Sean Combs Trial: Possible Juror Dismissal and Mogul’s ‘Threatening’ Voice Notes

See our coverage of the Sean Combs trial in its entirety.

In testimony during the fifth week of Sean Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial, the hip-hop mogul’s recent ex-girlfriend admitted that she still loved Combs but was still dealing with the “trauma” of their three-and-a-half-year relationship.

Under the alias “Jane,” the single mother testified that her brief romance with Combs in January 2021—supported by adorable nicknames, a lavish trip to Turks and Caicos, and quick declarations of love—devolved into “nightmares” after Combs was arrested last September.

Jane, who is regarded as Victim-2 in the Southern District of New York case against the 55-year-old, claimed that after engaging in what she thought was harmless “fantasy talk” about having an intimate relationship with another man in front of Combs for a few months, things quickly got out of hand.

“I genuinely thought that evening was like a can of worms in our relationship. During her first day on the stand, Jane testified, “It just really set the tone for our relationship going forward.”. It was merely a door that I couldn’t close for the rest of our relationship. “.”.

Jane stated that she felt compelled to “perform” in ecstasy-fueled sex marathons with several male escorts while Combs looked on starting in May 2021. Combs allegedly persisted in pressuring Jane into the sex even after she allegedly started to object to what she called “hotel nights,” claiming she was “not a porn star” and that she had “hit a wall.”.

Jane cried during her six days on the witness stand, which was the longest of any witness, including Combs’ longtime ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. When Combs’ defense lawyer Teny Geragos cross-examined her, she became irritable. He implied that Jane’s rage stemmed from jealousy of Combs’ extravagant island vacations, designer handbags, and time spent with his other girlfriends.

When Geragos inquired about the price of a Bottega Veneta handbag that Combs had given her, an irate Jane retorted, “How much does my body cost?”. By Friday afternoon, however, Jane had given Geragos and Assistant U hugs as she walked off the stage. S. Lawyer Comey, Maurene.

With Kanye West’s appearance, internet detectives discovering a surprising connection to Britney Spears, and continuous debate about the removal of a juror that might affect the jury’s decision, there was increased hype surrounding Jane’s testimony and what was going on outside the courtroom.

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These are the main points of the second week of the trial.

Will the Sixth Juror Be Rejected?

This week, a juror’s casual, amicable remark to court employees sent both parties into a tailspin as they argued over whether the juror could remain on the panel given doubts about his jurisdictional qualifications and contradictions in his statements.

His ability to serve on a New York jury would have been nullified when the 41-year-old male corrections officer casually mentioned that he had recently moved to New Jersey to live with his girlfriend. When it was brought before the court, U. A. The juror informed District Judge Arun Subramanian that “[the move] may not be permanent, but that is where I’ve been staying for the last couple of weeks” when he was called in for clarification. “”.

Following a lengthy pause during which Combs’ defense attorney and prosecutors discussed the case, the juror was asked more questions about his residency.

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According to Subramanian, the inconsistencies regarding his residence and roommates may call into question the proceedings’ integrity. According to Subramanian, “the worry is that there would be an appearance and a reasonable perception that the process may have been tainted; that there may be a juror on the jury who has an agenda, who wants to be here, and who is not going to be either able or willing to follow the rules,” even if we were to hear from the juror and have some explanation to reconcile the different answers.

According to Subramanian, the juror will be dismissed and instructed not to come back on Monday. However, Combs’ lawyer, Xavier Donaldson, fervently urged that the jury be given another chance to clarify the situation. Donaldson stated that the jury is incredibly diverse and that it would be “going backwards,” in his words, to remove juror six, who is Black. “”.

According to Subramanian, he would review the request and notify the parties if his position changed.

The crossover between Britney Spears and Kanye West.

Kanye West stormed into the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse on Friday morning, following days of frenzied speculation about a certain rapper attending the trial. Christian, the rapper’s youngest son, greeted him in all-white denim and escorted him to a rarely used room that was used to broadcast the day’s events.

The 48-year-old, who has spent the last few years entangled in his own scandal, watched a brief clip of Combs’ former assistant testifying regarding the setup for “King Nights.”. When news of his arrival quickly spread and people crowded into the room, West signaled to Christian that he was prepared to depart. West was there and out of the building in an hour.

This week, other famous names were mentioned besides West. When it was discovered that Combs’ business accountant is Robin Greenhill, a member of the same management team that collaborated with Spears during her contentious conservatorship from 2008 to 2021, Britney Spears was unintentionally brought into the conversation.

Spears claimed that Greenhill and Tri-Star, the company, were conspiring with her father, Jamie, to manipulate and keep an eye on her. Despite Spears’s estimated $60 million net worth, Greenhill was accused of “spying” on the singer and allegedly repeatedly turning down her requests for innocuous dinner purchases, like sushi.

It was during Jane’s testimony that Greenhill’s name first appeared. After a fight, Combs granted Jane a $10,000 monthly allowance, which she used for rent, as part of a “love contract.”. An email sent by Greenhill to Jane’s landlord in May 2023, verifying a wire transfer for rent, was presented to the jury.

