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I think the digital footprint associated with the Sean Combs case is massive, but also while it's ongoing there's new little tidbits, little nuggets that are being added to this massive collection of data on a daily basis.
The Combs sons walk into the courtroom and side note, I just thought this was kind of goofy, but Christian King Combs had Instagram storied and it's him in the van with his brothers listening to music while they're headed to court and in the - which is already kind of a crazy thing but that's okay, in the corner of this Instagram story However, are the words one word early and a bird emoji early bird, okay?
I don't know if he's trying to say early bird gets the worm.
I don't know what he's early for because he was very late to court, they're pretty late to court almost every single day, so I don't know what the early bird is.
Wait so they show up like in the middle?
Yeah sometimes the witness is already testifying and they'll show up.
Oh. So I'm not entirely sure what the bird was for but nevertheless Nobody in the courtroom is thinking about that because there have just been too many crazy things.
This feels like the least of everybody's worries.
Another morning more recently another disturbance takes place inside the courtroom.
And I feel like I was telling you guys a lot of strange things have been happening in the courthouse.
And this is just another one of them, okay.
So every single day Diddy has four US Marshals that sit around him watching his every single move.
Before he even gets into the courtroom the martial that we've nicknamed Messi because he is truly like the spitting image of Messi, the soccer player.
He goes in and he sweeps his hand all through Diddy's chair.
It's like one of those wooden leather cushioned chairs with armrests, nothing special, but he will lift it up, scope it out under, he'll touch all the legs, he'll push on the cushion, he'll swipe the cushion with his hands on all sides.
He's looking for hidden contraband weapons, anything abnormal, and they never find anything of course but they've also never really put their hands on Diddy until that day.
So sure, the marshals they might give him like a fist bump or two depending on the mood that Diddy's in.
Sometimes Diddy will even hand Messi a post -it note and a few nods will be exchanged I think he's probably asking for the bathroom or something.
Diddy is escorted in on this particular day, the judge then comes out and sits on the bench, everybody instinctively stands.
Judge Arun. Father Arun.
Humble. He says, please be seated.
I don't think he likes when people stand for him.
I think it's a thing that you have to do, and I think he's accepted.
It's part of the process, but he preferably doesn't like it.
Like with his energy?
His, he's always like, please, please be seated.
Unless you'd like to stand?
Yeah. I think it's just very formal and he just wants to get straight into business.
So he's already Let's start with GX10C114.
It's 8 .30. Usually it's about 30 minutes before the jurors are escorted in, so the prosecutors and the defense, this is when they argue.
This is like when the lawyer Olympics come out and they are arguing their case, they're pleading their case and the judge is like, I'm sick of every single person in this room.
When all of a sudden, as they're discussing all of this, you just hear screaming, It's not fair, Diddy.
They are making fun of you in every courtroom.
A woman is standing up and yelling from the last pew of the public section at everyone in the court room, the prosecutors, the defense, all the clerks in the bullpen.
They rub their neck.
They're like 180 degrees.
They whip their neck around to the back of the gallery where the yelling is coming from.
Everyone, except Diddy's marshals.
They're on their feet, shot up out of their seats.
They're putting their bodies between Diddy, who's also turned around in his chair staring at this woman, and they're just trying to block him.
I don't think they're necessarily protecting him because Messi does have his hand on Diddy's shoulder As in like don't try to get up don't try to do anything like no swift movements at this point There are now three courtroom officers in uniform with badges with bulletproof vests.
All of them are retired NYPD So the court officers they were like the bulletproof vest and everything officer is yes his officer.
Oh, yeah Yeah. Oh, yeah, so the marshall's on the contrary.
They're always in suits Oh Oh, they're in like fitted suits and they're pretty, pretty in shape.
OK, not that the court officers are not, but like they have different attire.
And I think I think the vest are a lot more intense, for sure.
They're next to this woman.
And when she first stood up and started yelling, I think, you know, I think Officer his main thing is everybody's here for a reason and he tries to keep it as peaceful as possible.
So I think that they could have been more forceful with her, but they're trying to deescalate the situation with the least amount of resistance that is already being caused.
But this woman has decided, no, maybe they're being too soft because, that's what she's thinking, not me, but she has now upgraded to profanity, she has planted her feet in the middle aisle and her body weight is leaning back away from the three officers who are trying to now grab at her because now she's escalating it.
They were trying to be polite, they were trying to be like, okay, let's get out of the courtroom.
Even a few journalists who are sitting close to her got up and moved because it's starting to feel a little dangerous, a little stressful, especially because she starts screaming, Take out your gun, take out your gun.
Wait, so she went straight from, what did she say beginning?
She said, They're making fun of you, this is unfair.
To Diddy, right? Yeah.
And he just go straight to take out your gun?
Yeah. The marshal has a hand on Diddy shoulder just to make sure nothing happens.
She's yelling this at the uniformed officers that are now like, okay, we should probably escalate.
Judge Arun, who has never once addressed the gallery, like never.
Okay, so defense attorneys, sometimes they'll walk in, they'll scan over the pews, see who's all here.
Sometimes, I'll even make small talk like, they'll open the bathroom door for you and they're kind.
The prosecutors, same thing, Judge Arun, we don't exist to him at all.
Anyone that's not the attorney, the defendants or the jurors or the witnesses, we do not exist. I mean, he'll talk to the court staff, he'll talk to the court officers and the US marshals, but everybody else, the public, the press, Diddy's friends and family, we don't exist. There has never even been a look over the pews.
There has been nothing.
This is the very first time.
He looks into the gallery past everybody.
Please escort her out of this courtroom now.
And his voice is clear, it is firm, there is no panic, there's nothing.
He's like actually staring daggers at the gallery.
He's like staring at this woman Like you guys need to get this woman out of my courtroom So the officers escort her out and then judge Arun instantly goes back to business That's it.
She walked out. She walked out.
She did a few interviews outside It seems you know, I have a whole backstory.
Okay, but it appears that in the interview She's saying that it's unfair that they are smearing a black man's legacy and that they're doing this and she's saying He's perfection did he is perfection.
This is a black man's legacy that people are laughing at it appears that she was perhaps in the Overflow rooms for the whole trial.
I this is the first time we've seen her in the actual courtroom But I have seen her since like the first day now I'm sure in the overflow rooms. They're making more comments because the overflow rooms. It's a TV.
It's a screen. There's no judge They have court officers in there but it's not disruptive.
If you talk in there, the jurors don't hear it.
It's not as intense in terms of court rules.
So I have heard from other members of the press, like, sometimes they prefer the overflow rooms because if they can't hear something, they can literally, hey, did you get what they just said?
Whereas in the main courtroom, you cannot speak.
So, I've heard some of that.
So maybe she's heard people giggling in the overflow rooms. Maybe they have been making comments about the defendant.
I'm not entirely sure, but she's saying that they're making fun of you.
They're smearing a black man's legacy.
Now, these have now gone viral on TikTok, these little interviews, and people are commenting.
It's not about race.
Some people are saying, oh, okay, so he's perfection, but what about SA?
What about domestic violence?
And what's so interesting is, side note, there is a sketch about her.
The sketch artist, like instantly as this is happening, you just hear like frantic, you know how I tell you, when they get really excited, it's like you just hear the noise of the sketch?
Yeah, they sketched her.
Now I will say when she was in the main courtroom, she had a scarf around her head, not for religious reasons, but because she's actually not allowed in the courtroom, apparently, she was trying to conceal her identity and made it to the 26th floor into the courtroom.
And now Diddy was all the way leaned to the side.
His family has not arrived yet.
and he just seemed intrigued by this woman.
And so were we! Because we saw this woman on the very first day.
Like this is during jury selection, and I recall this.
We see her outside of the courthouse as we're lining up to go into jury selection days to get into the courthouse and she is wearing a uniform.
It's an MTA uniform for the transit system in New York.
Now another reporter starts talking to her and asking her questions about like, what are you doing here?
Because you're not part of the press.
so like, what made you want to spend your day in the courthouse listening to this specific case and it's jury selection?
Like we, we're not even in opening statements.
Like what's the reason?
Like you must have a very strong reason.
Do you know anyone that's involved in the case?
And she was explaining that she also had very tough life experiences and she can relate to some of the people in this case and she's hinting at the fact that she has maybe perhaps lived through domestic violence.
And so I actually thought it was this moment of, Oh wow, this is a very interesting moment where people are coming out not even because they know the people are the victims involved or the witnesses involved they Support people who have gone through similar things Because yes, he's innocent until proven guilty.
However the domestic violence.
It's on video. It's pretty hard to say anything, right?
I thought she was here to support the victims and Take a stance against domestic violence and then I didn't see her around I mean I kinda saw her here and there, but like the feeling was the very first day I heard her share her story.
Like it was that feeling consistently.
And then as the weeks go by, recently a few days ago, she was causing a bit of a ruckus outside on the line.
So when we got separated into public and press, she was, all I heard was something about YouTubers and Gene Deal.
Cause there's a lot of content creators in the public side, and so she's mainly interacting with them.
And I think she was like getting into a fight with a content creator.
I'm not entirely sure.
I tried to stay out of it.
I literally went, Oh, and then I looked away because I'm like, okay, I need to stay in my own lane.
You said there's always something going on.
There's always a fight.
There's always a fight and it's multiple fights going on at the same time.
Yeah. I will say like to the people in the public line that are standing in that line, just so that they can get the good coverage so that they can get in the courtroom without any problems. I have so much respect for them because that public line, I saw a comment that was like it's like the Fortnite lobby.
It feels like that.
I mean, the main line feels like that but then once they split it up into public and press, it's like usually a lot of commotion in the public line, and so people who are going through the public line just to be able to sit in on this trial.
I don't know how they're doing it.
It's so intense. There's always a fight.
I don't know what happened because the first few times I've seen her she seemed so pleasant and then all of a sudden it's just very different I'm just very confused and so all the press and the public they want to know does Diddy know her because there have been rumors swirling around that perhaps Diddy is I Mean these are some darker rumors that perhaps Diddy is trying to buy witnesses by jurors Maybe even by Diddy supporters to infiltrate not only the public but also maybe the press So there's been all these rumors swirling around And I don't know what he would get out of this incident though.
Yeah, so you don't know if he was involved.
If I had to take my most cynical—because I mean, I do enjoy being conspiratorial at times—but if I had to be the most reasonable, I don't think that he played any role in this.
But I do think this trial is bringing out a lot of interesting people.
And I'm just so confused.
The only thing that confuses me, and a few other members of the press is, her attitude shift throughout the weeks is so drastic.
We're just confused by it.
What are your thoughts?
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A few disclaimers before we get started.
There are mentions of physical assault, as well as essay.
Many of the quotes and statements included have been shortened and condensed for brevity.
To cover ourselves legally, you guys know the drill, Sean Combs is presumed innocent until proven guilty and that has yet to occur at the time of this episodes release.
So the burden of proof lies within the government.
Any descriptions or observations regarding Mr. Combs' legal team, the court, and or the public during the trial were personally noted by myself or my other 2 researchers who are present in the main courtroom.
They should not be used as definitive source to determine guilt or innocence.
So with that being said, let's get started.
I think Michael B. Jordan just wants one day without reading about him being mentioned in Sean Coan's criminal trial.
I think that would literally make Michael B.
Jordan's entire week.
Cassie's best friend and former stylist, he takes the stand.
And he is asked about Michael B.
Jordan by Diddy's attorney, Xavier Donaldson.
Because remember, while Cassie was in South Africa shooting a movie, She starts talking to Michael B.
Jordan and because of that his name has come up so many times during the entirety of this trial and it's still ongoing.
Donaldson asks Cassie's best friend, Cassie was in South Africa right?
Correct. And she was doing, what was she doing in South Africa?
Shooting a movie? And she was shooting this movie as she was still signed to bad boy correct?
Correct. And what was the movie honey?
And so, as an artist signed with a bad boy she was not only doing music but she was also getting movie deals, correct?
Mmhmm. She was able to do that sometimes.
And it just seems like a very round about conversation.
So, I mean, I guess, right, I'm asking yes or no. Mmhmm.
Was she able to do movies while she was an artist signed with a bad boy?
Sometimes, yes. In 2015, this is one of those times that she was allowed to do a movie, correct?
