The chances of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs testifying in federal court over his sex trafficking case in the United States all but disappeared Tuesday when his lawyer said the defense would take the stand in just two days and the judge indicated that jurors could begin deliberations as early as next week.
Defense attorney Mark Agnifilo hinted at this when Judge Arun Subramanian asked him how long the defense's case would take, and the attorney responded that it could take less than two days but no more than five.
If Combs had testified, it would likely have taken more than a week. Testimony from his two ex-partners took up two of the six weeks of the trial.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation and racketeering.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Comey said prosecutors will not rest until Wednesday or later than Friday morning.
The assessments came Tuesday after a judge expressed frustration with prosecutors and defense lawyers by revealing that information about a closed jury trial last week had been leaked to the press.
The judge said he believed someone in the closed courtroom had violated his secrecy order. In future, Judge Subramanian said, he would hold Ms. Comey and Mr. Agnifilo accountable for any mistakes, and any violations of his orders could result in criminal contempt of court “in the most serious form.”
“This is the only warning I will give,” he said.
Meanwhile, prosecutors on Tuesday continued to present evidence to jurors in the form of text messages, phone calls and hotel records supporting allegations that Combs ran a racketeering conspiracy in which he used his employees and associates, as well as his position in the hip-hop industry, to control and abuse women, including two of his former girlfriends.
Former partners Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane” told jurors that Combs used threats and monetary inducements to coerce them into participating in multi-day sex marathons, where Combs watched, directed and sometimes videotaped them interacting with men in the sex industry.
Defense attorneys argue that prosecutors are trying to criminalize consensual sex between adults by prosecuting Combs.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
