1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: Before we jump into today's deep dive, a quick heads 2 00:00:02,880 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: up that we'll be discussing a story that includes themes 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,639 Speaker 1: of sexual assault and sex trafficking. Please listen with care, 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:10,320 Speaker 1: and if it's not for you today, we'll see you 5 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:11,639 Speaker 1: again later this afternoon. 6 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 2: Already, and this is the Daily OS. 7 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: This is the Daily OS. 8 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 3: Oh, now it makes sense. 9 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: Good morning, and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Wednesday, 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 1: the fourteenth of May. I'm Zara Seidler, I'm Emma Gillespie. 11 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: The high profile sex trafficking case of Sean Diddy Combs 12 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: has begun in court this week, with both the prosecution 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 1: and defense laying out their arguments. The fifty five year 14 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: old rapper and producer was arrested and charged in September 15 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 1: last year. He was later denied bail and has been 16 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: in custody ever since. In today's podcast, we're going to 17 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 1: explain the context of the case and also run through 18 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: what we've learnt in the first few days of the trial. 19 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,119 Speaker 3: Zara, it feels a little bit surreal that this trial 20 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 3: is finally here, because we've been talking about this case 21 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 3: for such a long time. It felt like getting to 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 3: this day would never happen. But it's all unfolding in 23 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 3: New York as we speak this week. A lot has 24 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 3: been said about this trial and these allegations, particularly in 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 3: the media, over the last several months. But I think 26 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,479 Speaker 3: it would be helpful to take it right back. Let's 27 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 3: start from the beginning. For anyone who isn't familiar, let's 28 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 3: take it back to basics. Who is Diddy? 29 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, so Sean Diddy Combs has a bunch of nicknames. 30 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: I think it's sort of important to just say that 31 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,680 Speaker 1: because he's referred to as a different name by like 32 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: ten different media arbots. So you might hear him refer 33 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 1: to as p Diddy, Puffy Diddy. I'm going to just 34 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,559 Speaker 1: refer to him as Combs. Yeah, that is his surname now. 35 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:00,120 Speaker 1: He founded bad Boy Records in nineteen ninety three, and 36 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: the music label has gone on to represent some of 37 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: the world's most famous rappers. People like Notorious Big are 38 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: among those who he represented. Combs is a three time 39 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: Grammy Award winner. He's worked with people like Mariah Carey, 40 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: Mary J. Blige, Usher, and Faith Evans, just to mention 41 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: a few. He's also done a bit of acting. He's 42 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: starred in films like Monsters Ball, get him to the 43 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,359 Speaker 1: Greek and draft day, and I guess I think it's 44 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: just important to say right now. The reason why I'm 45 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 1: saying all of these different things that he started in 46 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: and things that he's done in his career is not 47 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: to rattle off his resume. It's just to show the 48 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: extent of his power. He wasn't just a producer, he 49 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: wasn't just an actor. He was kind of everything to 50 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: the industry exactly. 51 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:51,160 Speaker 3: He was also an extremely powerful entertainment industry figure, but 52 00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:55,480 Speaker 3: also a powerful business figure. He's an entrepreneur, owned many brands, 53 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,399 Speaker 3: invested in many labels and brands. So this is someone who, 54 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 3: I suppose, the influence across a range of industries, and 55 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 3: that speaks to the interest in the shock, I suppose. 56 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: And we heard these allegations definitely. 57 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 3: So when did it all start to shift for Sean Combs? 58 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 3: When did we first hear about these charges? 59 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,839 Speaker 1: So the first allegations to be leveled against Combs were 60 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: back in twenty twenty three, and those allegations were made 61 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,119 Speaker 1: by his former partner, Cassandra Ventura. 62 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 2: She's also known as. 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 1: Cassie Singer the singer Absolutely, and she accused him of 64 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: sexual assault. At the time, her lawyers described the rapper 65 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: Combs as a vicious, cruel and controlling man at that time. 66 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: Back in twenty twenty three, he denied those allegations, and 67 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 1: a day after the lawsuit was filed. 68 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 2: The matter was settled out of court. 69 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: Then, in May of last year, CNN published footage that 70 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: I'm sure a lot of our listeners will have heard 71 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: about or seen. 72 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:58,920 Speaker 2: That footage appeared to show. 73 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: Combs kicking and ragging Cassie in a hotel hallway in 74 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen. Now, in a video posted to Instagram later, 75 00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: he apologized for his quote inexcusable behavior, but he didn't 76 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,480 Speaker 1: name Cassie in the statement at the time. And that 77 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: clip of what we can see to be Comb's assaulting 78 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 1: Cassie has become quite a focal point of the trials 79 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:24,840 Speaker 1: opening days. So we will go back to that in 80 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: a little while, because certainly in opening statements that's been 81 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: quite a point of focus. But Cassie wasn't the only 82 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: person to file legal action against Sean Cone's so last year, 83 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: music producer Rodney Jones he goes by Lil Rod, he 84 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: also filed a lawsuit against Comb's He alleged that Combs 85 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: spiked the drinks of miners and sex workers at his 86 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: homes in California, New York, Florida, and the US Virgin Islands. 