Here’s What We Know About Diddy Taking the Stand in His Own Trial

The defense rested their case only after showing a short amount of records.

Prosecutors wrapped up their sex crime case against Sean “Diddy” Combs as early this week. Y’all know what that means: Combs’ attorneys are up next to present evidence to prove the rapper’s innocence. Now, we just found out the answer to the question we've been dying to know: whether Combs will testify or not.

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Previous reports rumored that it was unlikely that Combs would testify on his own behalf. Tuesday, Judge Arun Subramanian asked Combs if he would testify. Combs confirmed to the court that he indeed will not testify... but with a weird response.

“Is it your decision not to testify in this case?” Subramanian asked, per Washington Post.

“That is my decision, your honor. It is solely my decision. It’s my decision to make. I’m making this freely," Combs said before backtracking slightly to confirm that he made the decision with his lawyers.

That's it folks. We will not get to hear the prosecution grill Combs about his toxic relationship with Cassie Ventura or the elaborate sex sessions he planned. As the defense rests their case, let's take a recap of how they performed during trial.

What The Defense Did So Far

In opening arguments, Combs’ defense owned their client’s behavior of domestic abuse. However, they told the jury while their client might be a flawed, “complicated man,” the case is not focused on that.

“We take full responsibility that there was domestic violence in this case,” said one of his attorneys in court via CNN. “Domestic violence is not sex trafficking. He’s not charged with being a jerk or being mean. He’s charged with running a criminal enterprise.”

The defense also told the jury that every woman who claimed to be used as a pawn in Combs’ sexual fantasy freak off events were willing participants and were only motivated by money to turn against Combs and falsely accuse him of trafficking them.

So far, the defense has been playing their cards close to their chest. However, they’ve continued expounding on their initial argument through their cross examination of witnesses. They picked and poked through the testimonies of Combs’ ex-girlfriends, questioning their recollection of events, casting doubt on their claims of being forced into sexual acts and asking them to specify their financial dependency on the rapper.

What Defense Could Have Done

We didn't know who the defense planned to bring to the stand - if anyone. If they brought anyone forth, it would more than likely have been individuals who can counter the witnesses’ claims and sustain their argument that the rapper’s weird sexual fantasies, domestic disputes and struggle with drug abuse don’t make him a federal criminal.

Psychologists or behavioral experts would be helpful in this area. It’s doubtful that any of Combs’ family members would have been called to testify considering the common rule that witnesses aren’t supposed to listen to each other’s testimonies and Combs’ family has shown up in court for the majority of the trial. However, the defense did not do any of these things.

Defense Rests Their Case

The defense rested their case just a few hours after they presented it following a brief display of records, inconsistencies in witness statements and filing a rule 29 motion requesting their client be acquitted on all charges.

According to recently uploaded court documents, the verdict sheet has been prepared for the jury. We may know as soon as the end of this week whether Combs will be convicted or acquitted of his charges.

Combs is facing multiple counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and engaging in interstate transportation for prostitution. On the more serious charges, the rapper faces life in prison or a minimum of 15 years.

Straight From The Root

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