Key Points Summary: Diddy trial starts

• Diddy trial starts with graphic claims of abuse and racketeering
• Prosecutors allege two decades of violence, sex crimes, and blackmail
• Cassie expected to testify, video of 2016 assault to be shown
• Combs accused of paying $100K to hide beating evidence
• Jury shown “Freak Off” details involving escorts and drugs
• Defense claims consensual acts, pleads not guilty to five charges
• Judge calls trial a high-profile case with massive public attention

Sean “Diddy” Combs faced a packed New York courtroom Monday as his federal sex trafficking trial officially began. Prosecutors say Combs built a criminal empire around his hip-hop empire, orchestrating years of abuse, intimidation, and coercion.

Graphic Testimony From Day One

Opening statements launched with disturbing allegations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors they would see videos of Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie and a woman called “Jane” pretending to enjoy sex acts during drug-fueled events known as “Freak Offs.”

Johnson described brutal assaults, including one where Combs allegedly chased Jane through a house, slammed doors, choked her, and forced her to take ecstasy.

“He beat her until she was curled on the ground,” Johnson said. “Then he demanded she call an escort to replace herself.”

Prosecutors Say Diddy Paid to Hide Crimes

Prosecutors also claimed Combs paid $100,000 in cash to retrieve security footage of him assaulting Cassie in a 2016 hotel incident. That video, later aired on CNN, triggered a public apology.

Johnson said witnesses will testify that Combs used violence to control women. “Her livelihood depended on keeping him happy,” she said of Cassie.

The jury will also hear claims of blackmail, with Combs allegedly threatening to leak sex tapes if women disobeyed.

Jury to Hear About “Freak Off” Rituals

The trial centers on “Freak Offs” — parties Combs allegedly organized in hotels across the globe. Johnson said these events included escorts, drugs, and days-long sexual marathons, sometimes ending with IV treatment for exhausted women.

Combs allegedly forced women to perform for him and filmed the acts. His staff prepared rooms with specific lighting, linens, and supplies.

Cassie Set to Testify Early

Cassie, who settled a 2023 lawsuit against Combs, is expected to be a key witness. Johnson said she endured beatings for minor offenses — like leaving a party without permission.

She also alleged Combs once kidnapped an employee to help locate Cassie, then beat her when she was found.

Combs’ legal team, led by Marc Agnifilo, plans to argue the sex acts were consensual and that the government is twisting private behavior.

Trial Draws Huge Attention and Heavy Security

Crowds lined the block outside the Manhattan courthouse Monday morning. Inside, Combs wore a white sweater and nodded to supporters.

Twelve jurors and six alternates — their identities protected — were seated after final jury selection.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian warned them to ignore media coverage: “What you’ve seen outside the courtroom is not evidence.”

Defense Claims Jury Bias Overturned

Combs’ attorneys challenged the jury’s racial makeup, saying seven Black candidates were struck. But Subramanian ruled that the prosecution gave race-neutral reasons, including prior statements about Combs and potential conflicts of interest.

Some jurors had seen “Making the Band,” while one had a jailed relative who shot a cop. Another seemed eager to join despite financial hardship.

A-list Witnesses and Secret Recordings Ahead

Prosecutors will present four unnamed accusers. The jury will see edited surveillance footage of Combs beating Cassie, and possibly witness recordings from “Freak Offs.”

Combs allegedly tried to obstruct justice from jail by contacting potential witnesses and asking family members to influence public opinion.

If convicted, Combs faces a possible life sentence. The trial will last eight weeks.

Judge Subramanian, a Columbia Law grad appointed by President Biden, previously oversaw high-profile trials including those involving Ghislaine Maxwell.

This courtroom, with limited space for media, was also used in Donald Trump’s defamation case.

The spotlight now turns to testimony, where the prosecution will try to prove that “for 20 years, the defendant, with the help of his trusted inner circle, committed crime after crime.”

Jennifer Lopez is drawn into her ex-boyfriend Diddy’s explosive legal battle, more than two decades after their infamous 1999 club incident. As Diddy faces serious federal charges, his legal team is working hard to prevent any negative past events from entering the courtroom. One of these could involve Jennifer Lopez herself.

Diddy’s team is reportedly battling to exclude evidence from the trial related to his notorious 1999 shooting at a New York club.