Day 16 of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial kicks off today, with a woman who claims the music mogul dangled her over a 17th-story balcony set to testify today.
His ex-girlfriend is also expected to take to the stand either today or later this week. Jane, who is using a court-approved pseudonym, was allegedly sex-trafficked by the music mogul.
Forensic video expert Frank Piazza is also set to appear as a witness.
The music mogul is currently facing a number of serious charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied all allegations against him and has previously made several bail requests, which have been denied.
Bryana Bongolan invokes Fifth Amendment right not to self-incriminate
Witness Bongolan, who sued Diddy after he allegedly dangled her out of a 17th-story balcony, will be testifying under an immunity order like Eddy Garcia and George Kaplan.
The judge will sign the order compelling her to testify. She is set to take to the stand after forensic video expert Frank Piazza.
Judge makes ruling about Jane’s testimony
Judge Arun Subramanian has ruled that exhibits taken into evidence during Jane’s testimony won’t be shown on video in order to protect her identity.
Court in session
Who will be called to the witness stand next?
Forensic video expert Frank Piazza is expected to be the first witness called to the stand today. It will likely be focused on the CCTV footage from LA’s InterContinental Hotel in 2016, where Diddy was seen attacking Cassie by the lifts.
Fashion designer Bryana “Bana” Bongolan, who sued Diddy after he allegedly dangled her out of a 17th-story balcony, is set to testify.
Day 15 RECAP
It was an explosive start to proceedings on Tuesday as a woman was removed from court after screaming, “Diddy, these m*****f*****s laughing at you.” Judge Arun Subramanian also promptly banned a man for breaching a court order by referring to alleged victim Mia by her real name on YouTube.
Eddy Garcia, who worked at LA’s InterContinental Hotel in 2016, took to the stand and testified under an immunity order. Security footage obtained by CNN showed Diddy attacking Cassie Ventura at the hotel that year in front of the lift. He went on to claim that Diddy’s chief of staff Kristina Khorram pressed for footage of the incident. Garcia claims that Diddy himself personally asked for the video and feared it could “ruin him”.
He went on to allege that his boss agreed to give the music mogul the footage for $50,000.
Combs Enterprise’s former head of finance Derek Ferguson also testified in compliance with a subpoena. A jury was shown Diddy’s bank statements from December 2011, showing that his account transferred $20,000 to Cassie on December 14, the amount of $20,000 sent to his account from Broderick Ventura (Cassie’s dad) and then the same amount returned to Broderick’s account on December 17.
Ferguson also claimed while being cross-examined that he never saw anyone help Diddy commit crimes. He also claimed that Diddy’s employees were a “very close-knit group”.
The jury was then dismissed for the day.
