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Diddy Trial Update: Judge Orders Cassie to Submit Memoir Drafts; 3 Victims to Testify Anonymously
A judge orders Cassie Ventura to hand over her memoir drafts to Diddy’s legal team while permitting three alleged victims to testify anonymously in the upcoming sex trafficking trial.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of sexual abuse.
In a key decision ahead of Sean Diddy Combs’ upcoming trial, a Manhattan federal judge ruled that Cassie Ventura, referred to in court documents as Victim-1, must hand over all draft versions of her memoir to the defense.
Cassie had been trying to avoid this, but the judge sided with Diddy’s legal team during a Friday hearing. Diddy, who appeared in court wearing a tan jumpsuit, faces serious charges, including s*x trafficking and racketeering.
While this was a win for Diddy’s lawyers, the judge denied their request for Cassie’s bank statements from a ten-month period in 2023. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian called the request a fishing expedition, as reported by Complex.
Judge Subramanian also ruled that three alleged victims, referred to in court papers as Victim-2, Victim-3, and Victim-4, will be allowed to testify without revealing their names. Diddy’s legal team only agreed to Victim 2 remaining anonymous. They objected to the anonymity of Victims 3 and 4, claiming they had long-standing professional relationships with Sean Diddy Combs.
The government acknowledged that Victim-3 had made public claims against Diddy before but stated she did not disclose the full extent of the abuse. Judge Subramanian sided with the government, allowing all three to testify anonymously despite the defense’s objections.
Earlier this week, Sean Diddy Combs had asked for a two-month delay before his trial, but the judge rejected that request on Friday. The trial will proceed as scheduled, with jury selection starting on May 5 and opening statements on May 12.
In another ruling, the judge ordered Warner Bros. Discovery to hand over outtakes from its docuseries The Death of Diddy, despite objections from both the media company and the government. These outtakes feature interviews with two people involved in the series.
A significant portion of Friday’s hearing focused on expert testimony. The prosecution plans to call Dr. Dawn Hughes to explain the concept of coercive control and why victims may stay in abusive relationships.
However, Judge Subramanian stated that the term could be confusing to jurors. He said he is very likely to allow Dr. Hughes to testify but will limit her topics and prohibit the phrase 'coercive control.'
Diddy’s team plans to call Dr. Alexander Sasha Bardley, who is expected to argue that there is no typical response to sexual abuse. Diddy’s attorney, Alexandra Shapiro, said, “You can’t reach…conclusions without talking to individuals.”
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist or NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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