Correct. And in order for her to be allowed to do that movie, Mr. Combs, as the owner of Bad Boy, had to sign off on that, correct?
Correct. So to button that, Mr. Combs signed off on a contract to allow Cassie to do a movie, correct?
Correct. Mr. Donaldson?
The witness is saying, Mr. Donaldson?
Asking a question. Mm -hmm.
Yes, sir? Donaldson is now responding.
Yes, sir. Can you just drive it home?
Because yes, I did hook her up with Michael B.
Jordan. I know where this is going, but no, no, no, no, no. And it feels like the two of them just start bickering in front of - Wait, who's saying no, no, no, no, no?
The witness. He's like, no, no, no, no, no. Well, the entire courtroom is watching and wondering what the hell is happening right now.
So, Mr. Nash, you hooked her up with Michael B.
Jordan, right? Indeed.
He's fine. She's fine.
I mean, why not? Some of the jurors start smirking.
Others are turning to each other and their mouthing, woo.
Like they're literally doing that with their mouth.
Even Brian Steel is sitting there giggling with this goofy boy scout grin as they say.
That's how they describe his smile.
The only person not amused in the entirety of this is Sean Combs because he is not having a good day.
First of all, Cassie's best friend is very likable on the stand.
He's won the jurors over.
where everybody's giggling non -stop in the courtroom during his testimony.
He is just laying it down.
He's not getting bullied by the defense.
This is Deionte, right?
Yeah, Deionte Nash.
And on top of that, Sean Combs's move for a mistrial was just denied prior to all of this.
Alexandra Shapiro is a very interesting attorney on Sean Combs's defense team.
She was a clerk for Justice Ginsburg, similar to Judge Arune, but not at the same time, like I've mentioned.
I don't think their paths have ever crossed.
She was a prosecutor for the U .S. Attorney's Office in SDNY, the same district that they're in right now fighting for Sean Combs.
She's worked in the criminal division for five years.
Then she went on to join an international law firm to work on white collar crime.
She low -key loves defending an alleged insider trader, and I say that with fear coursing through my bones, because these are very serious people who would probably eat me for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The reason that she's on Sean Combs' team, though, is very interesting.
She's actually known for her work in appeals.
That's her main focus.
She's even said in an interview, I usually get retained after somebody else lost the trial, but I do sometimes get involved at the trial level as well.
She basically states it is critical if a client has the resources, a .k .a.
just money, if they have the money, to have someone with appellate experience during the trial.
She states, quote, One of the most frustrating things for me as an appellate lawyer is to find that something important wasn't preserved during the trial.
It's totally understandable because trial lawyers are in the heat of the battle and focused on contesting the government's account of the facts, which means her being added to this defense team, being present during the entirety of the trial, she's probably there just to focus on procedural compliance and the application of the law as a whole.
I don't even think she's there for the fact finding of the actual case or jury persuasion Like the other trial attorneys.
I mean, that might change as the trial ramps up, but I highly doubt it.
It seems like she is here to make sure that the trial is running to the letter of the law.
And if it's not, and if it's not running to the letter of the law in a way that benefits their client, then they need to swiftly take care of it.
Of course all in favor for Sean Combs.
She's not the judge.
It's not like she's there just for the pure idea of making sure each trial is just and fair, legally speaking.
She's there to make sure absolutely everything is in legal compliance so that if there is a verdict that is perhaps unfavorable It is likely that she will start on the appeal if not already because who knows So usually attorneys that focus on appeals They really only enter the conversation after the verdict But when you have that much money hundreds of millions of dollars at your disposal, I mean, why not get her started right now?
Basically, Alexandra Shapiro is there to consider all of these things, which is likely why we don't see her doing cross examinations.
Her husband did come in and do a cross examination.
He was recently retained.
Yes. And he recently did a cross examination of Dr. Hughes, which is uh, she's a forensic psychologist and I will say nothing that notable came out of the actual testimony itself.
The defense kept trying to get the whole testimony thrown out.
The judge did not go for that.
However, the cross -examination by Alexandra Shapiro's husband was very intense.
He was kind of aggressive.
Well, kind of is nice.
He was very aggressive.
Very aggressive. And it wasn't well perceived.
Yeah, it was not well perceived.
It was over -aggressive for what?
yeah it's kind of like I think it's similar to when teni garragost does a lot of the crosses on law enforcement I think we get why there's aggression and we get why the defense, not the defendant, the defense team might be frustrated because as attorneys they have to protect their clients and they're thinking this is overkill you did too much on this this is not maybe to the way that we've seen it before I can get that there's passion that can come off aggressive.
But, to someone sitting in the courtroom it just feels like, why are we mad at people for just doing their jobs?
Like, they don't even know your client like that.
It's not personal. Why are you getting so angry?
It just feels like, are we just angry at the world right now?
Like, it's maybe not the best thing to show the jurors, is my opinion.
Now, Alexandra Shapiro has not done a cross and she always looks incredibly stressed.
Like, She looks more overworked than anybody else on that team.
Alexandra Shapiro, if I have to guess and I thought about this all the time because I have had a few bathroom run -ins with her where we're just like standing next to each other washing our hands in the sink and it's very uncomfortable.
But, I mean, I'm sure she's obviously a very, very talented person and very scary in a good way.
Like she knows what she's doing but she seems incredibly stressed all the time.
She's not a small talker.
And so the feeling that we get is that she seems like she specializes in appeals.
She has great attention to detail.
Most attorneys that specialize in appeals do.
I feel like she's the type that likes everything perfect.
She likes her T's crossed, her I's dotted, and now there's so many hands in the pie.
She just seems very wound up.
I'm just setting the scene because you kind of have a boys club with Brian Steele, Xavier Donaldson, Diddy, and sometimes filibuster Mark agnaf we'll join the boys club and then the other attorneys just do their own thing and she just sits at that same table like can we just please get it together like that's her vibe like can you guys not be giggle -gaggling right now when there is very serious problems that we have to address that's her energy see I do find this very interesting when you throw like seven eight top lawyers together on a case that dynamic must be Crazy.
Yeah, so Mark Mark and Tenney are the leads They seem the most stressed out because they're overseeing probably all the other attorneys, okay Tenney is probably a little more stressed perhaps from her pregnancy and Also perhaps because she's the one handling most of the evidence it seems so lots of back -end stuff Mark seems more like front -end.
I have no clue. I don't know if this is true Alexandra Shapiro, she seems very stressed.
Brian Steele, Xavier Donaldson, Nicole Westmoreland, and Ana Esteveo, they do this thing where if they are doing a cross -examination that day, it's like the most stressful I've ever seen them.
And then the next day, when they're not doing any cross -examinations, they're giggle gaggling.
Brian Steele's falling asleep.
Brian Steele will watch another defense attorney on his team make a mistake.
And he'll just be like, why'd you do that?
I wouldn't have done that if I were you.
Because I guess when you're the leads, you're in charge.
Whereas they have their very specific roles and I'm sure they work really hard at their very specific roles, but it's very interesting.
But Alexandra Shapiro, perhaps she's overseeing the whole thing.
She seems very stressed.
Now, regardless, she stands up, reaches for the microphone.
The jurors are out of the room.
When was this? This was like a...
Mid -day? Mid -day. Oh, okay.
Jurors are out of the room.
She's in front of the gallery.
Like the gallery we're all sitting there and she states your honor respectfully we are going to move for a mistrial at this time based on the prosecutorial misconduct that went into this a mistrial, which means Forget everything that just happened and let's do it all over again from the beginning with new jurors new jury selection Knew everything.
And this is like weeks into it, right?
Yeah this is weeks in and probably millions of taxpayer dollars in Which is great for the defense because that means that they I mean to a degree the defense knew what they were getting into before the trial like they kind of have an idea Based off the charges based off of things in discovery like where the prosecutors are gonna lead it But now they have a really good idea of like the valuable evidence the prosecutors have the key points the key witnesses that they're bringing in But now they can spend a lot of time to exploit all the flaws in any of their evidence and any of their arguments For the retrial.
I mean this is this is their dream Like what in the hell would even cause them to try and move for a mistrial though?
You can't just say it because it's not going well for you Like you can't just be like, you know what judge.
I just kind of maybe want to start over like can we do a do -over?
Yeah, let me take it from the top again like you can't do that Something has to happen and it is because of one of the most unexpected witnesses that takes the stands.
Could you provide the court your first and last name and spell your first and last name?
Lance Jimenez, L -A -N -C -E -J -I -M -E -N -E -Z.
Good morning and who is your employer?
The City of Los Angeles Fire Department?
Lance Jimenez is an arson investigator for the LAFD and He describes his job as and this is literally what the mistrial is based off of.
We're basically detectives for the fire department.
We work hand -in -hand with LAPD to work on the crime of arson, which is intentionally setting felony crimes.
He's been doing this for the past 14 years.
He's investigated well over 1000 cases, probably 1200 cases, maybe more.
So what is an arson investigator from Los Angeles doing all the way in New York City sitting next to Judge Arun, in Judge Arun we trust, and might be the testimony that leads to a mistrial in this case.
Like, it's so random.
Kid Cudi. Investigator Lance was the one that was called out to the scene when Kid Cudi's Porsche was set on fire.
He was the lead arson investigator.
Which again, what does this have anything to do with the attorneys asking for a mistrial?
I'm gonna give you the exact line of questioning and you see if you can spot the reason why the defense demands a retrial.
Prosecutor Slavik asks investigator Jimenez, did you Did he collect any other fingerprints in this case?
The victim had informed me that he had somebody come and print his house from a previous trespass and that person recovered two fingerprints on his glass front door.
And that person put those on print cards and turned them over to me.
So to give you context, remember how Kid Cudi's house was broken into, allegedly, by Sean Combs and Rube, the security guard, while Capricorn Clark is crying in the car outside?
Well, it appears that Kid Cudi might've hired a third party to come out and take fingerprints from his front door just for safety reasons because honestly I would too.
Well, Kid Cudi gives those fingerprint cards over to Officer Jimenez because he was like, yeah, that was a month ago that my house was broken into and now my car has been set on fire.
Here are the prints.
Do with that what you will.
Did they find out? Who?
The prosecutor asks, what did you do after obtaining these print cards?
The print cards were sealed in an envelope with a person's signature and then I put them in another envelope.
ICOed for evidence and turn them into LAPD for print analysis.
What do you mean by putting them into evidence?
We take all of our evidence we collect and we turn it over.
We book everything with LAPD's evidence unit and they store and collect all the evidence and it's properly maintained through LAPD.
Did you receive results related to these fingerprint cards?
I did not. Now you said that you entered these fingerprint cards into evidence.
Did there come a time when you learned what happened to the fingerprint cards?
Yes, recently. What happened to the print cards?
The two print cards I turned in were destroyed.
When were they destroyed?
They were destroyed August of 2012.
So this would be eight months after the fire.
Were you aware that they have been destroyed in August of 2012?
I was not. Did you authorize the print cards being destroyed?
I did not. Who ordered their destruction?
Somebody with an LAPD.
Is that typically the way that logged evidence is destroyed?
Not for evidence that I turn in.
I'm the lead investigator so everything goes through me before it's destroyed.
Unless it goes through our arson section, it will come through in a request if they want it destroyed or not or returned back to the owner.
And the LAPD employee, who authorized the destruction, wasn't you, you said, right?
No. Was that person a member of your team?
No. Did this strike you as unusual?
Mark Agnifalo, Coombs's lead counsel, stands up.
I'm going to object to all of this, judge.
The judge is like, there was a question pending.
I take it there's an objection to that question?
Yes, that's sustained.
And the prosecutor says, I'll ask a different question, your Honor.
Investigator Jimenez, in your 15 years approximately as an arson investigator, has evidence been ordered, destroyed by someone who is not a member of your team?
Mark Agnifalo stands back up.
Your Honor, I object, and can we have a sidebar on this?
You may. During the sidebar, Mark Agnifalo is stating, it's not just about the question, okay?
It's quote, there's a larger issue here.
There's an inference of wrongdoing here, which we are hearing for the first time, and which is utterly unfounded.
They're clearly saying that something happened to cause think fingerprint cards to be destroyed suspiciously under circumstances that this witness has never seen before, and I am asking that this entire line be struck as being prejudicial.
