What to know about the sex trafficking trial

– LIVE UPDATES – 

• A woman who is only being referred to by a pseudonym, “Mia,” testified that she used to work for Sean “Diddy” Combs as a personal assistant. She accused Combs of sexually assaulting her.
• “Mia” testified she witnessed frequent bouts of violence Combs subjected to Cassie Ventura during her time as his assistant and said punishment for anything done without Combs permission was “unpredictable and terrifying.”
• Deonte Nash, a former stylist for both Cassie Ventura and Combs, was back on the witness stand first this morning. Yesterday, Nash testified that he witnessed Combs threaten Ventura with releasing sex tapes of her to the internet.
• Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has denied the allegations against him.

Court is now in session

Court is now in session for day 12 of Combs’ trial.

Judge order no sketches of witness ‘Mia’

Judge Arun Subramanian denied the government’s bid to cut all video of key prosecution witness “Mia,” but he did order a ban against courtroom sketches of “Victim-4.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Madison Smyser had asked for Mia’s testimony to not be shown in a courthouse overflow room.

Subramanian said it’d be improper to totally keep footage of Mia’s testimony from getting out of his courtroom, though he did agree to ban sketches of her — in a similar fashion to the standing prohibition against jurors being drawn.

Nash back on the witness stand for cross-examination

The witness admitted he didn’t initially tell prosecutors that Ventura had been allegedly kicked by Combs in one particular attack he witnessed.

Nash said he just wanted to answer questions in the most narrow way possible.

“They didn’t ask,” he told Combs’ attorney Xavier Donaldson. “I gave as little as possible. I only answered what I was asked.”

The day’s first mention of Michael B. Jordan

After breaking up with Combs, Ventura began communicating with “Black Panther” actor Michael B. Jordan, according to Nash.

“Dating, talking, getting to know each other,” the witness said during cross-examination.

Ventura didn’t mention ‘freak offs’ for many years to Nash

Nash admitted under cross-examination that, from 2008 to 2013, Ventura never mentioned to him about the “freak offs” she performed for Combs.

The defense’s implication would be that the “freak offs” weren’t as troubling as Ventura has described — if she failed to mention them to a friend like Nash.

Nash testifies he saw Ventura with a black eye on FaceTime

Deonte Nash testified that he saw “Mia” on a video call with Ventura and she had a black eye visible. 

“I saw it in person, when her make-up wears off you can see it,” Nash said. 

Defense seeking to show Ventura as willing sex partner

Nash recalled a time when he spotted a random man joining Ventura in her Las Vegas hotel room, without Combs’ presence.

The testimony could feed the defense’s narrative that Ventura had sex with strangers as a normal part of her life, and not as a forced act at Combs’ direction.

The “freak offs” allegedly ordered by Combs are central to prosecution allegations that he used his business to engage in sex trafficking and other crimes.

‘Mia’ takes the stand

A former personal assistant to Combs who will be referred to only by the pseudonym “Mia” has taken the stand.

She’s expected to testify to the forced labor and racketeering charges in the indictment.

Mia’s passport entered into court records under seal

The prosecution entered Mia’s passport into court records under seal, with her true name and date of birth shown only to jurors.

Witnesses normally take the witness stand and state their name in open court for the record.

But this witness is only being referred to by a pseudonym, “Mia.” She previously worked for Combs as a personal assistant.

‘Mia’ says it was ‘toxic’ working for Combs, and that he sexually assaulted her

“Mia” described working for Combs as “chaotic,” and “toxic,” but said that it could be exciting. 

“The highs were really high and the lows really low. Puff’s mood determined the environment,” she said. “He threw things at me, threw me against the wall, threw me in the pool, he’s threw something against my head. Sexually assaulted me.”

She said he sexually assaulted her on more than one occasion. 

Combs has gone by several names in the past, including Puff Daddy, hence the nickname Puff.

