The sex-trafficking trial of Sean Combs (a.okay.a. Diddy) has performed host to testimonies from witnesses summoned by the prosecution. At current, the protection is getting ready to make its case, and one query that’s been floating round for some time is whether or not Combs himself would take the stand. Now, in line with stories, the 55-year-old rapper has determined to not present testimony throughout the trial. That information arrives as authorized consultants weigh in on the modifications to the Combs camp’s authorized technique.
It was reported late Tuesday that Diddy wouldn’t take the stand amid the courtroom proceedings. That info got here from a number of sources, none of whom supplied People with a concrete reply for the choice. Even earlier than the trial started, there was appreciable dialogue concerning the deserves of the “I’ll Be Lacking You” performer testifying or selecting to not. Fellow rapper Suge Knight asserted that Diddy ought to take the stand, as he believed that if he had been to take action and inform “the reality” he “would stroll.”
Sean Combs’ choice to chorus from giving testimony coincides together with his crew’s choice to change up the way it’ll current its case. Initially, Combs’ legal professionals requested as much as two weeks to share what they’ve. Nonetheless, they’ve now reportedly opted to put out their case over the course of 5 days. Nicole Brenecki, an legal professional based mostly in New York, spoke to Fox News concerning the shift in technique. Whereas sharing her take, Brenecki opined that the protection did so, partly, resulting from what it could understand as shortcomings within the prosecution’s work:
The protection can change the period of time allotted for his or her presentation of the case. This present change is probably going based mostly on the protection’s commentary of some weaknesses within the prosecution’s case. We now have to take into account that the burden of proof rests on the prosecution. On condition that the jurors can see the case as principally based mostly on testimony by disgruntled ex-girlfriends and ex-employees, they might not be inclined to convict Diddy of basically forming a prison enterprise to commit crimes throughout state traces, which is a abstract of the definitions of the crimes he’s accused of.
“Burden of proof” refers to how one explicit aspect should argue their case and lay out the information with a view to show their assertions to be true. With regards to the prosecution in Diddy’s case, they’ve relied on testimonies from individuals which were within the Grammy winner’s orbit over time. The rapper’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, testified that he subjected her to sexual acts that needed to be carried out with male escorts. Rapper Child Cudi additionally supplied testimony about alleged incidents involving arson and a house invasion. A pal of Ventura’s additionally claimed Diddy dangled her from a seventeenth flooring balcony.
Moreover, as a part of the prosecution’s case, particulars concerning Sean Combs’ Freak Off events have been shared in courtroom as has purported info on his Wild King Nights. Whether or not or not all of that and extra will instantly be addressed by Combs’ authorized crew is unclear. Nonetheless, one other legal professional based mostly in New York, David Schwartz, additionally tells Fox that there’s not as a lot stress on the protection as there may be on the prosecution:
The protection doesn’t must placed on a case in any respect. It’s as much as the prosecution to show their case past an inexpensive doubt, and the defendant will get each presumption of innocence. So, in lots of instances, the protection doesn’t placed on a case in any respect. By placing on no case or a brief case, the protection is emphasizing that the prosecution didn’t meet its burden. The very last thing you need to do as a protection legal professional is to shift the burden by placing on an extended case. The burden by no means shifts, however the longer the case the protection places on, the extra juries overlook concerning the burden, which is dangerous.
Diddy was arrested in September 2024 and charged with counts of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy by the feds. If he’s discovered responsible, he might resist life in jail. As the trial nears its sixth week, the prosecution is almost completed making its case. Time will inform how Diddy’s attorneys will proceed as soon as they’re given the ground and the way the music producer’s choice to not testify would possibly issue into that.