They're clearly suggesting that Mr. Combes, with his authority, did something to cause the destruction of these print cards.
There's no further reason for these questions other than that.
Prosecutor Slavik argues, this is with respect to his investigation and this material was in the 3500, which are the documents that the government turns over to the defense.
Like, she's like, you knew about this.
It goes to the completion of the investigation.
I think the defense is going to get up on the cross -examination and suggest that there was - dead -end investigation.
There were no charges, and there are reasons why.
And, this destruction of the print cards is one such reason.
Mark is saying, they could have left it at that.
That's clearly not what they're doing.
What they're clearly doing is saying, in addition, they could have just said, where are the print cards?
They're destroyed. They didn't have to go further and say, have you ever heard of this before?
Did you authorize it?
That is clearly improper, and that's what they're doing.
They are putting this in front of the jury that there was wrongdoing in the LAPD, and the only reason that would relevant since this is not an LAPD internal investigation, is that someone in this courtroom had something to do with it and that someone is Mr. Combs.
And Mark say that? Yes.
Okay Mark. Phrasing is crazy.
Yes, but he's saying like that's what they're saying.
I know, but still yeah.
Yeah, but like, yeah.
Now the judge disagrees.
Hold on again. That's not how I would have taken it.
I understand. I understood the questions as they were coming in as drawing the sting from the potential cross -examination that would show the destruction of the fingerprint cards as reason to question the entirety of the investigation of the arson incident.
And I assume that's what Ms. Slavik was doing, was trying to anticipate that you're gonna go up and say, what are you talking about?
You lost evidence that would show, possibly point to someone else having done this and just mysteriously the print cards vanished before the trial.
But the defense counsel doubles down saying, why would they ask the last question though?
There's no legitimate reason consistent with their explanation.
They did this not for that reason.
They did this to suggest something improper happened, and it's not just an LAPD matter because they wouldn't have asked all the other questions.
In 15 years have you ever heard of...
It's suspicious! They're making it suspicious!
In other words, the defense states the government is making inferences that Sean Combs somehow got rid of the fingerprint evidence because he knows those are his prints.
Marc Agnifalo says this has caused prejudice, he says, And I think, and I, I have to just say it the way I think I see it.
I think what the government has done is outrageous.
And I haven't used that word all trial, which I'm like, okay.
I feel like he's got an outrageous limit that he uses per trial or something.
Because that's such an odd.
I haven't used that word all trial.
But I'm using it now.
And they know what they're doing.
They know exactly what they were doing.
They were suggesting to this jury that someone in this courtroom had something to do with the improper and suspicious destruction of these fingerprint cards.
and that's outrageous.
And quite frankly, we are having discussions and I need a few more minutes before we hit ground on what, if any, other remedies we are going to ask for in light of that line of questioning.
So before I do that, let me speak with my colleagues for a second, and I will if it's okay with the court.
I know we're trying to get the jury back in the box.
If I could have a few minutes, two minutes, three minutes just to discuss with my colleagues.
After a group discussion amongst defense counsel, they move for a mistrial.
Alexandra Shapiro takes the lead.
Your Honor, respectfully, we are going to move for a mistrial at this time based on the prosecutorial misconduct that went into this.
I think it's clear that first of all, just to take a step back, as the court will recall during jury selection, there were issues raised by some prospective jurors about, you know, the idea that Mr. Combs could buy his way out of this.
This type of conspiracy theory is out there and the type of implication that we believe these questions were designed to create plays right into that.
when she's said that, we're going to move for mistrial what's the energy in the courtroom?
like everyone is stressed out i think the only people not stressed out are diddy's sons i don't know why i've never seen them look stressed out like really ever maybe once or twice but they seem chill they seem like it's another tuesday and i'm like are we hearing the same thing the jury are not in the room the press everyone's silent i think it's half of holy shit what's about to happen.
But also half of, oh my God, every single witness would have to come back and testify.
That's insane. And then another part of it is like, oh we're also gonna come back and do this all over again.
Like all of this is crazy.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone was just silent.
Meanwhile, I will say Combs, I mean I took so many notes on this and we cross -referenced with my researchers because it was a little intense.
he looks like, you know, when you work at a restaurant and there is a customer who is very upset that you got their order wrong.
Is it a big deal? No. Did you get their order wrong?
You are adamant that you did not.
You're like, no, he told me seafood, okay?
So I got him seafood, I remember it but the boss is like, no, you gotta go apologize cause they're making a big deal about it.
and then you go and you stand there and you apologize and they just kind of sit there like, that's right, apologize to me, you did me so wrong.
He's like sitting there with that kind of energy, like very smug, like I was wronged.
There was a time where he glances back to the press pews like, are you hearing this?
You're hearing it, right.
And it's just like, okay.
Yeah, it was a very interesting moment, but Shapiro continues.
My point is that it was becoming clearer and clearer that this inference is what the government was doing this for and the jury is going to be left with the impression even if your honor strikes a testimony, including not only those two questions where the objections have been sustained, but strikes the previous questions and answers and gives an instruction there's no way to unring this bell, particularly those last two questions.
You know, first of all, it's clear from the last two questions, that respectfully what the government was doing here, there's just no reasonable way to interpret their motivation other than they were trying to plant an idea in these jurors that Mr. Combs was responsible for the destruction of these fingerprints and there is no other reason.
But the fact that only those two fingerprints were destroyed by someone inside is kind of crazy.
Have they investigated more into that?
Like who it is? Who did this?
No, the only potential non -sinister outcome could be a logging error in the LAPD.
You know, I will say the LAPD as a former resident of Los Angeles for almost a decade, I will say their bookkeeping is probably not the best. So there is that that people could be like, well, maybe it's that.
Another thing is, well, the evidence of the fingerprints were not taken by the LAPD, so they could have thrown it out as like, it's not even taken by us.
Like, even if it matches anything, what does this have to do with us, you know?
But I guess the point being was Right, right.
Maybe it's it's just someone made a mistake but now you are painting a picture as yes Did he's pay someone in?
Yes, but it could also work the other way of like perhaps he did Do you have proof of it?
If you don't then you can't ask these questions So it could be either one right?
Yeah. I don't think anyone in the pews would be surprised either way, I guess So we respectfully submit that the only proper remedy to cure the outrageous prejudice caused by this is a mistrial.
Prosecutor Slavik argues, Your Honor, respectfully a mistrial is absolutely unwarranted here.
There was a good faith basis for the questions asked by the government.
I've been over those good faith reasons and I simply think that there is no prejudice here.
Much less incurable prejudice that would require mistrial.
There's a moment of pause.
And honestly, it was like two seconds, But it felt like forever and I'm like, oh my gosh So the judge is about to make the call right now.
Yes like two seconds.
He's deciding Yes, and I mean he was reviewing all the transcripts during the break while the attorneys were Conferring but it was definitely.
Yeah, it was definitely an interesting moment Everyone's just holding their breath of like what is about to happen and like the idea of again the witness is coming and doing it all over again, testifying, getting cross -examined, all over again, the judge ponders for a brief moment because his brain runs on 10 times speed and then he states, the application for a mistrial is denied for the reasons stated by the government.
In addition, I'll just offer the following, which is, as I said, there were no objections to the questions that were asked up until the last two.
As to those questions, the objections were sustained so there was no testimony from the witness pertaining to those questions, basically saying if you had a problem with all the questions, why did you only object to the last one?
And then now you want to cry about it?
Well, that's not how he said it at all, but that was the energy that we were receiving.
He further states the jury has been instructed and will be instructed that they are not to consider questions from attorneys or statements from attorneys as evidence, and they are presumed to follow those instructions, which we will give again.
So there is no, there is no, absolutely no testimony from the witness that was prejudicial in any way, shape, or form as the court sustained the objections that were raised.
So I don't think that there's a problem with the jury being left with an improper inference or a bell that's been wrong and can't be un -wrong.
And as the government points out, to the extent there was any prejudice, I don't believe that there was any, that could be cured by striking the testimony and giving an appropriate instruction to the jury.
So for those reasons, the motion for a mistrial is denied.
Which then Alexandra Shapiro argues that the jurors should be told not to consider any of the questions and answers in this line of questioning because the government's questions were improper, which leads prosecutor, the lead prosecutor, Comey, to stand up.
Your honor if I may, it would be deeply prejudicial and unfair to tell the jury that the government did something improper.
Perhaps your honor could instruct instead the jury that they are to disregard both the questions and the answers and that they are irrelevant to this case, instead of basically saying that the government counsel is asking improper questions, which the judge agrees with and ultimately the jurors are told that.
Basically, that whole line of questioning is irrelevant and in that moment, Sean Combs does not look happy that the move for the mistrial was denied.
He's almost side -eyeing his attorneys and when the judge is giving the jurors the instructions, he's looking straight ahead again as if he has been so wronged and he's like, yes, jurors, are you listening to this?
So interesting, very interesting.
Which side note netizens online have been commenting on this with most people thinking that the move for mistrial was goofy Others finding it sinister, some finding it reasonable with one netizen comments reading grounds for appeal The jurors already heard the tainted question So they're saying this is already an appeal in the process.
Like Alexandra Shapiro is working on the appeal right now Others joke and argue the defense really said you can't ask that question that makes our client look so guilty be so for real another comment reads this case is incapable of becoming more bizarre others are writing perhaps more in fear the judge better stand strong because we don't want this man walking free accountability please others right no he's gonna walk and you guys don't be surprised when he does and here's the thing I just know that Sean Combs goes back to a cell at the end of every night and he has a whole list on his wall of every
single attorney and he has little strike marks for them.
And this has been a running conversation between me and my researchers, because you cannot tell me that this man is not at times spiteful.
Sometimes the way he looks at his attorneys is very, I can't think of any other way to interpret it other than, hello, are you dumb?
Are you dumb right now?
What am I paying you for?
If you don't stand up and object right now, those are the looks.
You just can't convince us otherwise.
and the next person to testify is Deontay Nash and the defense is going to have a really really hard time trying to discredit Cassie Ventura's best friend so let me set the scene first prior to the mistrial ordeal happening right before Deontay Nash gets on the stand is the mistrial, er the move for the mistrial that gets denied we've all been there you finally find something that you love and you want to you want to put it on immediately but your size is mysteriously missing from the rack.
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The morning did start off rather normal.
That morning felt particularly very calm.
Even Sean Combes seems like he's in a very calm mood.
He sits down at the defense table, but only after giving his supporters in the public section hand hearts, giving them prayer hands, giving them a nod.
And then the press just get like a look over and a nod.
And then when he gets down There is like a bird's nest of Post -its just sitting in front of him.
He's going through them Perhaps it's his notes from a previous day Perhaps it's from his attorneys.
Mark Agnifilo sits with his arm draped around Combs's chair The two look like they're on their first date at the movies or something.
Mark is fixing the top of Sean Combs's sweater They're very cozy Donaldson walks over to the sketch artist and I cannot hear the full comment But he says and I hear this part you see that Fantastically handsome man over there.
He's motioning towards where Mark Diddy and Brian Steele are I don't know.
What it is fantastically handsome It appears probably to be the defendant because you know, he's the one in most of the sketches Huh?
Okay. He's just like you see that fantastically handsome man over there and the sketch artists They like really don't love to interact They're just like mmm -hmm.
I feel like the only one that was the sketch artist is like Marc Agnifalo and the prosecutors Yeah, they love the prosecutors But like I mean, they're all like I think they see each other frequently the prosecutor working the same exactly So it's not like they love them.
It's just like more like colleagues like oh, hey, you know and Again, you cannot convince me that Sean Combs does not get irked by these sketch artists Like he just sits in his cell and I feel like it keeps him up at night because what was that?
comment. And then all of his family members, they're always checking on the sketches.
His best friend is like making sure the sketch is good.
So I'm like, is this keeping him up at night in his cell?
That's what I think.
The government may call its next witness.
The government calls Diante Nash.
The door behind us opens and in walks two attorneys and Diante Nash.
And as he's walking up to the very front of the courtroom, Combs is like rubbing his chin hairs.
He's acting like he's so deep in thought.
His beard, I mean. Yeah.
Chin hair? His beard, yeah.
I don't know why I described it, chin hairs, I'm so sorry.