‘Mia’ recalls going five days without sleep working for Combs

“Mia” said she worked for Combs from 2009 to 2017, and had applied when she was 25 or 26. Combs said the job would be 24/7, for the promised compensation of $55,000, that she said ended up being paid $50,000.

Mia testified that she once worked five days straight without sleeping. “We were traveling, Las Vegas, there was always things going on,” she explained.

She noted she had an Adderall prescription since she was 17 and it helped her function without sleep. 

“I had a physical breakdown, my hearing went, it felt like I was under water, my equilibrium was off, blurred vision, out of nowhere I was hysterical and could not stop crying, at that point Puff said she could go to sleep,” she recalled. 

‘Mia’ says she was not allowed to lock her bedroom door

“Mia” testified that when she traveled with Combs and stayed at his properties, locking her own bedroom door wasn’t allowed.

“Puff said, ‘This is my house and no one locks the doors,'” the witness said.

That rule didn’t seem to apply to the predominantly male security team that stayed in rooms with deadbolt and keypad locks, Mia recalled.

‘Mia’ describes duties including staying within Combs’ eyesight

“Mia” said as an assistant she managed Combs’ social media presence, served as the main liaison between Combs and Hollywood, managed his daily routine, kept him on a schedule, and protected him and his privacy. 

She said she had to stay attached to her Blackberry and stay within Combs’ eyesight, as well as anticipate his needs and his “whims and moods.”

“Every single day is different. Can be 17,000 things at one time, range from cracking knuckles, doing taxes or writing his next movie. He can also have you stand next to him for 24 hours and not ask you to do one thing,” she said.

‘Mia’ and Cassie grew close in the Combs world

“Mia” said she and Ventura grew close and “became like sisters, best friends” during their time working with Combs.

Ventura and Combs had a rocky relationship, Mia said, with “highs and lows” that often included abuse by the defendant.

She still keeps in close contact today, Mia said.

Combs inserted himself into ‘The Perfect Match’ set, ‘Mia’ says

Combs fancied himself as a pseudo-director while Ventura was shooting “The Perfect Match,” which hit screens in 2016.

Combs was often on set and would “insert himself” into production, asking all sorts of questions and making suggestions about Ventura’s hairstyle, wardrobe and even nails, “Mia” recalled.

If ‘Mia’ and Cassie did something without Combs’ permission, the punishment was ‘unpredictable and terrifying’

When “Mia” asked what would happen when she did something without Combs’ permission, she said, “It would be bad, serious, [she and Cassie Ventura] would get in trouble.”

“The punishment was unpredictable and terrifying,” she continued. 

If Ventura didn’t pick up Combs’ phone call, multiple people would call and text her and security would show up if they couldn’t find her. 

Mia said she saw “a lot of the aftermath” of Combs’ and Ventura’s relationship.

She said she saw Ventura with injuries. She also saw Combs attack Ventura and throw her on the ground. “I’ve seen him crack her head open,” Mia said. She did not recall ever seeing Ventura fight back. 

‘Mia’ said she witnessed multiple Combs assaults on Ventura

Ventura never fought back against Combs during multiple violent attacks, “Mia” said.

In one particularly disturbing incident, Mia said she found Ventura hiding from Combs outside in bushes “with a terrified look in her eyes.”

Witness testifies Ventura left with forehead scar after bed frame attack

Ventura suffered a nasty cut on her forehead after Combs attacked her at the victim’s Los Angeles apartment, the witness said.

“Mia” testified she tried to stop the beating by jumping on Combs’ back, before the music mogul threw her against the wall.

“It was so fast, but I felt like I was in slow motion,” Mia said. “I saw him grab Cass and I couldn’t get there fast enough, the bed platform was the sharpest I had ever seen and he threw her and she hit her head on the corner of the bed.”

The witness continued: “She had a pretty big scar on her forehead which was split open and blood was coming out.”

‘Mia’ recounts sneaking out with Cassie to party at Prince’s house, but Combs caught them

“Mia” recalled an incident in 2012 when she and Cassie Ventura went out to a party without Combs’ permission. 