87 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: When those allegations were made public, Combs denied them, and 88 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: then in March, US authorities raided Combs's properties in LA 89 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: and Miami as part of an ongoing investigation where they 90 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: uncovered firearms, ammunition, and more than a thousand bottles of lubricant. 91 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 3: So that brings us kind of up to speed before 92 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: he was arrested and charged. I think it's interesting the 93 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,120 Speaker 3: Cassie story that CCTV footage. While we did get an 94 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 3: apology from Combs at the time that didn't name her, 95 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 3: he didn't specifically accept the allegations or the accusations against 96 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 3: him at that point. So he has maintained his innocence throughout. 97 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, throughout there haven't been any allegations that comes has 98 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,240 Speaker 1: accepted as true. 99 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 3: So when was he eventually arrested and charged? 100 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:44,279 Speaker 1: That happened in September last year. At that time, he 101 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 1: was charged with sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, ars and bribery, 102 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: and obstruction of justice. 103 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 2: Really serious charge, big charges. 104 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, and at the time, federal US prosecutors accused him 105 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 1: of using his business empire to cover up decades of 106 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 1: abuse against women to quote fulfill his sexual desires and 107 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,719 Speaker 1: protect his reputation. So that was a charge of racketeering, 108 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: and that's, as I just said, the idea of using 109 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:11,960 Speaker 1: the resources of a business to cover up a crime. 110 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,880 Speaker 1: He was also accused of using his staff to coordinate 111 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: and conceal these incidents, and it's alleged that the incidents 112 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: were often recorded. 113 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 3: I remember when these charges were published last year and 114 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 3: we covered it, and there were hundreds of pages of 115 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 3: really extensive court documents. Was so COMPREHENI the indictment was massive. 116 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 3: And while perhaps he had maybe earned a reputation regarding 117 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:40,479 Speaker 3: his relationship with Cassandra Ventura and the allegations around that, 118 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:42,840 Speaker 3: I think what really shocked people or what s gripped 119 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: them about this case all of the allegations about how 120 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 3: he used his business, how he used his staff, and 121 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:51,760 Speaker 3: that really caught people off guard. 122 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. 123 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: Absolutely, And I think that goes to the idea or 124 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 1: the allegation rather that there were a lot of people 125 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:00,840 Speaker 1: who knew about these alleged crimes. 126 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 3: And that it's the accusation is that it was a 127 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 3: very a very extensive network and operation and organized in 128 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 3: a certain way exactly. 129 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,080 Speaker 1: But again we do need to reiterate these are allegations 130 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: now are currently being tested in court. But Combs has 131 00:07:15,760 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: maintained his innocence. As I said, he has denied all 132 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: of the chargers. He has been in jail this whole time. 133 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: So when he was arrested back in September last year, 134 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 1: he was later denied bail, and so this whole time 135 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: he's been sitting in jail, and we have only seen 136 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 1: him for the first time during this trial. And interestingly, 137 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: he does look quite different from the court reporters. We 138 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: get a sense that he has graying hair and a 139 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: gray beard. Again, that goes to the time that he 140 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: has spent in prison so far. 141 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, his lawyers have continued to push for him to 142 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 3: be released on bail. But I suppose with the nature 143 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 3: of these charges relating to so many different states across 144 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 3: the US, there has been concern about how to navigate that. 145 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 3: So he has pleaded not guilty. Yeah where obviously in 146 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 3: the very early stages of this high profile trial. 147 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 2: Just can I just jump in there. 148 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,680 Speaker 1: So he's pleaded not guilty, but he was recently offered 149 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: a play deal. A plea deal is when a person 150 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: pleads guilty to a lesser charge or a modified charge, 151 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: often in exchange for a reduced sentence. I guess the 152 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: operative term there is that you play guilty. Yes, and 153 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: he didn't accept that play deal, so he rejected that 154 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: very recently, which is why now the case is on trial, 155 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: because had he pled guilty, it wouldn't have gone to trial. 156 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 3: Interesting, Yeah, so we are at that stage. He is 157 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 3: maintaining his innocence, rejects the plea deal. What do we 158 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 3: know about the court proceedings so far? 159 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:50,319 Speaker 1: I'll talk to a few details on the trial itself first. 