But, the way he plays with it, I guess like beard makes more sense, but like he will like individually roll some of them, and I just think chin hairs.
And he's so deep in thought, and that absolutely no one of any importance or relevance to him is walking into the room.
Like, it feels like when you try so hard to not feel like you're giving a crap about what's happening, it's kind of that, and it's very interesting that there's certain people he tries a little harder to act more nonchalant around, like he can't even be less interested, even if he tried.
Meanwhile, Sean Combs' mother, Janice Combs, is death glaring.
Dionte Nash, all the way down the aisle until he sits down.
Deontay sits. He begins swiveling back and forth because it's an office chair up there.
And he instinctively straightens out the tissue box.
He doesn't use a tissue, he just straightens it.
His attention to detail is fascinating.
And once he sits down, Combs is leaned all the way back with his back against the chair and he has gone level nine out of 10 businessman.
He places his left hand kind of like this.
This is what it looks like.
I can't see if it's on his hip.
I can't see if it's on his chair like this.
It's kind of placed so that his left elbow is bent.
And then his right hand is placed on the armrest, the elbow is, and he's playing with his facial hairs.
And he just looks like the CEO in a conference room waiting for an intern that's about to get fired to bring him an iced coffee stat otherwise.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Comey is at the lectern and she begins her direct examination.
And just in case we did not already know, which we already knew, Because just judging Deontay's energy that is radiating off of him, he does not want to be here.
But he is asked, are you testifying here today because you received a subpoena?
Yes. Do you want to testify at this trial?
Absolutely not. What do you do for work?
I'm a celebrity stylist. Deontay says that he's worked with styling both Sean Combs and Cassie and it's kind of cute because When he's asked to...
and this is Cassie's best friend...
when he's asked to identify Cassie on the screen he's smiling to himself, and he says, oh that's Cass.
Then another picture is brought up, can we pull up please, what's in evidence as government exhibit 2A504?
And who is that? It's a picture of Deonte Nash, okay?
And honestly, he looks good, his skin is glowing in the picture, he looks great.
That's me. Is this a fair and accurate depiction of what you looked like during part of the time that you worked for Mr. Combs as a stylist?
These are like very standard questions.
And usually people just say yeah.
And he responds, no. And everyone's like, wait, what is happening?
Are we, what's happening?
We don't know what's happening.
Nobody's ever said no. Is it a glamour shot of you?
Yes, I look amazing.
And so we're like, okay.
The whole courtroom starts giggling and meanwhile Combs looks like someone just farted.
Like he is not content right now.
Meanwhile, his bestie in the back already has his eyes closed in the friends and family pews.
Deontay says that he and Cassie were really close during that time period and still to this day, but focusing on that time period they were very very close.
And because he works with them, he has a friendship with Cassie, he would see Cassie and Shawn Combs interact a lot considering they were dating.
What if any names did you hear Mr. Combs call Ms. Ventura in front of you?
Um, baby girl, Cece, Cass, bitch, slut, ho.
Combs just starts rapidly blinking.
Like he has like he's never heard these words before in his life.
Like they do not exist in his lexicon.
He cannot even spell them for you if you asked.
About how many times do you remember hearing Mr. Combs call her a bi**h?
Um quite a bit. That was his fave. So at this point Xavier Donaldson, Defense Counsel, leans into the microphone.
I'm sorry Judge, I couldn't hear the last answer.
Deontay Nash leans into the microphone.
I said, quite a bit that was his fave. Like in that tone?
Yes. And now you just know the energy going into this.
Usually, with the witnesses, there is a certain energy that you're trying to pick up when you're taking notes because you're also anticipating the cross.
You're anticipating all these things.
Which means, also, Donaldson will be doing the cross.
So he doesn't look like...
You know, a lot of them seem nervous and uncomfortable.
He's like fully himself, like.
He's fully himself.
And I think he is. No, he does not like the defense council, I think he's here to also fight for a friend and he's not trying to back down.
Wow. Yeah, and he does win the jurors over.
So which means Donaldson is going to be doing the cross.
And it's interesting that he always goes up against Komi, which Komi is very sharp.
I mean, Donaldson as well, but he does have him repeat kind of the worst thing to repeat once more.
Like, out of all things that you didn't hear correctly, like you got to have him repeat.
Oh, yeah. His favorite word to call his girlfriend was bitch like it's it's almost like working for the other side.
Yes. There are so many times where I write down.
Is he an OP because what's happening in my notes?
And I'm like passing it to my researcher.
And she's like, what's happening?
In what context did you hear Mr. Combs call Cassie a bitch?
Bitch, stop playing with me, bitch, you better bring your ass to his house, I mean I was there for quite some time.
It's clear, again, Shawn Combs is not having a good time.
Deontay Nash is kind of a juror favorite, they're super absorbed in every single word that he is saying, and he's just, kind of captivating, he seems very transparent as well.
And about how often did you hear Mr. Combs refer to Cassie as a hoe or a slut?
Quite a few. In what context?
Um, he just told her that she was an outright hoe.
He told her she was nothing but a slut anyway.
So, when you heard Mr. Combs say the things you just testified to, Mr. Nash, how did you observe Ms. Ventura react?
She'd be sad. What would she do?
Sometimes cry, sometimes go into a depression.
Objection, Your Honor!
Move to strike the last part of the answer.
Depression part? Yeah.
Overruled. Like I swear to you there is any time one of Combs's defense attorneys get an objection that is overruled.
I just feel like it's another strike on his cell walls or in his little truth notebook.
At this point of the overruled ejection Combs leans back further in his chair, but he's already leaned all the way back, but he like does this weird lean back so instead his shoulders just do this awkward half rollback instead and he seems a little bit annoyed.
Deontay Deontay goes on to testify that he's heard Combs not only call Cassie all those horrendous names but also he would threaten her, quote, that he would beat her ass, he wouldn't put her music out, that he would get her parents fired from their jobs and he would send her sex tapes to their jobs.
He would start there.
And every time he said these things would drive Cassie crazy, meanwhile, Combs is just sitting over there taking notes at this point.
Deontay says Cassie would just cry, Sometimes she would stay in the house for days, go into a cocoon, be super emotional.
And a few notable instances that stick out to Deontay, or… Well, he's asked about these, is once Deontay was with Cassie and she gets a call from Combs.
She starts freaking out, and picks up, puts it on speakerphone!
So over the speakerphone, what did you hear Mr. Combs say?
That she better bring her ass to his house… What happened next?
She started to panic and then Puff called back.
and he talked to me at that moment and he told me that we're wildin' and that he thought he told us not to be going out and says everytime I go out, that bitch wanna go out then I need to stay my ass home too.
The jurors are head down taking their notes.
They're in algebra class, they are not missing a single word they're taking down everything.
A few of the combs family and friends are starting to fall asleep so, there's a weird juxtaposition, they're sleeping the jurors have never been more engaged And then there's the Vanity Fair party.
Could you explain what a Vanity Fair party is please?
A Vanity Fair party is the Oscars after party.
So this is in 2014.
Deontay, Combs, Cassie, and Derek, another stylist that's supposed to go to the after party.
They get there. And who did you arrive at the party with?
Cassie. When you and Cassie arrived at the party, who was already there?
Puff. What interactions did you have with Mr. Combs at the Vanity Fair party?
He said, I thought I fucking told y 'all that she needs to wear her hair up.
Let me back up. How was Miss Ventura's hair styled when you arrived at the party?
Oh! she looked bomb.
And the jurors start giggling.
Even Donaldson is half laughing while he blurts, OBJECTION!
into the mic, which promptly gets overruled.
And at this point, I would like to think that there is steam rating off of Sean Combs' head but he seems relatively.
He seems like he's keeping it in well, but it does fall apart later.
And then Deontay starts.
And when Mr. Combs came and had this conversation with you, what did he say?
I thought I told you she needs to wear her hair up.
What did Mr. Combs do physically when he said that to you?
Grab me by my jacket and lifted me up.
What? What was Mr. Combs tone as he was grabbing you by your jacket and lifting you up?
Angry. A few of the jurors, and it is very interesting, a lot of the jurors are getting a lot more expressive as the days go on.
In the beginning of the trial they would act like the gallery does not exist. Now, a lot of them will look out into the gallery, a lot of them will now giggle amongst themselves during sidebars, have conversations, share looks, and more notably, a lot of them are more open to looking towards combs now.
So when people bring up violence, I will see at least a few of the jurors, as they're taking notes, their eyes will shoot up and they'll look at combs, maybe to see his reaction, maybe to gauge how he's like responding body language wise to everything that's being said.
So it's very interesting.
So at this part a lot of them are like taking notes and then they look up to see how he's responding He is also intensely taking notes Deontay explains that after that combs just starts asking people in the party for hairpins They go into the bathroom and put her hair up and when they come out He said that Deontay was right because it looks better down Now there is a certain energy between defense attorneys Xavier Donaldson and Deontay Nash I don't know what this energy is, but it is something and I say that because Donaldson is the one that's gonna do the cross.
And on the way out at the very end, after all of this, like this, in hindsight, should tell you there's some energy there, okay?
After a very overly lengthy cross examination, as Dionte is leaving the stand to leave this courthouse to fly back to Los Angeles, he leans over at Donaldson.
Everybody is just watching him walk out, and he whispers something.
And Donaldson looks a little fazed, which we'll get into that.
So there is some sort of energy, but even during the direct, when Donaldson would object something like, I don't know, maybe something myself or someone like Deontay.
We are not attorneys, we don't know he's objecting sometimes.
Deontay Nash will just look at Donaldson with like a slightly annoyed, slightly amused expression.
Like you're objecting again, like that kind of face.
For example, one question, Komi asks Deontay, what if in any role did you play in helping her record music during her relationship with Mr. Combs?
I helped her pick songs, I probably should have been called an exec.
objection, objection.
He was saying I probably should have been called an executive.
OK, so, yeah, what are you objecting?
Yeah, and then prosecutor Comey just offers, I can ask another question.
All right. That's the judge, D 'Ante Nash is just staring like, what are you doing, sir?
Combs is also staring at him like, what are you doing, sir?
I mean, Combs is very clearly involved in every part of his trial, which is completely normal, but it's very interesting.
So even later in the day when there's a break where the attorneys are arguing on whether or not something that they can admit into evidence.
And this is just giving you an idea that I don't think that I'm over reading into him staring at Donaldson.
Brian Steele gets up and he says, something to the effect of, on that your honor, I think you said something earlier in the trial, if I'm misquoting you, I'm not trying to do that intentionally but something like this, this is a trial by rumor I think you said, which the judge did say something like that but the word that he used was gossip not rumor.
Well, Combs whispers, Brian Steele leans down, Sean Combs whispers, and he shoots back up, gossip, sorry, and that's how I feel about this.
So, you know, I don't think the argument itself is necessarily pertinent, but I don't want you guys to think I'm reading into Sean Combs looking at the attorneys when they do the, like in any of these situations.
I just feel like he's very, very closely paying attention into almost everything but his own mannerisms. Because during another break, his son's walk in late after lunch. So they walk in late in the beginning of the day, they walk in late after lunch. Oh, their lunch break is over and they came back late.
Yeah, and one of the family friends is holding like a Chick -fil -A nugget box, so there's that.
And Combs starts tinkering with this rolled up Post -It note.
I mean, clearly the Post -It, there was like something written on there.
Perhaps he wanted to get rid of it, what have you.
He rolls it up and he starts rubbing it, Kind of pushing it into his lips.
It feels like he's unintentionally doing this motion, almost like how you would put chapstick on but not gliding it, just like tapping it.
But the post -it is rolled up like how one would roll up a bill to snort a line.
That's the only way I can describe it.
It was so weird. Both my researcher and I wrote it down independently, and then we got back home and were like, it was like a bill to snort cocaine, no?
Yeah, it was like so distinct.
But continuing on, Komi asks, I wanna talk about another time you witnessed violence.
Was there a time when you and Cassie were cooking in her apartment before Mr. Combs became violent?
Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson passionately stands up, Objection Judge!
Form of question! I'm sorry.
Objection! Sorry. Side note, the judge has told everyone repeatedly - attorneys, object, say objection, and then if the judge asks for grounds, then you say the grounds.
Otherwise, he can usually tell by the context cause he has a live feed and he will either overrule or sustain.