They were all in a suite at the Beverly Hills hotel and Combs had directed Mia to stay with Ventura there as he was going to be with his kids. 

“Mia” said a friend called and said Prince was having a party and Ventura and she “like little kids snuck out of the house.” They went to Prince’s party and were having fun, when Combs showed up. 

“I saw his bucket hat coming through the entrance. We locked eyes and crap, Cass and I started running through the house to get out across the yard, trying to run and hide there,” Mia explained. “Puff caught Cass, he caught up to her and had her and threw her to the ground and started to attack her.”

Mia said Prince’s security intervened. The next day, Mia was notified she was being suspended without pay and Combs said she was being insubordinate. 

Scary decision: Facing Mother Nature or Combs, witness says

The witness recalled a scary confrontation in 2012 when she and Ventura were barricaded into a beachside room, hiding from an enraged Combs during a vacation in the Turks and Caicos islands.

They pushed furniture to block the front door as Combs was allegedly banging and screaming to be let inside.

“I was looking at Cass and she was screaming for help and, ‘You have to help me, Puff is going to kill me,'” “Mia” recalled. “She is usually chill and calm and she was terrified.”

The pair dashed out a back door to the beach and out to a paddle board, allowing them to flee into the water.

“The weather shifted dramatically and the sky turned black,” Mia remembered. “We were both debating. I was trying to weigh if it was scarier to face Mother Nature or go back to Puff. We eventually went back to Puff.”

Witness struggling to remain calm, breathe

At times, “Mia” appears to struggle to keep her emotions in check and breathe while describing Combs’ tumultuous relationship with Ventura.

She almost appeared to be hyperventilating and had to catch her breath in describing how “heartbroken” Combs was in December 2011 when he learned that Ventura was seeing Kid Cudi.

‘Mia’ describes cleaning up hotel rooms after Combs’ ‘hotel nights’

“Mia” testified that Cassie Ventura and Combs sometimes had “hotel nights,” and some lasted multiple nights. 

Mia testified she would sometimes take them there, unpack and set up. Combs asked her to bring toiletries, clothes, candles, lotions, baby oil, Astroglide and condoms, she said. 

One night stood out at the London Hotel in New York when Ventura answered the door in her underwear. 

“She was struggling. I had never seen her like that before. So much that I asked her, ‘Are you OK?’ And she said, ‘I’m good,’ and closed the door,” she testified.

Mia said Combs asked her to clean up the rooms, to wipe up “enough stuff that the housekeeper couldn’t clean.” She said the state of the hotel rooms after they were used was a “nightmare,” “destroyed” and “really nasty,” including candle wax, broken glass, water on the floor, sometimes blood, oil on the walls and wet towels.

Combs took Ketamine, other pills at ‘inappropriate’ times, witness says

The defendant was frequently taking Ketamine and other drugs, often at “inappropriate” times, “Mia” said.

She recalled him once taking these drugs on his way for an appearance with Chelsea Handler.

The witness said hitting the road with Combs was like being with a “traveling medicine cabinet,” as pills were stashed in plastic bags and/or in his Louis Vuitton pouch.

Combs was hot and cold with ‘Mia’ and once threw spaghetti at her

“Mia” described her dynamic with Combs as hot and cold — sometimes he treated her like his best friend and working partner, and other times, “like I was a worthless piece of crap,” she testified. 

In the good times, he’d open up about personal things and compliment her work. Other times, “he would humiliate me, curse at me, go on a rant about how incompetent and stupid I was.”

She told jurors he’d throw things at her, including spaghetti on one occasion. In that incident, she had started to go down to her room because she had been working since 8 in the morning without a break and needed to change her tampon. Outraged, he threw the spaghetti at her and started to curse at her, chased her up the stairs and she hid and eventually escaped to a hotel. 

On another occasion she testified he threw a computer at her head while in Los Angeles in a trailer on a movie set. He was in a rage over the wifi not working, but the computer did not make contact with her head, she recalled. She ran out the trailer and hid afterwards.

