Federal prosecutors reminded jurors that the case against Sean "Diddy" Combs was "not about a private celebrity's sexual preferences" but rather about his "coercive and criminal" behavior, Breitbart reported. The sex trafficking trial began on Monday and could take as long as 10 weeks to decide.
Opening arguments painted a picture of a depraved individual whose fame and money allowed for the worst alleged abuses. Some of the alleged crimes occurred at so-called "freak-outs," which were days-long parties filled with sex and drugs.
Some have alleged abuse, violence, and coercion amid the fetid festivities. "He was… a cultural icon, a businessman, larger than life — but there was another side to him, a side that ran a criminal enterprise," prosecutor Emily Johnson said.
A jury of eight men and four women will hear the details of the case over the course of the trial. While cameras were not permitted in the courtroom, media coverage during this sensational trial reveals dreadful details.
The nature of Diddy's case includes sordid details about the music mogul's decadent lifestyle and its darker side. The prosecution has instructed jurors not to be dazzled by celebrity in this case but to focus on what constitutes a crime.
"He was… a cultural icon, a businessman, larger than life — but there was another side to him, a side that ran a criminal enterprise," prosecutor Emily Johnson told the courtroom. Johnson shared that Combs allegedly "brutally" beat ex-girlfriend Cassandra "Casssie" Ventura.
The prosecutor also alleged that Combs threatened to use videotapes of Ventura performing sex acts during one of his parties as a means to control her. Johnson noted that Combs was known for this sort of behavior with his lovers.
The prosecution painted Combs as a violent individual who was used to getting his own way through threats. "Let me be clear… this case is not about a celebrity’s private sexual preferences," Johnson said.
"It’s coercive and criminal," Johnson went on. With so much stacked against him, Combs' team will mount a defense that acknowledges his poor behavior while explaining away anything alleged to be criminal.
Teny Geragos, an attorney for Combs' defense, said that the "case is about love, jealousy and infidelity and money." Geragos tried to make it seem like the alleged victims were nothing more than jilted lovers.
She said the women who would testify against Combs are "capable, strong, adult women," perhaps attempting to make it seem impossible for them to have been victimized by the likes of Combs. As for ex-girlfriend Ventura, Geragos said theirs was a "toxic relationship between two people who loved each other," she claimed.
"Being a willing participant in your own sex life is not sex trafficking," Geragos said. She added that while the defense would not deny there was domestic violence, it's not one of the charges the jury will be asked to deliberate.
Ventura testified on Tuesday about the violent encounter that went viral last year after surveillance video surfaced. "I chose to leave. I got out and Sean followed me into the hallway, and grabbed me, shoved me to the ground, kicked me, and dragged me back to the room and took my stuff," Ventura explained, according to NBC News.
The trial ahead promises many more horrifying and disgusting details of alleged crimes. Combs will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars if convicted, but he is still innocent until proven guilty.