Usually, he will do that without even asking for the grounds.
Donaldson is trying so hard to stay on the judge's good side.
I think the whole defense has probably been urging the judge recently, said they're on their best behavior and he's just profusely apologizing and he's like whispering into the mic.
Sorry, Judge. Sorry.
To the point where even the judge kind of giggles and then they move on.
Now, do you remember in Cassie's testimony where we were shown a picture of her eyebrow where she has an injury, and she states it's because Combs came over unannounced and wanted her to pack for a trip for a music festival in Canada that Drake was hosting, but she had fallen asleep.
Deonte was there, and he says, ''Comes just comes into the apartment that day ''and saying that he wants to talk to Cassie.
''So the two of them head over to Cassie's room ''and what happened after they went into the bedroom?
''He grabbed her as they were walking out.
''He grabbed her by the hair and back of her shirt and started pushing her out and was like, I don't give a fuck.
You're going to get the fuck up out of my house.
Y 'all going to get the fuck up out of my house.
Dionte says that he tried to intervene.
But Combs just started quote, Well he was more so like popping me in the back of the head because I don't have hair and grabbing me by my shirt and pushing.
When you say he was popping you in the back of your head, what was he doing to your head?
Like you know, you're gonna slap, you're like, pop someone in the head.
Dionte is just like motioning for the jurors and they're all like looking at him doing a popping motion.
and then they're all looking down and taking notes.
Meanwhile, Combs is incredibly stoic and like, I don't know who you're talking about, that just could not be me.
And the Combs sons, they look bored.
Deontay Nash continues that afterwards, Combs just starts berating the two of them.
Who was he berating?
Cassie and I. What was Mr. Combs saying as far as you can remember?
We're not going to be playing with him.
We can just take our broke asses and ride into the sunset.
Deontay states that he heard Combs tell Cassie that she fucked up and that he was going to put her sex tapes on the internet, he was going to release them on schedule, and that he was going to first start by sending them to her parents' jobs, and then was going to get them fired, and that her brother was a bitch, and that Puff was the only one that protected her.
Combs has been frozen the entire time, but it seems like subconsciously, he quickly looks over at Comey and the jurors, I think perhaps to gauge their reaction, because it's a pretty intense statement.
Meanwhile Janice Combs, Sean Combs' mom, takes off her sunglasses and starts brushing stray hairs from her wig but Deonte is not phased by this threat He told Cassie - I told her, I said, well girl if he wants to release the s**t tapes then let him because he's on them too How did Cassie respond when you said that Puff was on the videos too?
She said that he wasn't on the videos, that it was him taping her with other guys And did she say what she was doing with those other guys?
yeah having sex with the other guys." What did she say about whether in that moment in 2013 or 2014 she wanted to have sex with other guys?
Objection! That's overruled.
That she didn't want to.
And what did she say about why she was in that moment?
Because puff wanted her to.
He later states that in a fit of anger combs comes over to Deontay's house to search for Cassie after an explosive fight and she ends up not being there, but quote Puff came in and he was like where the fuck is she?
He started looking all around my house, in the closets.
He went in the oven, I don't know why he looked in the oven, and he asked me where she was.
A few of Comb's family and friends are shaking their heads with their lips pursed.
Like this is all ridiculous.
So take that as you will, maybe it's all ridiculous because it's not true, maybe it's ridiculous because, you know, that is kind of ridiculous to be searching in an oven.
I don't know. Meanwhile, Comb's is literally a statue, he's not moving, he is doing this.
We have unlocked a new like witness stare so previously a lot of his stares were either straight on Or he would do this thing where he lifts his chin up And he kind of like looks at them from above like he's lowering their eyes looking at them like this But he's doing this new thing where he's talking his chin a little and it's almost a little through his eyelashes he's looking at them and All that's happening while Donaldson is looking like he's chomping at the bit like his butt is nowhere on that seat It's like non -stop up and down trying to object to everything that Deontay is saying Eventually
Deontay explains that they all go to find Cassie who is at a hotel and she is now Threatening to climb over the balcony to escape How high up was the balcony?
It wasn't the first floor.
Do you remember what the floor?
It was on no both cones and the jurors are again intensely taking notes and Deontay moves on to talk about Cassie's 29th birthday Which was a rather big part of Cassie's testimony.
She stated that on her birthday She wanted to be with her friends, but instead she states that combs forced her into having a freak off Deontay states that he was there for a lot of it and he remembers that Sean combs was asking him if he should fly in From Miami to surprise Cassie for her birthday because remember Cassie said she wasn't even expecting him to come Deontay says combs asked him should I surprise her and he responded I told him if you want to now Why did you tell mr. Combs to come if you'd seen him do all this violence to Cassie girl I was not about to tell him that he couldn't come
give that girl a party it's very interesting the whole courtroom had no idea what to do because Deontay Nash just called prosecutor Comey girl and so everyone's like slightly frozen which clearly was not done with any malice or anything it was not rude or anything it was just very unexpected and so people were like are we allowed to laugh or are we not allowed to laugh it was just very confusing the jurors lips were downturned and like a kind of like oh what just happened and they're giving each other faces.
Meanwhile, Tani Garagos looks at Mark Ignifilo with, she just looks very shocked.
Even some of the press, I could see.
They're like hesitating before taking notes because it's like, I don't really know what to write down in this moment.
He called Prosecutor Comey girl, and it like was a long girl.
It wasn't like girl, it was like girl.
Yeah, even Christian King Combs, he consistently looks like he would rather be wrestling a baguette from a flock of angry pigeons in Central Park like he looks like anything else in New York seems better than this he's leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees staring at Deontay the only one seemingly un -faced is prosecutor Comey who just moves on what do you remember happening at the birthday party?
as they were leaving Puff was telling Cassie f*** you I do all this I'll do everything for you and you just can't do this one thing for me I asked her about Puff I was like girl What is she over there doing?
What is she talking about?
And Cassie said, girls, she's just mad because I don't want to go to the hotel and freak off with him.
Which I do think there are reasons why Deontay switched to she pronouns in this context that I think the more I tried to research, the more confusing it got, and maybe it's the nodding.
Maybe I don't have better life experience to tell me exactly what it means, or just know it happened.
So please let me know in the comments.
What do you mean? So a lot of people say, in certain conversations, people might use she pronouns to downplay like I guess abusive people I don't know it just got more and more but they just kept referring to Sean Combs as she like what is she over there upset about and this is not like a mistake it was that's what was said yes yes and then in other aspects she pronouns were not used I see so it's yeah if you have an idea let me No, because I feel like the more I Google, the more I'm like, what?
I think like, what?
I get it. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. So regardless of the intent, in the courtroom, Combs has his chin all the way up now.
So he went from tucked to up.
And he's looking down at Dionte Nash.
Even though Dionte Nash is sitting higher than him.
Dionte Nash states that ultimately after the karaoke, Combs makes Cassie go back to her place and start packing a bag.
What do you remember Mr. Combs saying?
Y 'all girl are going to get some dick tonight.
What is your relationship with Cassie like now?
Very close. How often do you talk?
Pretty often. Have you discussed the substance of your testimony here today with Cassie at all?
No. Has she discussed the substance of her testimony, if any, with you at all?
No. About how many times have you met with prosecutors in connection with this case?
Too many. Now side note, so many people are catching strays during this entire testimony, including the prosecutors.
But Deonte has asked about a guy later named Rob Holliday whom he refers to as a low -budget producer and even when prosecutor Comey asks him about their meetings, I mean yeah she's trying to prove a point but it's so clear he doesn't like the prosecutors either.
About how many of those meetings did you cut off an early and end early because you did not want to continue participating in them?
Probably all of them.
And without response, a lot of the jurors are smirking at each other.
Because I guess, same.
Deante says he feels no hatred for Shawn Combs.
It's just not in him to feel hatred for someone And that even after everything he still has reached out to combs on certain occasions and with that The most unhinged cross -examination begins Do you guys remember Xavier Donaldson's previous cross -examination the very first one that he did that had me so incredibly puzzled I am here.
Yeah the corrects. I am here to report back that he has indeed gotten better However, this entire cross -examination was such a mess.
I feel like the defense attorneys they all have very distinct cross -examination styles.
I think Nicole Westmoreland is quite confrontational and authoritative.
I think she works best with witnesses who do not stand their ground that strong.
I think she could convince me that I grew a third leg on last Tuesday.
Like she, I would say yeah because the way she asks questions is so confrontational and I'm so not confrontational, I would just go with it.
Brian Steele has a Southern gentleman flair but is relatively most of the time pretty straightforward. Anna Estovello is quite collected most times.
She's a bit more neutral in her questions.
Mark Agnifalo is a charmer.
He likes to disarm people.
And Xavier Donaldson, he's a showman.
You know, he is here for a good cross.
And the only problem here is, D 'Ante Nash, if somebody is giving a show out of these two, I would rather watch D 'Ante Nash's show.
I think that D 'Ante Nash on the stand has a very snappy nature to him.
Yes, it's a very intense setting, but he is not intimidated.
He will say what's on his mind.
He will respond like we are just at dinner together with friends.
I think in this type of situation, perhaps Mark Agnifalo or even Ana Esteveo would have been a better fit.
I feel like D 'Ante and Wes Morland would have gotten into a full blown argument.
I feel like Brian Steele would not be able to charm his way to Deontay, and I also feel like Deontay would be like girl to Brian Steele, and then Brian Steele would genuinely be confused, and be like who are you talking to?
And then we'd have to sit through an hour of him trying to figure out who he's talking to and calling girl, and it would be a whole thing.
Maybe Mark could disarm him, he's quite smooth.
Estevéo likely would have kept it quite neutral, not dissimilar to Comey although Comey's a little snappier with her questions, like very quick.
However, Xavier Donaldson goes up to do the cross.
And later, one of the people in the hallways were passionately talking and I was passionately eavesdropping and they said, these are their words, not mine.
I think – I know a lot of people don't love this word, but the way that they were describing it is Donaldson tried to out -sass Deontay and you can't do that.
Like, that was the dumbest thing he could have done.
It's just not happening.
He should have taken a different approach. I mean, let me just tell you how the cross starts off Donaldson walks up to the lectern good afternoon, sir Good afternoon Deontay asks him.
How are you? Oh Okay, I'm pretty good.
Thank you. How are you?
blessed Donaldson has had a loss for words and he hasn't even gotten to the first question He just repeats the answer like he's gonna let it soak in blessed then he hits him with a I'm gonna ask you to speak up as loud as you can so that the last person in this jury box can hear you.
Which, just a side note, we could hear Deontay just fine.
So I think it was a power play.
And with that, the very first question, Donaldson already has his palms rubbing his temples.
He has both of his palms covering his eyes.
And then they go to rub his temples like how someone would rub their temples in the midst of a debilitating migraine.
I'm like, sir, this is the first question in.
My researchers notes read Donaldson is literally one question in and he's rubbing his eyes like he just did 20 hours of brain surgery.
Now, you just mentioned on direct with Ms. Komi here that you met with the government several times, is that right?
Yes. Interestingly enough, when Komi was doing the direct, D 'Ante would kind of swivel in his chair a little bit, kind of nonchalantly respond.
A very casual demeanor.
But with Donaldson, it's giving an enemy of my friend just an enemy of mine.
He is staring Donaldson right in the eye.
He's sitting up straight.
His eye contact is intense.
I don't think Donaldson was ready for this.
I don't think Sean Combs informed him who Deontay Nash really is, like truly, he's going to war for his best friend.
And Donaldson, just like all eight, nine feet of him, he's so tall, he's just standing at the lectern getting like smacked left and right by strays, and I think Sean Combs should have warned him.
Like at this point, Sean Combs has a dartboard with all of his attorney's faces on them.
And this one is just a big hit to Donaldson, okay?
Just listen to the way Deontay rapid -fire answers questions and his response rate is quick.
Like the pace is very fast. The jurors are so busy taking notes and he's doing this all with a slightly sarcastic smile towards Donaldson.
And that subpoena told you you had to come to court, correct?
Yes. Now, as far as you going to the government's office to talk to them, you didn't have to go there, correct?
Nope. So when you went there, you went because well, you went voluntarily, right?
Yeah. And so you went there to answer their questions like they said, correct?
Yes. And you give them truthful answers.
