News | Entertainment
31 May 2025 22:33
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Sean 'Diddy' Combs is being warned not to take the stand in his federal sex trafficking trial

    The 55-year-old rapper's federal trial is continuing in New York, and has seen a series of big-name witnesses take to the stand so far too testify against the Bad Boy Records founder - and legal analyst Lisa Bonner has now insisted Combs giving his testimony during proceedings would open him up to questioning on a range of damaging allegations.


    She told Page Six: "Once you take the stand, everything you've ever done - related to any of these alleged crimes - become fair game.

    "You are under oath and you can go to jail for... perjury, so you want to avoid taking the stand."

    Combs is on trial on charges including sex trafficking, racketeering and obstruction.

    He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and faces life behind bars if convicted on all allegations.

    His trial, now in its third week, has seen high-profile testimony from witnesses including his singer ex Cassie Ventura, 38, as well as rapper Scott Mescudi - known as Kid Cudi - and singer Dawn Richards.

    Ms Bonner added Combs would be risking exposure to uncomfortable cross-examination if he also took the stand.

    She said: "There is a lot of evidence that will be presented, even up until now, that I wouldn't want to answer if I was Diddy.

    "For example, 'Did you drop the Molotov cocktail in the car or did you have any involvement in that?'" she added, referring to a 2012 firebombing of Kid Cudi's car.

    Meanwhile, Combs' defence team have requested a mistrial.

    They are alleging prosecutorial misconduct over the questioning related to the apparent destroying of evidence in the arson case involving a car belonging to Combs' fellow performer Kid Cudi.

    Combs' lead lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has criticised the prosecution for making an "outrageous" suggestion his client could have been involved in the destruction of fingerprint evidence connected to the 2011 Molotov cocktail attack on Kid's Porsche. Mr Agnifilo argued the implication was unfairly presented to the jury during the cross-examination of arson investigator Lance Jimenez.

    Lance had testified fingerprint evidence from the Molotov cocktail bottle was destroyed in 2012 without his knowledge, on orders from the Los Angeles Police Department, which was not part of his investigative team.

    After a brief recess and with the jury excused, Mr Agnifilo said the prosecution's remarks "implied that someone in this courtroom was responsible for the destruction of the fingerprint cards".

    He urged Judge Arun Subramanian to dec lare a mistrial on grounds of prosecutorial misconduct, but the motion was denied. The judge agreed to strike the fingerprint evidence discussion from the record and instructed the jury to disregard it as irrelevant to the case.

    Day 11 of Combs' trial began on Wednesday (28.05.25) with testimony from a Los Angeles police officer who responded to the break-in at Kid Cudi's property in December 2011.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     30 May: Cassie Ventura has reportedly welcomed her third child
     30 May: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex suffers money guilt
     30 May: Nicola Peltz has been ordered to appear in court in connection with the death of her chihuahua Nala
     30 May: Brad Pitt has spoken publicly for the first time about the conclusion of his long-running divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie
     30 May: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' defence team have requested a mistrial
     30 May: Kool and the Gang singer Michael Sumler has died aged 71
     30 May: Andrew Tate and his brother have been charged with rape, human trafficking and controlling prostitution in the UK
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The Blues have thrashed the Waratahs 46-6 to end their visitors' Super Rugby Pacific season, and keep their hopes of playoffs footie alive More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Donald Trump announces plans to double steel tariffs to 50pc to 'further secure US steel industry' More...



     Today's News

    Law and Order:
    A man has been imprisoned for 10 years and eight months after abducting a woman and raping her repeatedly 21:56

    Environment:
    New strong wind warnings have been issued for the east coast of the North Island 21:16

    Rugby:
    The Blues have thrashed the Waratahs 46-6 to end their visitors' Super Rugby Pacific season, and keep their hopes of playoffs footie alive 18:57

    Netball:
    The Mainland Tactix have snapped the Northern Mystics' winning streak in the ANZ Premiership netball season with a 61-50 home win in Rangiora 18:37

    Soccer:
    Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne expects plenty of South American finesse from Venezuela in tomorrow morning's first friendly in Spain 18:07

    Environment:
    Brett Cameron believes his return to the Hurricanes number 10 jersey marks a full circle completion of his lengthy injury layoff 17:27

    Law and Order:
    Armed police have arrested a man in Dunedin following a three-hour standoff 17:27

    Law and Order:
    A 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged following two reports about a man's suspicious behaviour in West Auckland 16:57

    Rugby League:
    Kiwis and Newcastle Knights prop Leo Thompson's facing a month-long ban after a grade-two crusher tackle in last night's NRL loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons 16:17

    Business:
    Donald Trump announces plans to double steel tariffs to 50pc to 'further secure US steel industry' 16:07


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd