Sean "Diddy" Combs has decided against testifying in court during the seventh week of his sex trafficking trial. In an uncommon move, the rapper addressed the court, informing Judge Arun Subramanian of his choice not to take the stand. The judge then asked Combs to affirm his decision, clarifying that if he chose not to testify, "no adverse inference would be drawn." Combs affirmed, stating categorically, "We have deliberated thoroughly, and this is my decision. It is solely my choice, and I am making it."
Prior to confirming his decision, Combs, who has pled not guilty to charges encompassing sex trafficking, transportation for prostitution, racketeering conspiracy, and sex trafficking through force, fraud, or coercion, addressed another inquiry from the judge regarding his well-being. "I'm doing great, your honor," he told Subramanian, adding, "I wanted to express my gratitude; you're doing an exceptional job."
Although Combs will not be testifying, several individuals have taken the stand against him, including his ex-lover Cassie Ventura, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard, rapper Kid Cudi, and numerous personal employees since the trial commenced in mid-May. Ventura, a pivotal witness who welcomed her and husband Alex Fine's third child shortly after testifying, spent four days on the witness stand, elaborating on their decade-long, tumultuous on-and-off relationship. According to NBC News, she recounted "violent arguments" that often escalated to physical abuse and her involvement in the "freak offs" orchestrated by Combs.
"Sean exercised considerable control over my life," she testified, "encompassing my career, sex, and everything in between. I had little say in the matter; I was incredibly young and uncertain if his anger would escalate to violence or if he would even want to be with me."
Meanwhile, Kid Cudi (real name Scott Mescudi) testified over a week after Ventura, on May 22nd, alleging that Combs broke into his home after discovering his brief romance with Ventura in 2011, which both Cudi and Ventura claimed ended due to the threats against them. Mescudi, who was not home at the time of the break-in, detailed a chilling phone call he had with Combs.
"He said, 'What's up?' and I replied, 'Motherf--ker, are you in my house?' He responded, 'I am here waiting for you,'" testified the former "How to Make It in America" star.
In her subsequent testimony, Capricorn Clark, a former assistant to the Bad Boy Records founder, alleged that Combs intended to kill Mescudi the night of the break-in. "He just said, 'Get dressed, we’re going to kill Mescudi,'" Clark testified on May 27th. "I said, 'I don't want to go,' and he responded, 'I don’t give a f--k what you want to do.' He was livid, furious, and extremely angry with me. I had never witnessed anything like this before. I had never seen him come to my house, nor had I ever seen him with a weapon."