Nothing but the truth.
And that is what you did every time you were there?
Every single time. Donaldson tries to make it a whole point that Deontay hired civil lawyers who by the way were sitting directly in front of us the entire testimony.
They were professionally smiling at each other when their client would give snarky responses to Donaldson and we would see it and they would literally just look at each other and smile and nod.
And it was overall a slightly lighter moment in the courtroom considering, but you did hire Mr. Dunn to pursue possible civil litigation against Mr. Combs, right?
Objection! Sustained.
Are you considering a lawsuit against Mr. Combs?
No, I'm focused on getting out of here.
At this point, even Mark Agnifalo is looking at Donaldson the same way that Combs is.
Like, both of them are turned to their right, forehead wrinkled, rapid blinking, to which Donaldson asks for a photo to be put on the screen just for the witness and the parties.
We don't get to see it.
Now, after reading the document, does that refresh your recollection or does that change your testimony whether or not you were considering civil litigation against Mr. Combs?
No, it doesn't. It seems like an assumption.
We don't want to do assumptions in the courtroom.
So, does that document refresh your recollection that you are considering civil — No, it doesn't.
Combs is looking at Donaldson.
Just, what is happening right now?
Hold on, it doesn't.
Donaldson says, hold on.
Deonte Nash responds, it doesn't.
It does not, no. So it's fair to say that you do not have or not as much March, okay, one second.
As of March 10th, 2025, which by the way, you are not considering or retaining counsel to consider suing Mr. Combs in civil actions.
I have counsel to protect me.
I don't do federal court.
Protect you related to your interests regarding civil claims against Mr. Combs, correct?
No. This case. Donaldson quickly moves on, and the defense just starts dumping exhibits.
It's like a photo dump at this point, and none of them are really that relevant.
And after all of those are received into evidence, Donaldson just starts asking Deontay, All right, Mr. Nash, you testified this afternoon about your relationship with Ms. Ventura, right?
Cassie, right? Mrs. Fine and Dionte's reaction feels so instant, like he was waiting for this moment.
And Donaldson is like, I'm sorry?
Mrs. Fine. Mrs. Fine.
Yes. Because she's married to Alex Fine.
Yes. And that was, we'll get to that.
So when you testified about your relationship to Mrs. Fine, yes.
And honestly, Sean Combs looks peeved at this point.
Though we could be thinking too deeply into it, I will say definitively he did not look happy.
And perhaps in order to stall, perhaps in order to try and make the jurors forget about this entire conversation, Donaldson starts asking about the definition of a celebrity stylist. I think when you came into here, you said that you are a celebrity stylist. Yes, correct.
And a celebrity stylist means someone that styles for celebrities, right?
Yes, right. Yes. And that's contrary to someone who doesn't style for celebrities, right?
Yes. Right in front of us, Deonte's two attorneys swivel their heads to look at each other with a confused look, and one of them just shrugs, kind of like, I don't know where this is going either.
Like, I don't know what's happening.
And they just turn back to the front.
So someone that's not a celebrity stylist can call themselves just a stylist. Yes.
So you have earned the distinction of being a celebrity stylist because you style primarily for celebrities.
At this point, the prosecutor is just as confused as we are.
Objection, Your Honor.
Overruled. That's not how you started your career though, correct?
You don't just become a celebrity stylist, you have to move up to become that.
No, that's how it started.
So in 2007, when you were an intern at Bad Boy, you were a celebrity stylist?
I started as an intern.
but you were a celebrity stylist is my question." Oh, no. So in 2008, you became a celebrity stylist. Yeah.
What do you mean yeah?
Yes. Combs is just staring at Donaldson mouth agape.
So by working at Bad Boy between 2007 and 2008, you just became a celebrity stylist. Yes, and that was because Mr. Combs introduced you to Cassie.
I introduced myself to Cassie.
You introduced yourself to Cassie while working for Mr. Combs.
Yes. This is the feeling of Mr. Donaldson, okay?
Don't play games that you cannot win.
Deontay is not here to be hee hee ha ha bullied into saying yes or no to questions that he doesn't want to.
He's here to fight for his best friend.
Like, I just see a best friend rage inside of him.
Like probably more than Cassie.
Like, Cassie was, like there were so many emotions with Cassie.
For Deontay, it gives me the energy of like, I saw what my best friend went through and I'm so angry and my anger is pretty pure because I don't have all the other complicated traumatic experiences that she might have. So my anger is just pure.
Like he's here to fight.
He's not just gonna roll over and let the multi -million dollar defense team walk all over him.
But instead Donaldson, I feel like he cannot help himself.
He falls into the power play trap.
This is why I thought Agnifilo or perhaps even Esteban would have been a little better Because Donaldson asks Deontay.
So it would be fair to say that Mr. Combs or bad boy helped start your career as You have now as a stylist as a celebrity stylist. Would that be fair to say?
Yeah, go ahead I'm going don't worry about it And soon after this Donaldson just starts like wandering around the lectern again I mean the showman and him is like bursting out He's starts wandering while asking like he's turning enough face the jurors Then he's turning all the way to the left to the defendants table head on.
At one point he takes three steps to the left to step out of the lectern so his whole body is in view for Deontay, all like I don't know 37 feet tall that he is, and I feel like he just like he gets put on the worst crosses because every time we run into them in the hallway Mr. Donaldson is truly a gentleman perhaps more Southern gentleman than Ryan Steele.
Very sweet. And I hear nothing but good things about the press members that have actually worked with Donaldson and I'm like why do they keep giving him these crosses, okay?
But like more on that.
He starts wandering.
Taking a full on sightseeing tour while questioning Deiontae.
So when you talked this morning, this afternoon, about your knowledge of studios and your knowledge of time period, your knowledge of when records get released and your knowledge of who releases records and your knowledge of all of this, you were giving us that information based on your extensive experience as a celebrity stylist, right?
Komi stands up. Objection, misstates the testimony, your honor.
the judge is like you've got to rephrase the question Mr. Donaldson.
Mr. Donaldson if you could do me a favor and just stay at the lectern just because the court reporters are having difficulty if you're not at the microphone.
At this point Donaldson exaggerate like exaggeratingly plants his feet into the ground like he's like going into quicksand and then the line of questioning starts taking more detours.
So many times I would start a note of like oh I think I know where this is going and then I'm like taking notes and And then it's like, oh no, we're on to a new topic.
It never got to the point where I thought it was going to.
A few things to note, Donaldson is very likable.
He has a very strong presence.
I do think that he has to work against that.
Maybe he comes off a bit stronger with his very commanding height and his presence.
Maybe it would be too intimidating.
But, he tries to bring personality into it and everything he does, the only feeling that we walked away, like my researcher and I, we're trying to put it into words, it's always like, weird argument, but go off I guess.
So he's like, it's not like particularly offensive what he's doing.
He's not like harassing witnesses.
He's not aggressive and mean.
It's just like kind of a weird argument to make.
But like, I guess if that's what you wanna do.
That's the whole cross.
As a celebrity stylist, you indicated that you purchase clothes, correct?
Uh huh. Is that a yes?
Yes. You also help them pick out clothing for their weddings, correct?
Everyone's like, weddings?
Yes. And in fact, as you indicated for Mrs. Fine, you helped pick out her wedding dress, correct?
Yes. I glance over at the defense table, Combs looks incredibly stressed.
Forehead wrinkles. You could stick a quarter into his forehead wrinkle folds.
He's very stressed.
He's mouth agape, staring at Donaldson.
Because what are we getting from this line of questioning?
I think what he's trying to get at is that, him and Cassie are very close, maybe he has an incentive to lie on the stand, maybe they got their stories straight, Maybe they talked while she was testifying.
Maybe he would lie on the stand for her I don't know what inference is he's trying to make to the jurors But all I'm getting out of this is Cassie found the love of her life someone she wants to settle down and have children with After we saw that hotel footage like that's what's the feeling I'm supposed to get from this like she found her prince charming after all and she's having like a Happily ever after now that the defendant is out of her life Like Brian Steele is straight -up smiling because it feels like where are we going with this?
He's smiling at the defense table.
Even Mark Agnofalo is staring at Donaldson like I'm just watching this unfold.
Same as you guys. This is how I know he's doing those strikes at home.
Donaldson goes into a string of questions asking, you know someone named Scott Langston?
No. Okay, what about, you know the public school brand, the public school clothing brand?
No. Do you know Murray O 'Solomon?
No. Every time Deontay says no, Combs is getting more upset it just is like a string of nose Donaldson says now it would be fair to say that when you worked at Bad Boy as an Intern and as a stylist for Mr. Combs and as a stylist for mrs. Um What's her name?
Mrs? He's talking about Cassie Mrs. Fine, like it's so clear.
You did not just forget her last name Alex fine was a pretty big part of the case in terms of you guys didn't even want him in the room for a certain portion of the testimony Oh you feel like he was intentional it didn't feel intentional like I mean unless maybe he's not that well versed in the case but like you could pull anyone from the public and be like what's Cassey's husband's last name and they'd be like fine yeah yeah huh you know interesting you didn't just uh like what what's her name he's like fine fine mrs. fine um there were other artists were also signed to the bad boy roster?
Would that be fair to say?
Yes. Who were they?
French Montana? Wait, French Montana, the hip hop person rap star?
He literally says it like that?
I know. He sounds like almost surprised.
No, I think he's trying to draw emphasis on French Montana.
I actually don't know.
He said oh, the Hip -hop person, rap star.
I think he's trying to draw emphasis on French Montana.
That bad boy had signed a lot of people.
Maybe some people in the jury would know French Montana.
Maybe they're fans of French Montana.
Maybe he's trying to pull a Marc Agnifolo, which is like, aw dad, you don't know anything.
I don't know. It was just kind of odd.
Yes. I mean, and puff.
That's all I can really remember right now.
At this point, I would say that Sean Combs is the most intrigued by the cross -examination.
He is the one paying the most attention.
Even the press are getting lost. I saw a lot of members of the press put down their notebooks and just watch because like every point that starts somewhere, the notes like end without getting to the point.
So then it would just be like a new thing that starts and everyone's just like, we'll just read the transcripts later because what's happening right now?
I mean the line of questioning has no clear obvious point to us and then it just starts over It just feels like a sightseeing tour.
Do you recall a haircut that Cassie had?
The side haircut? Yes.
That haircut became homeless iconic status, correct?
Yes. It became the Cassie cut, correct?
Yes. People all around the world were getting their hair cut, correct?
Objection, your honor.
Sustained. Let's move on.
We do not indeed move on.
Who decided that haircut?
Who suggested the haircut?
Puff. Then we take a detour to just celebrity name -drop.
At least that's what it feels like.
Wait, that was the end of the haircut?
Yeah. For no reason.
That's why I'm telling you a lot of us stop taking our notes, because it's like, okay, we're getting somewhere with the haircut.
Is it about coercion?
Is it about control?
What is it about? To say that he wasn't the one controlling her because Cassie wanted to cut her hair?
Yeah. And then we just got nowhere and then we just move on.
Then we take a detour at a celebrity name drop fest. I mean, perhaps the point Donaldson is trying to make, I think, is that Cassie had ample opportunity to work with massive names in the industry, connections that were all provided by Sean Combs is the point that he's trying to make, I believe.
But at this point, 2016, you are basically executive producing this mixtape of Cassie's, correct?
Deontay did mention that he was heavily involved and that he should have been called an executive, remember that in the direct with the team we have a team you got no credit for that right?
No. you got paid no money for that.
No one got paid for the mixtape.
So no one besides you and Cassie knew what you did on this mixtape is that fair to say?
Rob Holliday. Rob Holliday is the low budget producer you said earlier?
Yes. At this point all the Combs family and friends are just kind of smirking in the pews because like what is this right now and like they probably know Rob Holliday.
Like what did Rob Holliday do?
I don't know. When you said low budget producer, you were just saying that because he's a low paying producer or he's not a good producer or he's like a wack producer.
Why is he a low budget producer?
A little bit of all the above.
And he was this low budget producer also on the mixtape, correct?
Yes. Meek Mills was on the mixtape, correct?
Yes. And Meek Mills at the time was a really popular internationally known rap artist, correct?
Correct. You also said French Montana, correct?
Correct. Yes. Correct.
