US rests case against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in sex-trafficking and racketeering trial | Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs

After greater than a month of testimony from over 30 witnesses, the federal government rested its case in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s federal sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial on Tuesday afternoon.Shortly after, the 55-year-old music mogul stood up on the protection desk and confirmed to the court docket that he wouldn’t be testifying on this case.“Is it your determination to not testify on this case?” the decide requested Combs.“That’s my determination, your honor,” Combs replied. “It’s solely my determination,” he added, noting that he had “totally” mentioned the difficulty along with his authorized staff.In a while Tuesday afternoon, Combs’s protection staff additionally rested its case with out calling any extra witnesses of their very own and as an alternative submitting a sequence of displays into proof .The jury could have Wednesday off and shutting arguments are anticipated to start on Thursday.Combs, who was arrested in September, has pleaded not responsible to at least one rely of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of intercourse trafficking and two counts of transportation to interact in prostitution, and has denied the fees in opposition to him.If convicted on all counts, he may withstand life in jail.Because the trial started greater than six weeks in the past, jurors have heard testimony from 34 witnesses, together with two of Combs’s former girlfriends, a number of of Combs’s former staff, male escorts, well-known figures resembling rapper Child Cudi and singer Daybreak Richard, in addition to varied legislation enforcement brokers and plenty of others.Prosecutors have alleged that, courting again to no less than 2004, Combs led an enterprise that was concerned in varied crimes together with intercourse trafficking, kidnapping, pressured labor, arson, bribery, enticement to interact in prostitution and obstruction of justice.The federal government alleges that Combs used violence, threats, cash, medication and energy to abuse and coerce ladies into collaborating in drug-fueled intercourse marathons with male escorts – known as “freak offs” – and that his staff aided in concealing his actions and defending Combs’s fame.A lot of the prosecution’s case has centered on testimony from two of Combs’s former girlfriends and alleged victims: singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a lady recognized as “Jane”.Each ladies alleged that they have been coerced into collaborating within the so-called “freak offs”, which they claimed Combs directed, watched, masturbated to and generally filmed.They each testified about cases the place Combs was violent and controlling, and claimed that he would generally threaten to launch express movies of them or minimize off their monetary help.One other girl, who was previously a private assistant to Combs, testified beneath the pseudonym “Mia” and alleged Combs bodily and sexually assaulted her throughout her employment.Combs’s attorneys have acknowledged previous incidents of home violence, however they’ve argued all through the trial that each one sexual encounters have been consensual and a part of a “swingers life-style”. In addition they preserve that no legal conspiracy exists.All through the trial, Combs’s attorneys carried out in depth cross-examinations of lots of the prosecution’s witnesses, typically highlighting inconsistencies of their accounts.This week, the final witness referred to as to the stand by the federal government was Joseph Cerciello, a particular agent with Homeland Safety Investigations.He testified about journey, lodge, cost and cellphone data associated to the investigation into Combs.The jury have been additionally proven a number of minutes of sexually express video associated to the case.If the schedule proceeds as deliberate, the jury may begin deliberating earlier than the top of the week. Info and help for anybody affected by rape or sexual abuse points is on the market from the next organizations. Within the US, Rainn provides help on 800-656-4673. Within the UK, Rape Disaster provides help on 0808 500 2222. In Australia, help is on the market at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Different worldwide helplines will be discovered at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html