Warning: This article contains discussions of sexual harassment, which some readers may find distressing.
In the opening statements of the trial, the prosecution has laid out several accusations against Diddy, including a disturbing ‘urine’ act involving his former girlfriend, Cassie.
Sean Combs, known as Diddy, was arrested last September at the Park Hyatt hotel in Manhattan, New York. He faces charges of racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, all of which he denies.
Combs has been held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center for months leading up to his trial, which commenced on Monday, May 12. The prosecution has now presented their opening statements.
Assistant US Attorney Emily Johnson delivered the first statement, describing Combs as a ‘larger than life’ figure with a darker side.
She addressed the court, saying, “To the public, he was Puff Daddy or Diddy, portraying him as a ‘business icon’ and ‘larger than life’.
Jurors will hear about ’20 years of the defendant’s crimes’, Johnson informed the court.
She further alleged that Combs did not act alone. He reportedly had an ‘inner circle’ of employees who helped him commit these crimes and ‘cover them up’.
Combs is accused of committing ‘sex crimes, arson, bribery, and obstruction’, which were allegedly repeated ‘again and again.’
The trial will delve into the details of Diddy’s so-called ‘freak offs’ parties, which were briefly mentioned in the prosecution’s opening statements.
“Some of the details will be hard to hear. He used lies, drugs, threats, and violence to force and coerce first Cassie and later Jane to have sex with him in front of male escorts,” Johnson articulated in court. “He directed freak offs week after week, around the country and sometimes out of the country,” she added.
Johnson claimed that Cassie participated in one particular freak-off due to her feelings for him.
The prosecution conveyed to the jury: “She knew it was not something she wanted to do.”
One incident described involved her feeling as if she was choking after Combs allegedly ‘made an escort urinate into her mouth’.
Johnson stated that Cassie is willing to testify about the incident to the jury.
Johnson emphasized that this case ‘is not about a celebrity’s private sexual preferences’.
The prosecution accused the rapper of beginning his abuse of Cassie early in their relationship, forcing her to participate in ‘freak-off’ parties.
“Cassie tried her first freak off because she loved him and wanted to make him happy. If Cassie didn’t do what he wanted, the consequences were severe,” Johnson explained.
The rapper is accused of threatening to release footage of sexual acts involving Cassie, with allegations suggesting her ‘life and safety’ depended on his satisfaction.
Johnson also claimed in court that Combs referred to himself as a ‘king’, as part of the prosecution’s effort to depict his alleged behavior.
She stated: “He called himself the king and expected to be treated like one. He used his companies to manipulate women, forcing them with male escorts to have sex while he watched.
“He and his inner circle made sure he got everything he wanted.”
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), which is available 24/7. Alternatively, you can chat online at online.rainn.org