In his testimony on Friday, Jonathan Perez, Combs’ former assistant, also brought up Greenhill, saying that he paid Tri Star reimbursement invoices and admitted that Greenhill was responsible for disbursing money to Combs and some of his team members.

The $1 million messages jurors won’t see.

Next week, the government is getting ready to conclude their case, and they tried to include some provocative text messages. There was a conversation between Combs, his longtime friend and security member D-Roc, and another security guard, Faheem Muhammad, who the government said was Combs’ chief financial officer… Muhammad was instructed by Combs to open his personal safe and manually count out $1,137,000 in cash. Assistant US Attorney Christy Slavik contended, “This is about the defendant’s access to the money that is used to aid his criminal conduct and his co-conspirators’ knowledge of that and their role in securing that money.”.

In October 2015, Combs had another conversation with his former head of security, whom staffers called Uncle Paulie, which prosecutors also emphasized. While the three of them were in Atlanta, Combs received a dire warning from Paulie regarding what appeared to be a violent incident involving Combs and his girlfriend Gina. According to photos, Combs was in town to host the afterparty for the BET Hip Hop Awards. ).

The long text message from Paulie included the following part: “If someone called the police, the police are 100% going to lock you.”. This is required by law, even if she begs them not to. Your life and career will end the moment they put you in handcuffs. Honestly, all over her, puff. Your family will suffer greatly, Puff. “”.

The judge, however, decided that neither exchange could be used as evidence, stating that the $1 million cash conversation was too biased and that the Gina message lacked the background information and context needed to be presented to the jury.

“Isn’t There Anyone Endangering You?” Combs’ voicemail to Jane.

After Jane backed out of a “freak-off” with multiple male escorts she had suggested to Combs during an ecstasy-induced night of “fantasy talk,” prosecutors played a number of voice notes that Combs had sent to Jane. Combs was enraged when Jane canceled on him, and he threw a litany of curse words at her, accusing her of playing “games.”. “.”.

Combs and Jane exchanged a number of messages in the days after the altercation, and in August 2023, Combs sent Jane a voice message. With a casual tone, Combs says, “Hey, I really don’t know what’s going on with you, but I just wanted to give you a heads up that I’m really about to disappear on you, do you feel me?”. “With you, I will not engage in these games. not at all. I don’t know—you believe that I’m a be, and you think that you’re silently treating me? No. It will be a rude awakening for you. All you’ll have is quiet. People aren’t threatening you. “.”.

After that, Combs continues, “You had better get on with your work. Me and you can be angry, we can argue, we can do anything we want.”. It is just that. You helped me get a job. “”.

In response to a question about what Combs meant when he advised Jane to start working on her “job,” she stated that she realized he was implying that she should keep having long sex sessions with male entertainers.

The mogul’s reference to Combs being on his “job” was interpreted by Jane as a jab at her for “taking care of me financially.”. In a “love contract” earlier that year, Combs promised to give Jane a $10,000 monthly allowance. Jane and prosecutors claimed that this voicemail was a part of a broader pattern in which Combs would always bring up his financial assistance during their arguments.

Weeks after claiming to be “committed to being a better man,” Combs allegedly attacks Jane.

There was a crisis on May 17, 2024, when one of Combs’ sons knocked on his door while Jane was lying in bed with him at his Miami mansion. CNN had just released a surveillance video showing him assaulting Ventura at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016.

Jane claimed to have observed Combs and his group as they swiftly planned and composed an apology statement. When I did it at the time, I was disgusted. In the since-deleted social media post, Combs stated, “I’m disgusted now.”. I made the decision to seek professional assistance. I started going to therapy and rehab. I had to beg for God’s grace and mercy. I’m very sorry. However, I’m determined to improve as a man every single day. I’m not pleading for your pardon. I’m sincerely sorry. “”.

But Jane reported experiencing similar violence on June 18, 2024, just a few weeks later. When Jane confronted Combs about her suspicions that he had been on vacation with another woman, Combs allegedly lost his temper during what was supposed to be a romantic dinner at her Los Angeles home.

After Jane threw glass objects at Combs and pushed his head into a marble countertop, Combs kicked down four locked doors to follow her around the house. He is accused of dragging Jane into the house by her hair, kicking her while she was curled into a ball, and repeatedly punching her in the head before choking her by the neck. Then, he allegedly made Jane take part in a freak-off that evening.

Next Week.

After calling over two dozen witnesses, the prosecution stated that they anticipate resting their case the following week. Combs’ former personal assistant, Brendan Paul, three summary witnesses, and a law enforcement official make up their final witnesses.

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In March 2024, Combs’ homes were raided simultaneously, and Paul was the only person taken into custody. Police claimed to have discovered drugs in Pauk’s luggage as Combs, his daughters, and his entourage boarded a private aircraft headed for the Caribbean. According to testimony from former assistants, Combs was expected to bring a variety of illegal substances with him. When Paul finished a drug diversion course, his case was eventually dropped.

As early as Friday, according to the defense, they plan to call their own witnesses. They haven’t disclosed who they plan to call.