parties caused an enormous physical toll on her body, ranging from 'painful' infections and mouth sores to frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs).
After the relationship ended, Ventura said she had PTSD and needed 'trauma therapy' due to the alleged abuse.
Cross-examining her on Thursday (May 15), Estevao read out a 2017 text message Ventura had allegedly sent to Combs which read: "Please don’t play victim. That’s all you wanted and that’s why I was upset. I love our FOs [freak-offs] when we both want it."
In another heated exchange, she asked: "You and Mr Combs were in love for 11 years, right?"
To which Ventura replied: "Yeah."
Estevao pressed: "You loved him?" to which Ventura said: "I did."
When she was asked if she believed the rapper had loved her, Ventura said: "Yes."
It was at this point where the three-time Grammys Award winner praised his attorney for the interrogation.
Among other notable parts from the courtroom were Ventura's claim that Combs was addicted to opiates and regularly used ecstasy, MDMA, and cocaine, recalling one incident at the Playboy Mansion in 2012 where she said he allegedly overdosed.
Ventura also told the court that Combs sometimes expressed concern for her own mental health and once suggested she see a doctor after noticing side effects from drug use.
UNILAD has previously contacted representatives for Combs and Ventura for comment.
The trial continues.
A timeline of events leading to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial
November 2023: Cassie Ventura files a civil lawsuit against Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Musician and Diddy's ex-partner, Cassie Ventura, filed a lawsuit accusing him of rape and years of abuse. She said he used his power to 'set the groundwork' for a 'manipulative and coercive romantic and sexual relationship'. The lawsuit was settled out of court the day after for an undisclosed amount.
February 2024: Another lawsuit filed
Music producer Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones filed a lawsuit alleging Combs 'sexually harassed, drugged and threatened him', as reported by NBC. Combs' lawyer Erica Wolff quickly fired back at Jones' claims saying: "Mr. Jones’s lawsuit is pure fiction — a shameless attempt to create media hype and extract a quick settlement."
March 25, 2024: Federal raids
Diddy's properties in LA, Miami and New York were raided by Homeland Security after they served search warrants in the early hours of the morning. The raid was in connection with a sex trafficking investigation - which is one of the charges Diddy is facing.
May 17, 2024: Assault video released
CNN released a video which showed Diddy attacking ex-partner Cassie Ventura in the hallway of a hotel. The video is said to be from 2016. The video mirrors the assault allegations Cassie made in her lawsuit against the disgraced music mogul.
May 19, 2024: Public apology
Diddy posted a video to his Instagram and Facebook accounts, apologising for the assault on Cassie. He said in part: "So difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, sometimes you got to do that. I was f**ked up.
"I mean I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses, my behaviour in that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video, I'm disgusted."
September 16, 2024: Federal arrest
Combs was arrested in Manhattan after a grand jury indicted him on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Diddy is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution, as reported by the BBC. These also include accusations of kidnapping and drugging his victims.
October 10, 2024: Trial date set
A federal judge set May 5, 2025, as the start date for Diddy's trial.
February 21, 2025: Diddy's defense Attorney quits
Anthony Ricco, one of Diddy's defense attorneys withdrew from the high profile case citing an inability to continue effectively representing him. He said at the time: "Under no circumstances can I continue to effectively serve as counsel for Sean Combs, consistent with the ABA Standards for Criminal Justice.
"While I am aware that the Local Rule requires that an application for withdrawal of counsel is supported and granted 'only upon a showing by affidavit or otherwise of satisfactory reasons for withdrawal,' there are sufficient reasons (related to the protections afforded by the attorney/client privilege) for brevity in my application for withdrawal as counsel in this case."
May 5, 2025: Trial begins
Jury selection commenced in Manhattan federal court, marking the official start of Diddy's trial.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org.
Topics: Diddy, Cassie Ventura, US News, Sex Trafficking, Crime, Court
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