160 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: So it's being held in Manhattan, as you said, in 161 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: New York City. 162 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: It is going to be decided by a jury. 163 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: So there are twelve New Yorkers who will decide the 164 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: outcome of this case. It's eight men and four women 165 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: on the jury, with the trial expected to last for 166 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: about eight weeks. And I know that we speak about 167 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: this kind of every time we talk about a high 168 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,079 Speaker 1: profile case. But finding a jury that doesn't know or 169 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: hasn't read about Sean Combs is a difficult and tall task. 170 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,439 Speaker 1: So there's been a lot of back and forth between 171 00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 1: the prosecution and the defense about who should. 172 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:26,000 Speaker 2: Make up that jury, but they have settled on that jury. Now. 173 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 3: We'll be back with the rest of today's deep dive 174 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 3: after this. And interestingly, in a case like this, there 175 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 3: are spare jurors. Basically, there are extra people who have 176 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 3: been selected. If there is misconduct or if someone is 177 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 3: found to have previous knowledge or background knowledge that influences 178 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 3: them unfairly in their decision making process on that jury, 179 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 3: they will get subbed out for someone else, which I 180 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,920 Speaker 3: suppose the chances of that happening in a case like 181 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 3: this are much pretty higher. 182 00:09:58,080 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, exactly, and just on trial. There are no photos 183 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: or video allowed in this trial. And I thought that 184 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: was important to mention because I think we've seen not 185 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 1: I think we have seen a lot of high profile 186 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,640 Speaker 1: cases play out like live streams. So I think back 187 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 1: to the Johnny Depp and Herd case that basically became 188 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: a social media trial that everyone was watching the whole time. 189 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: That's not going to happen here because it's not allowed. 190 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: So we are relying now on the journos who are 191 00:10:27,360 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: in the room the court reporters to bring us information 192 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: and reporting on what's actually happening and what's being said 193 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: during that trial. 194 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 3: That is really interesting information in terms of what's actually 195 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 3: gone down so far. I know we are in the 196 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 3: early stages, but have we heard opening arguments? 197 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, we have, so we've heard opening arguments from both sides. 198 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 1: I'll start first with the prosecution's case. So we heard 199 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 1: the opening statement from prosecutor Emily Johnson, and in her 200 00:10:55,800 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: opening statement, she accused Combs of threatening, drugging, and violently 201 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: coercing women into sex. I will just say I don't 202 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: really want to go into the specific allegations made by 203 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: the prosecution because they're quite graphic and disturbing, So I'm 204 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: just going to give you like a high level run 205 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:17,320 Speaker 1: through of what we have learned. Broadly, the prosecution is 206 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:20,320 Speaker 1: alleging that Combs had this inner group of people who 207 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:23,080 Speaker 1: helped him cover up the alleged crimes, and that he 208 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 1: used his company resources, as I said earlier, to carry 209 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:27,199 Speaker 1: out some of. 210 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 2: These alleged crimes. 211 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:32,040 Speaker 1: She is quoted as saying he sometimes called himself the king, 212 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: and he expected to be treated like one. She alleged 213 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:39,640 Speaker 1: he committed crime after crime after crime over twenty years. 214 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,960 Speaker 1: We know from the opening statement that the prosecution's case 215 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 1: will also include accounts by three women, including Cassie, who 216 00:11:46,960 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: I mentioned was in that video and is an ex 217 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 1: partner of Combs. 218 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 3: So we're expecting a group of women to appear in 219 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 3: the witness stand and kind of assume that they will 220 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 3: paint a picture of Combs's character. Uh, what about the 221 00:12:02,720 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 3: other side, What can we expect from the defense. 222 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: I found this to be really interesting, if I'm honest, 223 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: because the defense's case is basically that comes is a 224 00:12:14,679 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: deeply flawed and imperfect man, and they have been very 225 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: forthcoming with that fact. Interesting They have said things like 226 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 1: he's a complicated man, but this isn't a complicated case. 227 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: Elsewhere they said, the evidence is going to show you 228 00:12:29,720 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: a very flawed individual, but what it will not show 229 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: you is a racketeer, a sex trafficker, or someone transporting 230 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: for prostitution. So what they're trying to say is, yes, 231 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: Sean Colmes is a deeply troubled, flawed man, but that 232 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: he's not guilty of the extremely serious charges that are 233 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 1: being leveled against him. So in the opening statement from 234 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,120 Speaker 1: Colmes's lawyer, She argued that his relationships were consensual and 235 00:12:57,160 --> 00:13:01,120 Speaker 1: that he engaged in a swinger's life style with his 236 00:13:01,280 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: partners that was consensual. She said that the case is 237 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 1: about his quote, private personal sex life, which has nothing 238 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 1: to do with his lawful businesses. So again trying to 239 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: separate these allegations around the resourcing by the business of 240 00:13:17,040 --> 00:13:18,479 Speaker 1: these alleged crimes. 241 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 3: It's interesting this approach. I suppose from the defense that 242 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,760 Speaker 3: they haven't gone down a path of trying to portray 243 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,360 Speaker 3: Combs as a squeaky clean character, and I think that 244 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,800 Speaker 3: this shows us probably reading between the lines that consent 245 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 3: will be a really big. 246 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: Part definitely of his trial. 