NEW YORK CITY– NEW YORK CITY (AP)– Sean “Diddy” Combs “fully commited criminal activity after criminal activity” yet assumed his “popularity, riches and power” placed him over the legislation, a district attorney informed jurors Thursday as the hip-hop magnate’s sex trafficking test changed to shutting disagreements.
” That finishes currently,” Aide United State Lawyer Christy Slavik stated. “It’s time to locate the accused guilty.”
Combs, 55, rested with his head down as Slavik highlighted testimony and evidence from the seven-week trial that she stated shown sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy theory and various other fees. Using a sweatshirt and khakis, he occasionally doodled notes to his attorneys and trembled his head as Slavik played among his sound messages for the court.
” Over the last a number of weeks, you have actually found out a great deal regarding Sean Combs,” Slavik stated, releasing right into a virtually five-hour discussion. “He’s the leader of a criminal venture. He does not take no for a response. And currently you find out about lots of criminal offenses he dedicated with participants of his venture.”
Amongst the evidence, Slavik said, was proof that Combs abducted a staff member, was associated with establishing rap artist Child Cudi’s exchangeable ablaze, rewarded a resort guard and executed “ruthless criminal offenses at the heart of this situation.”
Combs “over and over required, endangered and adjusted” his ex-girlfriends Cassie and Jane right into “making love with companions for his very own home entertainment,” Slavik stated, her lectern straight before jurors.
The district attorney stated Combs required or pushed Cassie, whose genuine name is Casandra Ventura, and Jane, that affirmed under a pseudonym, to participate in dayslong sex marathons called “freak-offs” or “resort evenings” with medicines, physical violence, or by endangering monetary damage or the launch of video clip recordings of several of the numerous experiences.
” Up up until today, the accused had the ability to escape these criminal offenses,” Slavik stated.
Bookending the test’s begin, jurors once more saw now-infamous protection video footage of Combs striking, kicking and dragging Cassie at the Intercontinental Resort in Los Angeles in 2016 after she attempted to leave a freak-off with a male sex employee.
” He recognized precisely what he was doing. That is sex trafficking,” Slavik informed the court, including that Combs was “intentionally making use of pressure and browbeating to obtain Cassie back to that area where the companion was waiting.”
Slavik stated Combs “trusted silence and embarassment” to allow and lengthen his misuse. He utilized a “little military” of staff members, consisting of individual aides and bodyguards, to damage ladies and cover it up, she stated.
The concept of racketeering legislation is that “when somebody devotes criminal activity as component of a team, they’re a lot more effective and harmful,” Slavik stated. “The accused was an effective male, yet he came to be a lot more effective and harmful due to his internal circle, his services– the venture.”
Combs and his internal circle “fully commited numerous racketeering acts,” she stated.
Participants of Combs’ family members, consisting of numerous of his youngsters, seen from wood benches in the jam-packed court room. At one factor, he provided a green light.
Given that his apprehension at a Manhattan resort last September, Combs and his attorneys have actually urged he is innocent, though they acknowledged at test that residential physical violence took place.
Combs “was violent: physical, psychological, emotional, sexual assault,” Slavik stated. “The accused does not reject the misuse. They simply intend to call it ‘residential physical violence’ and assert it does not have anything to do with the criminal offenses billed.”
The protection will certainly provide its closing debate on Friday, complied with by a prosecution rebuttal debate. After That, Court Arun Subramanian stated, he will certainly advise jurors on the legislation prior to considerations start.
Combs’ attorneys developed their situation for pardon with extensive interrogations of federal government witnesses. Some affirmed just in action to subpoenas and urged they really did not intend to exist.
Combs’ attorneys compete there was no racketeering conspiracy theory due to the fact that no staff members consented to sign up with any kind of conspiracy theory.
In her closing, Slavik stated staff members consistently consented to devote criminal offenses for Combs, consisting of providing him medicines; accompanying him to abduct his individual aide; and securing Cassie in a resort area after he stomped on her face.
As Slavik returned consistently to the subject of Combs’ sex marathons, jurors saw a slide that stated “The Fanatic Offs” beside a picture of him laying on a bed bathed in traffic signal.
Slavik advised jurors of sms message and testament that revealed that the ladies really did not intend to get involved, consisting of one in which Jane informed Combs that she felt he offered her no option.
” It’s dark, base and makes me really feel ashamed with myself. I feel it’s the only factor you have me around and why you spend for your home,” Jane composed. “I do not intend to really feel required to do these evenings with you in anxiety of shedding the roof covering over my head.”
