CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses alleged assault and abuse.
The ongoing trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continues in New York City, with the disgraced rapper receiving a sharp warning from the judge this week after he was caught repeatedly nodding at jurors. Judge Arun Subramanian called the actions “absolutely unacceptable” and has threatened to remove the music mogul from court altogether.
In a dramatic turn of events on Thursday, Judge Subramanian scolded Combs for “looking at jurors and nodding vigorously” at least twice during testimony.
Combs apparently ogled jurors and made the head movements at them, while his defence lawyers were questioning his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura’s friend Bryana “Bana” Bongolan on the stand.
“It cannot happen again,” Subramanian said, per news.com.au.
He warned Combs and his defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo that, if Combs was caught doing it again, he would consider the last-resort measure of having Combs tossed from the courtroom.
“There should be no efforts whatsoever to have an interaction with this jury,” the judge added.
As reported by the publication, during earlier testimony, Combs tried to lock eyes with the panellists as they were being escorted out of the courtroom, though it didn’t appear he was successful. He was spotted nodding at other points and attempting to make eye contact with them.
The trial is expected to last eight weeks and is currently in the fourth week of testimony. (Source: Getty)
Appearing in court on Thursday, Bongolan resumed the testimony she began the previous day, where she discussed her friendship with Ventura and described an alleged 2016 incident in which Combs dangled her from a 17th floor balcony in LA before throwing her onto some balcony furniture, leaving her with bruises and pain in her leg and neck.
“He basically came up from behind me, lifted me up and hung me off the rail,” Bongolan told the Manhattan federal court, according to Page Six.
Bongolan — who is just over five feet tall — recounted trying to push herself back to safety as Combs shouted at her, and that she had “no idea then and no idea now” what provoked the alleged attack.
She testified she has experienced nightmares and paranoia since the incident.
Meanwhile, Combs’ lawyers challenged Bongolan’s credibility during cross-examination, claiming Combs was performing on the coast coast for much of September 2016 and that the incident could not have occurred when she said it did.
“I can’t agree with you,” Bongolan responded, per The Guardian. She added that while she couldn’t recall the exact date of the alleged incident, she “will never forget him holding me on that balcony”.
Combs is facing charges of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations against him.
Two of Combs’ alleged victims — including his longtime on-and-off girlfriend Ventura — have already given testimony about how Combs was physically violent toward them.
Another former girlfriend, testifying under the pseudonym “Jane”, took the stand on Thursday. She claimed they began dating in early 2021 and were still dating at the time of his arrest last September.
She claimed she was introduced to Combs’ sexual fantasies and “freak-offs” a few months into the relationship, and she agreed one night in May 2021 to make him happy. Within hours, she was in a hotel room as his assistants prepared the room for a so-called freak off.
As reported by The Guardian, she said a male escort arrived soon after, and she had sex with him while Combs watched and masturbated.
Jane told the court she repeatedly told Combs during the relationship that she only wanted to have sex with him, not other men, but he was dismissive of this. She also testified that she felt “obligated” to go through with it as he controlled many aspects of her life, including paying her rent.
Jane is expected to return to the stand to continue her testimony on Friday.
The trial is expected to last eight weeks and is currently in the fourth week of testimony.
Lead image: Getty
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