Diddy trial recap: Judge threatened to remove Sean Combs for ‘unacceptable attempts’ to interact with jury
Long-awaited testimony of alleged Sean Combs sex-trafficking victim is expected after the defense wraps up its cross-examination of Cassie Ventura’s friend, Bryana Bongolan
Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to bar Sean “Diddy” Combs from the courtroom after he “vigorously nodded” at jurors during testimony on Thursday.
“Your client was looking at jurors and nodding vigorously,” Subramanian told Combs’s attorney. “This can't continue or I will give a limiting instruction you won't like, or other measures, including barring your client from the courtroom. Do you understand?”
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told the judge that it wouldn’t happen again. The incident followed further testimony from Cassie Ventura’s close friend, Bryana Bongolan, who testified Combs once dangled her over a 17th-floor balcony. The defense accused Bongolan of lying, which she rejected.
A woman named “Jane,” who is testifying under a pseudonym to protect her identity, was called to the stand on Thursday afternoon. Jane was in a relationship with Combs from 2021 to 2024, she said in court. Her testimony could last up to five days.
Combs is facing sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy charges. Combs was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged he threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires” between 2004 and 2024. Combs has denied any accusations of wrongdoing.
Judge lashes out at Diddy and threatens to boot him from the courtroom for ‘nodding vigorously’ at jury
Diddy dangled Cassie Ventura’s friend off 17th-floor apartment balcony, jury told
Diddy trial recap: Cassie’s longtime friend testifies about abuse and balcony fight with Combs that has left her traumatized
Diddy supporter dragged out of courtroom by cops after profanity-laden outburst
Bryana Bongolan has 'no doubt' Diddy dangled her over balcony
Prosecutors have begun re-direct questioning of Bryana Bongolan.
Attorney Madison Smyser asked Bongolan why she didn’t remember the exact date of the alleged incident and relied on a photo to recall it.
Bongolan responded: “Because it was a while ago.”
Smyser then asked: “Regardless of the exact date, do you have any doubt that Mr Combs held you up on that balcony on the 17th floor?”
“I have no doubt,” Bongolan replied.
Jury on break
Judge Arun Subramanian has dismissed the jury for a brief break.
Court will resume later this afternoon.
Judge threatens to kick Diddy out of court
Judge Subramanian threatened to kick Combs out of court for allegedly “nodding vigorously” at jurors.
Combs nodded and looked at the panel during recent testimony which is "absolutely unacceptable," Subramanian said, according to NBC News.
Subramanian asked defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo if this would happen again.
"No your honor, it's not going to happen again," Agnifilo replied.
Full story: Judge lashes out at Diddy and threatens to boot him from the courtroom for ‘nodding vigorously’ at jury
Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to remove Sean “Diddy” Combs from the courtroom for “nodding vigorously” at jurors during his sex trafficking trial.
Read the full story from The Independent’s Rhian Lubin:
Judge threatens to boot Diddy from court for interacting with jury
Tech analyst takes the stand
Enrique Santos, an investigative analyst with the U.S. Attorney's Office, is now on the stand.
Prosecution reveals text messages about balcony incident
Prosecutors showed the jury a picture of text messages from Cassie Ventura to Sean “Diddy” Combs’s chief of staff about the alleged balcony incident. The screenshot was taken on September 30, 2016, according to metadata.
Bryana Bongolan testified yesterday that Combs dangled her over a 17th-floor balcony on or around September 26.
“He came into my house while my friends were here and we were all sleeping and they woke me up because he was ringing the bell crazy at 3 a m. and when he came in I went to my room and he went at Bona choked her and then dangled her feet off the balcony,” Ventura’s text reads, according to CNN.
Earlier today, Combs’s attorney claimed Bongolan lied after she testified about the incident.
Who is Enrique Santos?
Enrique Santos is an investigative analyst with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Santos said he has worked for the office for 17 years and extracted data from more than 3,000 cell phones.
He’s testifying today about data extracted from Cassie Ventura’s phones.
Diddy's ex-girlfriend 'Jane' takes the stand
A woman testifying under the pseudonym “Jane” has taken the stand.
Jane said she was in a relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs from 2021 to 2024.
Jane met Diddy on Florida trip in 2020
“Jane” testified that she met Sean “Diddy” Combs on a girls’ trip in Miami, Florida in 2020.
There, she exchanged phone numbers with Combs. The music mogul hosted a pool party for Jane and her friends on their last day, she testified. There, Jane says he asked her out.
“I remember he was flirtatious, he was inviting me to Miami,” she testified.
Jane describes first date with Diddy
Jane described her first date with Sean “Diddy” Combs as “amazing” and called the music mogul “larger than life.”
Jane met him on a November 2020 Miami trip. She saw him again for their first date in January 2021, she testified.
Jane says she was “head over heels” for Combs.