NEW YORK (AP) — One other ex-girlfriend who says Sean “Diddy” Combs abused her and compelled her into drug-fueled intercourse marathons was anticipated to testify Thursday on the hip-hop mogul’s intercourse trafficking trial in New York.
The girl, utilizing the pseudonym “Jane,” is amongst a number of witnesses who accuse Combs of violence towards them, together with his former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. Cassie has testified Combs assaulted her quite a few instances and made her endure “hundreds” of sexual performances referred to as “ freak-offs ” that he allegedly watched and filmed.
Jane, a single mom, dated Combs for 3 years starting in 2020, about two years after his relationship with Cassie ended. Prosecutors mentioned Combs’ relationship with Jane started as a romance however quickly grew to become reliant on her freak-offs with male intercourse staff.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible to costs of working his enterprise empire as a racketeering enterprise that enabled and hid abuse of girls over twenty years. He faces 15 years to life if convicted.
Jane’s testimony will characteristic an added stage of secrecy to guard her privateness: TV screens that normally present courtroom reveals to the general public can be turned off. Choose Arun Subramanian agreed with prosecutors that the reveals, together with textual content messages and images, embrace figuring out details about Jane. Video and audio of the witness, the decide and attorneys will nonetheless be proven.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey mentioned redacted variations of the proof — with figuring out info eliminated — can be made public the day after the jury sees them. She mentioned Jane may also learn aloud any textual content messages entered as proof. Not like an earlier nameless witness, Jane has too many texts for same-day redaction, prosecutors mentioned.
Subramanian rejected a request by information organizations to delay the trial or rearrange witnesses to present prosecutors time for redactions. He warned observers to not describe or sketch Jane in a approach that would reveal her identification.
Testimony resumed Thursday morning with the protection persevering with to cross-examine Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, a good friend of Cassie.
Bongolan, a graphic designer, testified Wednesday that an offended Combs as soon as dangled her over a balcony of a Los Angeles high-rise condominium constructing for 10 to fifteen seconds. She says the 2016 episode traumatized her and left her with lasting nightmares. For a time afterward, she mentioned she would get up screaming.
Combs’ attorneys say Bongolan was a heavy drug consumer and should have been excessive through the alleged assault, which she denies. Bongolan has a pending lawsuit in opposition to Combs.
Protection legal professional Nicole Westmoreland pressed Bongolan on inconsistencies Thursday, suggesting she lied or exaggerated a few of her claims.
The lawyer mentioned Combs won’t have even been in Los Angeles when Bongolan alleges he dangled her from the balcony. Combs was acting on tour for many of September 2016, together with dates on the East Coast across the time cellphone metadata reveals she took footage of her alleged accidents.
“You agree that one person can’t be in two places at the same time,” Westmoreland requested.
Bongolan responded: “In like theory, yeah. It’s hard to answer that one.”
Questioned once more by prosecutors, Bongolan mentioned that whereas she doesn’t recall the precise date, she has little doubt that the balcony episode occurred.
The lawyer additionally elicited from Bongolan that Combs didn’t squeeze her breasts so onerous that they bruised through the balcony episode. Bongolan acknowledged that she fired the lawyer who made some misguided claims, together with about bruises to her breasts.
Bongolan additionally acknowledged she smoked marijuana with Combs not lengthy after the balcony episode, then went to certainly one of his concert events per week later and a non-public social gathering he held across the similar time.
“You weren’t too fearful enough to not go to Mr. Combs’ event, were you?” Westmoreland requested.
“I always had a feeling inside, but yes, I went,” Bongolan mentioned.
Bongolan additionally beforehand testified that she noticed Combs abusing Cassie.
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Related Press author Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
