Jurors in the Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal racketeering and sex-trafficking trial have heard from 19 witnesses so far.
Here are the latest developments on Day 11:
Mistrial motion denied: The defense moved for a mistrial, claiming prosecutorial misconduct, citing LAFD arson investigator Lance Jimenez’s testimony that fingerprint evidence taken from Kid Cudi’s home after a December 2011 trespassing incident was destroyed. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said the prosecution’s implications within that questioning were “outrageous.” Prosecutor Christy Slavik said a mistrial was “absolutely unwarranted.” Judge Arun Subramanian denied the mistrial motion and instructed the jury that “the questions regarding the destruction of the fingerprint cards and the answers given are irrelevant to this case and this defendant and are not to be considered by you.”
After the break, Jimenez returned to the stand and said he made multiple, unsuccessful attempts to make contact with Capricorn Clark and Cassie Ventura during his investigation within a couple of months after the January 2012 Kid Cudi car fire. He testified that after several calls to Clark, her brother answered and told the investigator to leave her alone. Jimenez also said he made contact with Ventura’s father, but he wasn’t helpful.
Celebrity stylist, Deonte Nash was the third witness to take the stand and said he was testifying under subpoena and did not want to be there. Nash testified he started working for Combs and Ventura around 2008, starting as an intern and later becoming a stylist. Nash testified that on multiple occasions, he heard Combs tell Ventura that he would “beat her a**.” Ventura would be “super emotional” after these incidents, he said. Other threats included not releasing Ventura’s music or threatening to get her parents fired from their jobs. The stylist also testified that all photos of Ventura’s outfits needed to be sent to Combs for approval.
