A defense lawyer for hip-hop entrepreneur Sean “Diddy” Combs had his ex-girlfriend read aloud a slew of loving text messages she’d sent him over the past few years until she broke down in tears Wednesday on the witness stand.
The second day of cross-examination by attorney Teny Geragos seemed aimed at supporting the defense position that the woman, who testified under the pseudonym “Jane,” was a willing participant in the sometimes-weekly sex with male sex workers that Combs directed and watched for hours.
Geragos and Jane read aloud dozens of text messages exchanged during a relationship that stretched from 2021 until Combs was arrested last September.
At one point, Jane read a text saying she had “never had a man take care of me like you do” and professing her unending love for the entertainment icon — before Jane stopped reading and began sniffling, then dabbed tears from her eyes with a tissue.
After prosecutors objected and requested a sidebar conversation with the judge away from the jury, Jane sat slumped in the witness chair, hair hanging over one side of her face. At the defense table, Combs was quietly reading from one of the TV monitors in front of him.
It was the fifth day of testimony for Jane, who has said she still loves Combs. She previously discussed gaining insight into her relationship with Combs after three months of therapy. Jane also said she never wanted to have sex with any man except Combs but did so to please him.
At other points on Wednesday, Geragos elicited from Jane that she frequently became angry at Combs and wanted to end their relationship because she got upset that he was treating other girlfriends better.
In one instance, Jane acknowledged, the Bad Boy Records founder even bought another girlfriend jewelry that was a matching set to jewelry he had given Jane.
Prosecutors say they charged Combs with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy because he used threats, drugs and violence to force women into unwelcome sexual experiences and used his employees and associates to help him get what he wanted. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
The testimony Wednesday came during a shortened day in the courtroom that began in the afternoon. Geragos said she expected to finish her cross-examination Thursday morning.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, who is leading the prosecution, said the government expects to rest its case as early as next Wednesday.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo would not outline what will occur when the defense gets its turn to call witnesses, saying that will depend on which witnesses the government still calls to the stand, but he said he was confident the trial will end by July Fourth.