247 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: Definitely, And again it's only the early days, but there 248 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: has been quite a focus on that video that I 249 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: referred to earlier. We've had two witnesses so far testify. 250 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:53,959 Speaker 1: They've been called by the prosecution, so not by the defense, 251 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,719 Speaker 1: but they have had the opportunity to be cross examined. 252 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: The first person to be called as a witness was 253 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: an LA police officer who was working as a security 254 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: guard at the hotel when that video that I mentioned 255 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: took place. He testified that he responded to a distressed 256 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,840 Speaker 1: woman on the sixth floor, who we now know to 257 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: be Cassie, and that when he got there he found 258 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: Combs seated with a quote devilish stare, and that he 259 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: saw that Cassie had a black eye on that specific incident. 260 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: This witness claims that Comes offered him money and said, 261 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 1: don't tell nobody. And he also said that Combs bought 262 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: the footage from the hotel security for about one hundred 263 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: thousand dollars, but that copies were made and that's why 264 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 1: it was able to still be leaked and publicly published. 265 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: When asked about this video, because as we've kind of 266 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:48,160 Speaker 1: alluded to, it was made public, it was there for 267 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: people to see. Combs's lawyers acknowledged that he was responsible 268 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: for domestic violence, again going to this argument of he 269 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 1: is responsible for some of the things that are being alleged, 270 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: but they denied that this meant that he had committed 271 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: any of the other crimes that he was accused. 272 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:09,240 Speaker 3: Okay, and so that includes bribery, trying to pay off 273 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 3: people for their silence, trying to get the video which 274 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 3: we saw through. 275 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: CMX, trafficking, any of that. They're saying, yes, he is 276 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 1: guilty of domestic violence, but no, that doesn't mean that 277 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: he is guilty of these other charges. And then the 278 00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: second witness that was called was someone called Daniel Philip, 279 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: and he delivered quite an explicit testimony. He said that 280 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: Combs paid him to have sex with Cassie while Combs 281 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: watched in a corner. Part of his testimony was that 282 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: he alleged that he saw and heard Comb's assault Cassie 283 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:45,080 Speaker 1: on numerous occasions. Again, I'm not going to get into 284 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: the details. There's some pretty graphic stuff, but you can 285 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: read more of his testimony online. But basically, through his testimony, 286 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: the prosecution of trying to build the case of an 287 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: extremely violent man in Shawn Combs. 288 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 3: And those original indictment documents that we touched on earlier, 289 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 3: they do detail a lot more about these allegations of 290 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 3: Combs paying for sex, paying male sex workers to allegedly 291 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 3: rape women that were there under false pretenses, the prosecution 292 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 3: argues in his home. There's plenty more details in those 293 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 3: indictment documents if you want to read them. So Zara, 294 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 3: I think the biggest question, apart from you know, whether 295 00:16:27,080 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 3: or not he is guilty, is what does the future 296 00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 3: look like for Sean Combs If he is found guilty, 297 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:35,160 Speaker 3: what happens. 298 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: Basically, he's facing life in prison. As we've kind of 299 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: alluded to throughout this podcast, visa the most serious charges 300 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: that someone can face, and he is facing a lot 301 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: of them all at once. So prosecutors are pushing for 302 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: if he is found guilty, life in prison, and that 303 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: would be, you know, just a really really remarkable outcome 304 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: for someone, as we said at the top of this podcast, 305 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: who was until very recently at the top of the 306 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 1: US entertainment industry. 307 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 3: And he's a fifty five year old man. You know, 308 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 3: we're not talking about historic charges and someone high profile 309 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:13,679 Speaker 3: who is near the end of their life. This is, 310 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 3: for all intents and purposes, healthy middle aged man who 311 00:17:18,240 --> 00:17:21,160 Speaker 3: could stand to be behind buzz for several decades. 312 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: Super interesting and we'll be sure to bring updates as 313 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:25,480 Speaker 1: the case continues. 314 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:29,160 Speaker 3: Thank you so much for listening to today's episode. If 315 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 3: it raised any issues with you, help is available through 316 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 3: one eight hundred Respect. You can contact them on one 317 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,920 Speaker 3: eight hundred seven three seven seven three two or head 318 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 3: to one eight hundred respect dot org dot au. We 319 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,680 Speaker 3: will pop some links in the episode description. 320 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Madden and I'm a proud Arunda 321 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:55,000 Speaker 1: bunge Lung Calcotin woman from Gadigl country. The Daily oz 322 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 1: acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on the lands of 323 00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 1: the Gatighel people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and 324 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: torrestrate island and nations. We pay our respects to the 325 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,199 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present.