Prosecutors for Sean “Diddy” Combs indicated they had dropped some charges against him just days before the conclusion of the sex trafficking and assault trials. This information came to light in a letter filed with a judge on Tuesday.
The letter stated, “The government understands the court’s desire for streamlined instructions. With that in mind, it has proposed ways to simplify those instructions.” It continued by specifying that certain theories of responsibility, including attempts to lure under California and New York laws, arson in California, and issues related to promoting sex trafficking, would not be pursued.
The case against Diddy was described as being influenced by the testimony of Cathy Ventura, with legal teams preparing for the final discussions. After six weeks of testimony, both the prosecution and defense concluded their cases on Tuesday.
The defense did not call any witnesses, instead focusing on discrediting specific statements made during the trial. Attorney Alexandra Shapiro quickly sought an acquittal, arguing that the prosecution had failed to provide convincing evidence about the charges, stating, “At best, there is thin evidence that one of the other employees has participated. There is no evidence of what he believes is sex trafficking.”
Over the course of the trial, various testimonies came from Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, former employees, and other witnesses involved in the investigation. It was reported that prosecutors aimed to illustrate how criminal activities ran through Diddy’s business, Combs Global. Key testimony included allegations that Diddy’s personal assistant arranged hotel rooms for inappropriate encounters, while claims of drug use, including MDMA and cocaine, were also presented alongside allegations of forced sexual encounters involving male escorts.
Notably, Ventura, who was in a relationship with Diddy from 2007 to 2018, testified about being introduced to these encounters shortly after their relationship began.
The defense and prosecution are expected to finalize the judge’s instructions soon, with the case discussions possibly extending through Thursday and Friday. Jurors could start their deliberations around June 30.