Combs repeatedly slammed bathroom door on ‘Mia,’ she says

The witness recalled an incident in 2012 in Los Angeles when Combs allegedly slammed a door on her arm multiple times.

At his request, “Mia” said, she had made a call for him on her phone, prompting her to stay close to get the device back from him immediately.

But when Combs tried bolting away from her, into a bathroom, she said she followed him inside, where he then slammed the door on her arm “multiple times.”

‘Mia’ accuses Combs of sexual assault

The witness said Combs sexually assaulted her after pouring her three shots of vodka in a hotel penthouse.

After complimenting her work, Combs — who had been celebrating his 40th birthday — served the drinks and then kissed her as he put his hand up her dress, the witness said.

“I was shocked,” she said.

Witness says she was sexually assaulted at Combs’ L.A. home

The witness testified about another sexual assault, this time in 2009 or 2010 at Combs’ home in Los Angeles.

“Mia” said she was on the bottom of a bunk bed when she was awakened by Combs on top of her.

Asked if she had wanted to have sex with Combs, a tearful Mia said no and, “It was very quick.”

She hadn’t been allowed to lock the door when staying at Combs’ properties, Mia testified earlier.

Combs allegedly forced ‘Mia’ into oral sex, witness testifies

Combs once forced “Mia” to perform oral sex on him in an attack that made her feel “like trash,” the witness testified.

Mia said she was “just frozen” when Combs came out of a closet at his L.A. home and had his penis out of his pants before forcing her head down.

She said the attack made her feel “like trash,” and when the prosecution asked if she had consented to this, Mia replied: “No, it was really fast.”

Witness testifies she hoped each assault would be the last

“Mia” testified there were other sexual assaults, but said she couldn’t recall all the details.

“I just remember feeling like a specific, horrible dark feeling in my stomach,” Mia said.

There was no particular pattern or timing of the attacks, Mia said, other than that they unfolded when Ventura was not around.

“I always thought this was the last time,” she said. “Next time I would somehow be more prepared. I had to get right back to work, there was so much going on.”

‘I didn’t want anyone to know ever’: Witness weeps and whispers as she describes assaults

“Mia” wept and struggled to get her voice above a whisper in testifying how she said Combs’ sexual assaults continued and that somehow it was “my fault.”

The witness said she “felt so desperate and terrified and trapped” and “that it was my fault.”

There was a point in her life when Mia said she was determined to take these alleged assaults to the grave.

“I was going to die with this,” she said. “I didn’t want anyone to know ever. “

‘Mia’ testifies she dropped Combs’ name to get out of tickets

The witness testified Combs’ name once helped get her out of multiple traffic tickets in Los Angeles.

In one case “Mia” said she was in a hurry to pick up Combs when she was pulled over, telling the officer who her employer was. The officer didn’t believe Mia until she called him and the officer let her go without a ticket, the witness said.

Then in another case, she was driving with Combs when they were pulled over. But once officers got a look at her passenger, she said they were allowed to roll on.

Witness says assaults were ‘traumatizing’

“Mia” ended her testimony for the day, telling jurors that the sexual assaults she says she was subjected to were “the most traumatizing” moments of her life.

When the prosecutor, Smyser, asked why she agreed to testify, Mia said: “Because I have to tell the truth, the whole truth.”

The witness said she “absolutely” did not want to discuss these attacks in public.

“It’s the most traumatizing, worst thing that’s ever happened to me,” she told jurors.

The jury was then dismissed for the day.

Defense hints at substantial change in trial strategy

Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo suggested his side’s case might be longer than expected after receiving notice from the prosecution about changes to its presentation.

Agnifilo did not give any specifics but suggested the government’s case might end sooner than anticipated — which could then cause the defense to go longer.

Judge Subramanian has made it clear he wants to jury to begin deliberations around July 4.

Agnifilo also reminded the judge that the defense is still seeking to have more time with Combs during off-court hours and Subramanian said he’s working on it.

S: NBC News