Jeremiah? Right. Yes.
Platinum selling artist?
I don't know his stats.
Very popular at the time though, correct?
Yeah. Yes. Fabulous?
Yes. Combs has almost no reaction to any of the names being listed except when Donaldson brings up Rick Ross.
Combs sits up, he puts his left arm on the table, and he's kind of now facing a little bit towards Donaldson.
and now the jury. And perhaps he realizes how awkward this is because in this random awkward motion, he puts his right arm up now and now he's facing more towards the front but kind of like a kid at the back of the classroom.
Just like awkward. There's a lot to be said about Sean Combs and Rick Ross.
Side note, Jonathan Odey said during his interrogation that the two were sleeping together.
That is Jonathan's words.
I never uttered such a thing.
There's also a video of Diddy and Rick Ross that has been making its rounds on TikTok where they're holding up a gallon of soap.
I don't know. It's like liquid soap in a gallon.
Rick Ross is shirtless.
Janice Combs, Diddy's mom's, is in the back in a golf cart.
He's calling it a open top like convertible and they're making all these weird comments and like the energy is off and Rick Ross is just asking Janice Combs, Diddy's mother, if she likes the slippery soap, which like, I don't know.
It's just interesting.
I mean the no like the leaning forward and then he starts taking notes around the time that Rick Ross is mentioned I don't think it's anything other than AI generated conspiracies But I am intrigued by everything Jonathan Rode has said now back at the cross Donaldson asks, but too short was on there, too Yes, and he is a really well known, you know, correct Moderately moderately so this these rap artists these platinum selling popular rap Artists at the time all were on Cassie's mixtape, correct?
which I see the point but it took a second to get to that point and I do think that the jurors got lost at that point.
Deontay's testimony was really only supposed to last for one day because he has a flight scheduled on taxpayer money, by the way, which is not a dig.
Just to give you an idea, this trial, we don't know the exact figure but it is likely that for massive federal criminal cases, it's costing you and I, taxpayers, perhaps close to $3 to $10 million, if not more.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's a lot more.
The judge asks him, Mr. Donaldson, about how much time you have left?
And this is during a break, where the jurors are out of the room.
I have absolutely no reason to believe I'll be finished by four.
Which is fine, Combs is entitled to a fair trial.
However, Donaldson did not mention any of this earlier, when the prosecutors were informing everybody about Dionte's flight back out to L .A.
Even the judge is staring at him like, wait, but did you know that you were not gonna be finished by four when we had the discussion and I told the jury that I was going to get them out by four?
You should have told me that we would have let the jury go and Miss Komi or other folks from the government side could have Made the appropriate arrangements given that there's a flight later today Respectfully judge.
Is this a late -breaking development that you now think you won't be done by four judge respectfully I tried to do what the court and Miss Komi was considering which is to try and get finished by four After going through what I'm going through.
I'm telling the court that I do not think I'll be done by four I understand look you should ask the questions You need to ask my only request is moving forward Just let me know because I don't want to tell the jury something and then have them leave I don't know when they think that they're going to be here.
We can finish something up.
I let them go I want to be able to give the right Instructions to the jury in the future anyone from the government side any response or anything regarding scheduling that we need to know Miss Comey stands up.
I'll work on rebooking the witnesses flight your honor.
I'll note that this witness does not seem to be fighting Mr. Donaldson, he seems to be answering the questions I think many of the questions are repetitive and covering the same territory over and over again I'm hoping we can be more efficient the judge says you mean how would you define stylist and everyone starts giggling?
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So during the break there's a brief huddle with Combs and his attorneys.
Combs looks like the football coach trying to motivate his team and then he glances back at Justin Combs, his son, who gives him a thumbs up.
And I wrote in my notes, sir, don't lie to your dad.
Like that's crazy. What is like, that's not what's happening right now in the pews.
It's not what we observe in the jury right now, but I guess, sure, thumbs up.
Maybe it's like heehee, I don't know.
Or maybe this is all a stalling tactic.
Maybe this is all part of a greater chess move that I am too dumb to even recognize I don't know but it wasn't giving thumbs up Another thought that we had was that this was a scare tactic for Mia Which is the second victim testifying in this case and she was actually in the courthouse She was supposed to start her testimony right after Deontay Nash But we didn't even get to her that day So it maybe it was a scare tactic.
I don't know. It was so confusing the cross was so confusing We thought of all these crazy things like maybe date.
That's another like we're like there's gotta be a strategy Because what was that if there's no strategy?
What was that? After the break Deontay Nash walks back in this time He's wearing a big bomber jacket Diddy's entire family watches him walk down the aisle cones is popping what appears to be a cough drop in his mouth Deontay sits down and the judge looks at his new jacket.
It's not just you it is freezing in here.
It is freezing in here I'm like, how are y 'all doing this every day?
If you thought that things would get better after the break, Donaldson leans forward into the mic.
Mr. Nash, welcome back.
Thank you. You're welcome.
Nice coat. Thank you.
You're very welcome.
What size is it? Not your size.
And everyone, I mean, I don't even know why he asked that question.
Everyone starts giggling.
That's the right answer.
You got the right answer.
I just want to ask you a few more questions about the stylist part.
I'm just going to go really quickly.
Donaldson asks questions about whether or not Sean Combs would naturally have the last say in the artists of their label about stylistic choices considering it's entertainment business.
AKA Sean Combs did not have any special control or force over Cassie it's just part of Hollywood that as the label owner he would have to approve of what she wears, how she dresses and not as her boyfriend.
But Deontay says no. Sean Combs had control over Cassie the other artists Not really.
Who would be the final decision -maker?
Most of the time the artist kind of did their own thing.
But they would send it to Mr. Combs or someone to get some type of consultation in the decision -making.
Would that be fair to say?
Not that I know of.
Some of them look terrible." The jurors giggle again, and some of them are glancing at each other like, this is crazy right now.
The ones that you did, they didn't look terrible.
Yeah. Donaldson abandons this line of questioning and moves on to perhaps hint at the idea that maybe Cassie and Deonte have been talking about their testimonies, getting on the same page.
That's the hint that he is dropping.
I'm not saying it's true.
That's what he's trying to drop, but it kind of backfires.
Now as far as Cassie is concerned, she's your good friend, best friend.
When is the last time you spoke to her?
After she had the baby yesterday?
Tell her congratulations.
And he's more so telling everyone in the gallery.
Oh, you're saying congratulations or you're telling me to tell her congratulations.
He's like no no. No thanks.
Like you don't go tell her congratulations.
You're crazy There's a few gasps combs from his side profile He he does like a subtle nod But it appears that his jaw is clenched and like we can tell because usually his default is that his mouth is slightly ajar But it's like clear that his jaw is clenched and it just in our personal opinions It looks like he's trying to watch his face because of course, everyone's going to be looking for his reaction Even the judge butts in all right.
All right, let's keep it going.
The last time he spoke to her was yesterday yes and before that was when?
Probably the day before that.
So it's fair to say that you spoke to her.
You know she testified in this trial, correct?
Yes. You spoke to her before she testified, correct?
Yes. You spoke to her after she testified, correct?
Yes. Did you speak to her in the middle of her testimony?
Um not really, no. You say not really what does that mean?
Did she call you? Did she did you ask her how she was doing?
How she was doing but more like her clothes stuff.
And Marnie handled most of that because she was here in New York.
And so You spoke to her about what clothes she should wear while she was testifying, is that fair to say?
Yeah. Donaldson takes off his glasses.
Because Cassie is one of your best friends, you were helping her pick out the clothing that she was gonna wear to come to court, correct?
Correct. Because again, she's still an artist, entertainer, so it's important how she looks, correct?
The feeling is, he's making it seem like, the point that I got was, trying to make it seem like Cassie is vain, she's a performer at the end of the day that wanted to do anything to excel her career.
Perhaps even possibly draw a conclusion and connection that if she's a performer, was she performing while she was testifying?
Was this all a performance turn?
Like it's not a good look.
I don't know how deep this rabbit hole could go down.
Maybe it's just, hey, jurors usually don't like vain women who care about their clothes a lot.
Maybe it's that. But Deontay shuts it down as quickly as Donaldson brings it up.
Oh no, that wasn't why.
You wanted to make sure she looked good coming to court.
No, she couldn't fit anything.
She needed clothes because of the pregnancy.
Yes. You wanted to get the right clothing for her pregnancy.
Exactly. You wanted to pick out the stuff that fit her for the pregnancy.
Correct. So, again, that didn't go anywhere.
No. And I feel like the jurors were I think that even if you watch the Internet reactions, I think that Cassie is a more polarizing witness in this case.
I think depending on a lot of the biases that people have going into this, some people think that she's a gold digger, she knew what she was getting into.
And like maybe those people exist in the jury.
Who's to say? I'm not in the jury, right?
But just there when I was watching their reactions to Cassie's testimony, there were some times where it felt like the jurors were not as receptive of her.
Where they didn't like certain things.
It seemed like they really didn't like her intercontinental lawsuit.
It didn't seem like they even liked her lawsuit against Sean Combs where she got 20 million dollars as a settlement.
With these things, you can just kind of sense something.
However, with Diante Nash, the way he talks about Cassie, he makes her less polarizing.
It's just like a feeling of like, if I have a best friend who is doing all of this for me, I should be doing something right.
He just makes her a lot less polarizing.
I don't know if that's making any sense.
Makes sense. Yeah, and just the way that he's talking about her, smiles when he sees her picture, like it feels very genuine.
Now Donaldson, in what feels like a last resort, just takes the role of a Fed.
My researcher writes, sir are you a narc, what is happening?
Now we also mentioned yesterday that you had met with the government several times, correct?
Yes. Too many times to even remember, correct?
Yes. On the view of your meetings with the government, were you, did you arrive at the meeting before smoking marijuana?
One of them, Marine cut it short.
Marina is Marine Komi.
Because of what? She said she wanted me to have a clear mind.
So you went to the meeting and you told her that you were high at the time?
Yeah, I didn't say high, I said I'm smoking right now, I didn't say I was high.
I'm sorry so you told her that you were smoking?
Well, not in the meeting, before you got to the meeting?
Yes. And then Ms. Komi told you, you need to stop the meeting because she wanted you to have a clear mind.
I don't know where this went, that was it.
And then he later asks Deontay Nash about another party.
You said that Cassie was super high, correct?
Correct! And you said that Mr. Combs was intoxicated, correct?
Correct! Did you get Cassie super high?
Excuse me? And both of Deontay's attorneys are staring at each other like, what the hell is happening right now?
One of them even shakes their head in disbelief.
Did you get - No, no. I did not.
Then he starts talking about the Revolt Conference, which is when Cassie saw a picture of Combs with Gina, the girl that he told her she didn't have to worry about.
well Donaldson is asking Dionté about it and he's trying to describe Revolt Donaldson says and when we say Revolt Conference, Revolt is I guess um professional web it's uh he's like using his hands in the air, it's um it's owned the ditty is looking at him like you don't know what the Revolt is like he genuinely looks offended just it feels like forever before Dionté pulls him out of his misery it's an entertainment conference entertainment company Conference, The Revolt Conference.
Yeah, it was owned by Sean Combs, correct?
Correct. Eventually, Donaldson leads up to the idea that perhaps Deantay was the one that sent Cassie a picture of Combs to show that he was with Gina while she was in South Africa.
And Deantay responds, oh no, no, no, no. You're not putting this on me.
That was another stylist named ICONTIPS that texted her and said, oh girl, you look good coming out the car.
And she called me and told me, girl, is that girl Gina there?
So ICONTIPS thought it was Cassie coming out the car.
but it was Gina. At that point, the jurors, the press, nobody can even try to keep a professional face, everybody's grinning.
The press don't even really know what to write at all.
There's just lots of rustling.
Even Diddy looks confused of like, I don't know what my reaction is supposed to be.
He's just blinking.
And so you told her at this point in time, listen I could hook you up with Michael B.
Jordan, correct? Mm mm mm.
No that wasn't you?
No, that's not how it happened.
So you said that you set her up with Michael B.
Jordan, correct? Yeah, but that's not how that happened.
At this point, Combs's close childhood friend, who is like one pew diagonal from us, in front of us, he starts mouthing kind of comically to no one in particular, like what?
And he's like looking around.
