Day seventeen of Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial summary: Defense attorneys aim to undermine rape accusations with social media evidence
Take Two:
In the midst of the turbulent trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, framed for sex trafficking and racketeering, his verbal sparring partner, formerly his personal assistant - dubbed "Mia" - returned to the witness stand on Friday. Defense attorney Brian Steel, determined to challenge Mia's testimony, delved into her social media history, hoping to dismantle her claims of abuse and rape.
Steel gleefully dredged up Mia's string of adoring posts about Combs, from wishing him Happy Birthday and calling him a legend, to thanking him for being her friend. Post after post, he showed the jury, seeking to cast doubt on Mia's allegations of psychological and physical abuse.
However, Mia didn't back down easily. Acknowledging the legitimacy of her earlier posts, she pushed back against Combs' lawyers' attempts to control her narrative. "It's called psychological abuse," she told the jury.
The third week of this high-stakes trial saw Mia emerge as a critical witness for the prosecution, testifying to Combs' alleged use of wealth and influence to run a criminal enterprise, involving forced labor and sexual violence. Combs has pleaded not guilty, vehemently denying any sexual assault claims.
Undeterred by days of damning testimony from multiple witnesses regarding Combs' violent behavior, illicit drug use, and sexual exploits, the defense has argued that while Combs might have crossed lines, he is not guilty of the charges he faces in a Manhattan courtroom. A conviction could potentially sentence him to life in prison.
Combs' lawyer grills Mia with her own words
Steel dedicated much of Friday afternoon to parading Mia's glowing social media posts before the jury, aiming to pin her contradictions and question the validity of her claims. Animation and volume escalating, Mia boldly countered Steel's questions, insisting her feelings towards Combs were oxymoronic - warm when high, cold and bitter when sober.
"Isn't this great? You're away from your abuser?" Steel jabbed, hoping to expose Mia's confusion and inner turmoil.
"In hindsight, fantastic, but at the time the worst thing ever," she retorted, reflecting on her years of service under Combs.
Mia's scrapbook complicates the picture
Steel’s tactics continued, with a vintage scrapbook and birthday card he pulled from the archives, implying a positive relationship between Mia and Combs. The cover read, "Happy 45th birthday, Puff Daddy." Mia quickly shut him down, "It's called psychological abuse."
Faced with Steel's grueling interrogation, Mia remained composed and forthright, explaining her youthful naivety and eagerness to survive under Combs' control. "Ask any abuse victim's advocate, and they could explain it to you much better than I could," she shot back.
wrestling with her past emotional turmoil and her desire for justice, Mia testified that Combs had reached out to her after Ventura's explosive civil lawsuit against the rap mogul, which ultimately culminated in the federal prosecution of Combs starting May 5. Combs allegedly reached out through his bodyguard, "D Roc," asking to catch up and expressing disbelief over the lawsuit. According to Mia, when Combs called her, she threw her phone as far as she could and ran outside, unable to cope with the toxic flood of memories.
The trial will resume with testimony from another witness, delving deeper into the complicated relationship between Combs and some of the women in his life.
- Amidst questioning from Combs' lawyer, Mia argued that her positive social media posts about him were a result of psychological abuse, hinting at a complex and contradictory relationship.
- In an attempt to cast doubt on Mia's allegations, Combs' attorney presented a vintage scrapbook and birthday card, describing a supposedly positive relationship between them. However, Mia asserted that such gestures were part of the psychological abuse she experienced.
- As the trial progressed, Mia testified about a phone call she received from Combs after a civil lawsuit was filed against him, suggesting a continued attempt to manage his public image and influence, even in the face of criminal charges.
