Diddy trial recap: Ex-assistant ‘Mia’ reveals she has ‘complex PTSD’ while testifying about harrowing sexual abuse
Ex-Combs assistant faced aggressive questioning from mogul’s lawyers on Friday in Manhattan federal court
Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former assistant “Mia” told jurors that she suffered from “complex PTSD” as she returned to the stand Friday, closing out the third week of testimony in the music mogul’s sex trafficking trial.
Direct examination of Mia, a pseudonym given to protect her identity, began again after proceedings resumed inside Manhattan federal court, but she was later aggressively cross-examined by Combs’ lawyers who sought to discredit her claims using her own social media posts.
Mia, who worked for Combs for eight years, previously alleged that she was was forced to perform a sex act on Combs and, in another incident, was allegedly raped in the spare room of his Los Angeles home.
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.
The high-profile trial in New York has been ongoing for three weeks and attracted significant attention, including from President Donald Trump, who did not dismiss a potential pardon for Combs, should he be convicted, when asked by reporters at a press conference on Friday.
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Jurors dismissed for lunch
The jurors have been dismissed for a lunch break and will return at 1:15 p.m.
Mia’s cross-examination will continue then.
Recap: From inside the courtroom
The Independent’s Ariana Baio reports from inside the court room:
Diddy is wearing a grey sweater and black pants.
It’s obvious Mia is uncomfortable being even in the same courtroom as him. She hands her head, rarely picking it up even to look at prosecutors or defense attorneys.
She answers questions extremely softly when they have to do with abuse – often she stutters whenever talking about the sexual abuse.
During her testimony this morning, the word of the day was “terrified” – she reiterated it over and over again whenever they asked about her relationship with Diddy.
Court resumes
Court is back in session and the cross-examination of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant – who is being referred to by the pseudonym “Mia” – is continuing.
Trump doesn't rule out pardon for Diddy
Donald Trump did not rule out the possibility of giving a pardon to Sean “Diddy” Combs, as he took questions in the Oval Office on Friday.
“Nobody's asked, but I know people are thinking about it,” he said. “I think some people have been very close to asking.”
The president acknowledged that the trial was getting a “lot of coverage” but said he hadn’t been following “too closely.”
He added that he had not spoken to Combs “for years.”
“He used to really like me a lot,” Trump said. “I think when I ran for politics, sort of that relationship busted up, from what I read.
“I don't know, he didn't tell me that, but I'd read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden, you know, it's different. You become a much different person when you run for politics and you do what's right. I could do other things, and I'm sure he'd like me... so I don't know.”
He added: “I would certainly look at the facts if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me.”
Diddy allies are already angling for a pardon for embattled rap mogul from Trump, report says
Speaking of which...
Diddy allies are already trying to secure Trump pardon for rapper, report says
Watch: Trump speculates about possible Diddy pardon as rap mogul's trial continues in New York
Mia says she was 'young and manipulated' by Combs
In her testimony Mia said that having undergone therapy, she had realized that while working for Combs she had been: “I was young and manipulated and eager to survive.
“Nobody was there to say these things that were happening were wrong,” she told the court.
“There was nobody around us that ever even flinched at his behavior... I was always in trouble and I was always just trying to find a way not to be in trouble.”
Mia made Combs a scrapbook for his birthday
Mia told jurors how she made a scrapbook for Combs after a conversation where he told her, “I used to look at the world the way you did.”
She said it was hard to get a birthday present for somebody who has a lot of money, adding that she thought it would make him happy.
The book was later passed around to jurors.
Jury dismissed for the day
And with that, the jury has been dismissed and week three of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial is finished.
Lawyers are briefly going over some evidence disputes.
Diddy continues to get support from family
Diddy’s family members, especially his adult sons and mother, continue to show up in court for the disgraced mogul.