I'm like, I don't know either, sir.
You tell me. At one point, Donaldson calls Michael B.
Jordan Michael Jordan, and Deontay snaps Michael B.
Jordan, not Michael Jordan.
and yeah, you wanna get that right.
Oh, shoot! Donaldson goes on to ask about others that Cassie might have had a relationship with and this is supposed to be a moment where it's like, see, Jers, see, Cassie is having all of these relationships.
She's not coerced into anything.
Look at her cheating on Combs.
It's just a toxic relationship.
Cassie was in a relationship with Andre Branch. Deontay looks confused.
And then he response, oh, the cute football player.
Everyone starts giggling and one of the jurors is chewing on their pen tip, Like, this is the best thing I've heard in the whole world.
Like the best tea I've heard in the whole world.
Yes, the cute football player, yes.
Oh yeah, but I never met him.
But you were aware that Cassie was in a relationship with Andre Branch, correct?
Yeah. Are you also...
Are you aware of a person named Brandon from the NFL?
No. Combs wrinkles his eyebrows and starts writing on a Post -it that is now going to be teleported through the attorneys to Donaldson at the lectern, but before he gets there, Donaldson corrects himself.
I'm sorry, NBA, NBA, Not NFL, NBA.
Still no. Still no?
No. A few other notable moments.
Donaldson tries to build this picture where whenever Cassie would get mad at Sean Combs for him cheating on her, she would also go out and party, like a wild party girl.
But Deonte's not having it.
Not necessarily. She and I are both super chill.
We spent a lot of time at home, to be quite honest. He brings up a text message.
Donaldson does. But Deonte texts her.
But when you said, girl, let's go out and do our thing, Deonte says, no boo, nothing crazy.
Like that's like going to Nobu.
Yeah, Donaldson brings up text messages where Deonte asks Cassie, what are you doing?
Cassie responds about to go out of town for a couple of days getting my stuff together.
Where are you going?
Secret trip, LOL. Donaldson has Deonte read out each message that he sent Cassie, and then Cassie responds secret trip, LOL.
Deonte leans into the mic to read his full message that we also see on the screen.
and it just reads, girl, and he says it like that.
And then everyone is just like suppressing their giggles in the courtroom because everyone is stressed and like, it is kind of funny.
The jurors are reading these text messages.
Like they're like moving around in their chair, biting their pen tip like this is YouTube drama.
That's the energy during this testimony because of how insane the back and forth between Donaldson and Deontay is.
The jurors are not even trying to suppress smiles.
Even the judge is smiling at that and then he adjusts his glasses and he is no longer smiling because justice is not light and there is a lot of weight on his shoulders, but Donaldson is a very serious man here He says so when she says so Donaldson has never giggled.
No and that's like This is why I think the defense attorneys like I go back and forth because in some respects.
Yes I do think that everyone deserves a fair trial I think that is the right.
And I think anyone that represents a client should fight with their full heart and chest. However, I think, OK, well, if I was a defense attorney and I was already making money because I'm a good one, because these are top dogs in their field, would I take on certain clients?
Would I be a little more choosy with who I take on as clients?
Maybe because there were other attorneys that turned down Diddy.
So then I go back and forth.
But then sometimes like the way I see them, they're so passionate and they never giggle.
I'm like I get confused.
Do these people just believe everything they say like that's how I feel about Mark Agnafalo Bryan Steele and Donaldson like they have this way about them where I'm like No, but like we're all giggling because you can't be serious, but then I look at you and you look so serious So now I'm confused like I thought you were playing into something but then I look at you and you're so Serious like you're saying this with your full chest like Mark Agnafalo is like he went to Costco because Americans buy in bulk, and so he bought baby oil in bulk.
And then when I first heard that, I thought he was crazy, when I see him in person, I'm like, I think he genuinely believes this.
I think Diddy told him that, and he's like, yeah, I could be wrong.
I could be so naive.
And she's going on a secret trip somewhere.
Correct? Correct. And she didn't tell you where she was going.
Correct? No. Because she didn't want you to know where she was going.
Correct? Probably didn't want to text it.
Well, you didn't call her back and say, what's the secret trip, where are you going, et cetera, correct?
I may have or she may have told me.
Good friends don't really pry like that, you know what I mean?
To which a lot of the jurors look like they're agreeing with Deontay.
What do you mean agree with Deontay?
Like a lot of them are, a few of them are kind of looking up and it's almost like they're stopping themselves from a nod.
This is like, that makes sense, yeah.
Throughout a lot of the testimony goes from glancing at Donaldson to blinking non -stop and eventually the cross just becomes so long that he just starts looking at the clock, which is right on the wall behind the press pews.
There were other parts of the cross that were just, again, I get what the defense is doing, but it just keeps backfiring.
For example, Donaldson brings up another text message thread where Dionte gets a picture from Cassie, a selfie, where he responds, that mug beat, though.
Donaldson has to quickly clarify.
When you say beat, you mean beat.
Between you and Cassie means good.
Like your makeup is beat.
Nice, right? So you were telling her, at that point in March of 2019, her face looked beep.
Nice though, right?
Correct. Which like the fact that you have to clarify that because your client's actions on hotel footage, it's probably like whatever impact the rest of the text messages had, nothing compared to that point.
Another text message exhibit shows Cassie texting Deonte that she wants to be different this year.
And she says, Puff is mad at me of course.
Deonte responds, y 'all need to enjoy y 'all trip.
get back to the bullshit later enjoy all time together y 'all don't get this much cassey responds it's not bull this is the bitch i'm gonna be this year he can stare go and as this is being read out by donaldson diont bullshit smiles and comments into the mic that's right cas and like a few of the jurors are smiling because again i think cassey's testimony might have been a bit more polarizing just looking and perceiving at the jurors but you can't hate a bestie that just got your back no matter what yeah and it's like you just want a friend like that and then it's like when you know that Cassie
has this everyone seems to rally around her it's like okay you know it just adds a little bit more weight yeah i would think then later in the same text that Deontay text Cassie again you look beat what's your tea Donaldson has to clarify once more when you say you look beat that means you're referring to the pictures that she just you, where she looks really good in the pictures, correct?
Oh, yeah! Again, not the best look for the defense, which i get it, weird argument, but okay.
The point of the whole text, though, is this part where dionte texts kasi, girl you always on vacation, to which kasi responds, i know, god lets me, because i put up with a lot of bs.
Basically trying to show the jurors that kasi was in a relationship with a clear exchange.
She was also getting something out of it.
However, again, that kind of clarification of the face looks beat, the impact is kind of lost. In another part of the cross Donaldson clarifies, I believe you said in 2013 outside Cassie's apartment, he told Cassie in front of you that he would leak her videos, is that right?
And I think this is the same conversation where he said to you, you and Cassie take your broke ass home and ride to the sunset.
Yes, you and Cassie went back home after that, correct?
What do you mean? You went back after he said, take your broke ass home.
You and Cassie left, correct?
yeah we rode out into the sunset.
What is going on? I don't know what the whole point of that one was either.
In another moment Donaldson brings up the 29th birthday party for Cassie with his main question being, if you had seen Sean Combs being violent towards Cassie your best friend why would you still want him to come surprise her for her birthday?
He then called you when you were at the restaurant and said he was coming over correct no he was there when we got there he was in Miami he called me from Miami and asked if he should fly and Come.
Sorry, he called you from Miami and asked if he should fly back from Miami to come and attend this birthday party.
Correct. He flew up from Miami to attend the birthday party.
Correct? Correct. Did you tell Cassie he was coming?
No, because you want Cassie to be surprised by her boyfriend who is coming up to see her for the birthday party, correct?
Who wants to be the person that tells somebody the surprise?
Which again, almost everyone is kind of nodding because it's like, I get what Donaldson is trying to say.
Like if you saw him be so violent and so terrifying, why would you want him to come to her birthday?
But also at the same time like Dionte has a very fair point But the defense does what the defense has been doing which is showing messages between restaur and combs from the past few years Where Dionte is nice to combs which I feel like in the direct.
He was pretty straight up about it.
Yeah one message is from 2019 So this is after the breakup after Cassie starts dating Alex fine It's from Deontay to combs sending you my love combs respond.
Yeah, right. We was fam Disappointed still got love all good Wait, comb said that we were family.
Yeah, I'm disappointed.
But I still got love for you.
We're all good Okay, and so Deontay responds, uh -uh puff don't do that my love for you.
Don't have nothing to do with anything else Combs responds to Deontay nah Ah, the trainer in my Soulja Boy voice, damn, could have given a heads up.
The trainer, question mark?
Shake in my head, and then there's laughing emojis.
And then there's no response.
So combs text Dionte back again.
Oh, now you quiet. We'll always be cool.
No love lost. Love you, girl.
Black heart emoji. But on a real note, how is she?
Please make sure she's all right.
And if she ever needs me, make sure you call me.
Then another message in which Deonte asks to see the full message.
Is there a way I can see the whole message?
No, sorry I'm not just being that this is just the evidence we have right now.
That's Donaldson He has Deonte read the message to Combs.
I love you brother and anything you need I got you but the main point being Cassie never told Deonte about not wanting to do freak offs and all this was happening behind the Scenes and Deonte is still talking to Combs with love you deeply care for Cassie Correct?
Correct. And you have deeply cared for her for about 15 years, correct?
Correct. But you understand though, for a significant part of that time, she kept major secrets from you.
I kept some from her.
We don't have to tell each other everything.
But you do acknowledge she kept major secrets from you, correct?
Same. Correct? Yes?
Okay. And, I don't know if it's just the way the line of questioning took place in Unraveled.
It kind of made Cassie's story sadder.
it didn't feel like she's hiding this from you because she loves it.
It just kind of felt like she couldn't even tell her best friend.
Yeah. And then she had to tell the world, so it's just kind of sad.
That was the feeling, like it didn't give what I think they wanted it to give.
In the redirect, prosecutor Comey brings it home.
Why did you always have concerns for Cassie's safety if she also told you that she was happy at times with Mr. Combs?
because it can go from happy to chaotic in a split second.
And when it went from happy to chaotic in front of you, what had you seen happen?
Him be violent. What did you hear him say at Cassie's apartment that Cassie was going to do that night on her birthday?
Your girl, you're gonna get some dick tonight.
What did Cassie tell you the same night about whether she wanted to go with Mr. Combs to a hotel?
She didn't wanna go.
She wanted to hang out with us.
And with that, there is no recross.
So Comey is really good at just boom boom boom boom boom and then just clears it up.
Comey is incredibly sharp.
The way she communicates is insane.
I think she could teach 25 masterclasses on communication.
She's effective, she's to the point, she knows exactly what the jurors need to hear afterwards.
I don't know how she does it.
I think I don't even know if this is something you can teach people.
Wow. And with that, there is no recross and D 'Ante Nash is dismissed on his way out.
He passes Xavier Donaldson at the defense table and he leans down and he whispers something with a smile.
We couldn't hear it.
But I imagine because my researcher and I were like, OK, the vibe the vibe is this.
Well, that was fun.
Let's do it again sometime.
Like that, if I had to bet money, I would bet 10 dollars.
It was that, that's the vibe the whole cross was giving.
It's like this very sarcastic.
Like I'm not going to be rude to you, but I don't like you.
And Cassie is my best friend.
And with that, he walks away.
He ate it up. The jurors loved him.
Wow. Yeah, I don't know if they loved everything he was saying, but they were having a blast. And I think it's like only natural if someone's making you laugh that frequently, you generally have a positive feeling towards them.
Was there a lot of like auditory..
Yes, this was probably the most giggly day, like everyone was just giggling And it was just non -stop Yeah, but it is probably the last light day that we are going to have because the next episode you'll see will be likely a mixture of Miya the second victim as well as Jane the third victim that is going to take the stand probably the day that you see this so I will be in the courtroom while you're watching this and I'll let you know how it goes.
So with that being said, please stay safe and I will see you in the next one.
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Hi! I'm comedian Mo Frypassek and every week on my podcast, Worse Than You, I'm asking some of today's most captivating artists how they got their acts together.
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This show isn't about their best, most famous, or most lucrative work.
It's about their creative process, the projects that mean the most to them, and why they make their art.
Join us every week with a new comedian and a new Process Talk from Good Get and Disconaut Productions.
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