Sean Combs: Opening statements and the first witnesses.

Summary

Dateline: True Crime Weekly – Episode: Sean Combs: Opening Statements and the First Witnesses
Release Date: May 13, 2025

---

Introduction

In this gripping episode of Dateline: True Crime Weekly, host Andrea Canning delves into the high-profile trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs. The episode provides a comprehensive overview of the trial's commencement, including opening statements from both the prosecution and defense, the composition of the jury, and the testimonies of the first witnesses presented by the prosecution.

---

Jury Selection

Timestamp: 03:46 - 07:03

Andrea Canning introduces NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss, who provides an on-the-ground account from outside the federal courthouse in Lower Manhattan. Chloe reports on the jury selection process, revealing that the jury consists of twelve members—eight men and four women—along with six alternates. She notes the diverse professional backgrounds of the jurors, including a physician's assistant, a deli worker, a massage therapist, and a scientist, all hailing from the Southern District of New York.

Chloe highlights the gender composition, emphasizing the male dominance within the jury group. Andrea observes that Combs opted to present himself in khaki pants and a sweater rather than a suit, a strategic choice intended to make him appear more approachable and relatable to the jury, a tactic reminiscent of the Menendez brothers' defense strategies.

---

Opening Statements

Timestamp: 04:35 - 07:17

Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson delivered the prosecution's opening statement, laying the foundation of their case against Sean Combs. The prosecution alleges that Combs orchestrated a criminal enterprise over two decades, involving sex trafficking and racketeering. Central to their case is Cassie Ventura, Combs' former girlfriend and the prosecution's star witness.

Emily Johnson outlined how Combs is accused of coercing women into sexual performances, which were recorded. These recordings were allegedly used as leverage to prevent the victims from leaving him or cooperating with law enforcement. Chloe Meloss details that the prosecution plans to introduce video evidence of these sexual performances, termed "Freak Offs," to the jury.

During the defense's opening statement, lead attorney Tenny Garagos contested the authenticity of the videos, asserting that they were not found during police raids at Combs' residence but were instead provided by Cassie Ventura to the prosecutors, thereby suggesting that Ventura held significant control over the narrative.

---

Witness Testimonies

Timestamp: 09:47 - 12:35

First Witness: Hotel Security Guard

The prosecution's first witness was a hotel security guard who was present during an incident in 2016 when Cassie Ventura was allegedly brutally beaten in a hotel hallway. The guard recounted receiving an emergency call about a woman in distress on the hotel's sixth floor. Upon arrival, he recognized Sean Combs, noting his "devilish stare."

Notable Quote:

"Combs had a devilish stare," — Security Guard [05:11]

During cross-examination by Defense Attorney Brian Steele, discrepancies emerged between the guard's incident report and his courtroom testimony. Steele questioned why the guard did not call 911 or involve authorities, to which the guard responded that he felt scared for his own life.

Second Witness: Paid Performer

The second witness was an individual who identifies himself as a stripper, though prosecutors referred to him as an escort. He testified that Cassie Ventura paid him to engage in sexual acts while Combs supervised. The witness described two particular instances where he observed Combs physically assaulting Ventura—grabbing her by the hair and dragging her into a bedroom, accompanied by audible slapping sounds.

Notable Quote:

"I saw Combs grab Cassie by the hair... pulled her off of a chair and dragged her into the bedroom," — Paid Performer [11:06]

When questioned by prosecutors why he did not intervene or report the incidents to the police, the performer admitted feeling threatened and fearful for his safety.

---

Anticipated Testimonies and Trial Progression

Timestamp: 11:54 - 12:35

Looking ahead, Andrea Canning informs listeners that Cassie Ventura, the prosecution's primary witness, is slated to take the stand the following day. Ventura, who is heavily pregnant with her third child, is expected to provide detailed testimony regarding her experiences with Combs. This will mark the first time she has been in the same room as Combs since their breakup, adding a layer of emotional complexity to her testimony.

---

Conclusion

Andrea Canning wraps up the episode by expressing anticipation for the unfolding trial, promising continued in-depth coverage in subsequent episodes. Listeners are encouraged to follow Dateline: True Crime Weekly for daily updates and to stay informed through the NBC Newsletter for written analyses.

Notable Quote:

"It's going to be a big day," — Chloe Meloss [12:32]

---

Production Credits

On Trial is produced by Franny Kelly with assistance from the Dateline: True Crime Weekly team. Senior Producer Liz Brown Kurloff oversees the production, with original music composed by Jesse McGinty. Paul Ryan serves as the executive producer, and Liz Cole is the Senior Executive Producer of Dateline.

---

Stay Updated: For continuous coverage of the Sean Combs trial and other true crime stories, subscribe to Dateline: True Crime Weekly and visit NBC's Diddy on Trial for more information.

Transcript

[Jerry]

Welcome back to Listen to youo Heart. I'm Jerry.

[Jerry's Heart]

And I'm Jerry's Heart.

[Jerry]

Today's topic, Repatha Evolocimab heart. Why'd you pick this one?

[Jerry's Heart]

Well, Jerry, for people who have had a heart attack like us, diet and exercise might not be enough to lower the risk of another one.

[Jerry]

Okay.

[Jerry's Heart]

To help know if we're at risk, we should be getting our LDL C, our bad cholesterol checked and talking to our doctor.

[Jerry]

I'm listening.

[Jerry's Heart]

And if it's still too high, Repatha can be added to a statin to lower our LDL C and our heart attack risk.

[Jerry]

Hmm. Guess it's time to ask about Repatha.

[Medical Disclaimer]

Do not take Repatha if you are allergic to it. Serious allergic reactions can occur. Get medical help right away if you have trouble breathing or swallowing. Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or arms. Common side effects include runny nose, sore throat, common cold symptoms, flu or flu like symptoms, back pain, high blood sugar and redness Pain or bruising at the injection site.

[Jerry]

Listen to your heart.

[Jerry's Heart]

Ask your doctor about Repatha. Learn [e-mail] or call 1-844-repatha this episode.

[E Trade Sponsor]

Is sponsored by E Trade from Morgan Stanley. Dive into the market with eTrade's Easy to Use tools. And now there's even more to love. Get access to expert insights from Morgan Stanley to help navigate the markets. Open an account and get up to $1,000 or more with a qualifying deposit. Learn [e-mail] terms and other fees apply. Investing involves risks. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney llc Member SIPIC etrade is a business of Morgan Stanley.

[Always Advertisement]

On your period, sudden gushes happen without warning. But now you can say goodbye to stand up gush fears thanks to Always Ultra Thins With Rapid Dry technology, it absorbs gushes two times faster than the leading store brand and gives you up to 100% leak free protection. Hello clean and comfortable with always fear no gush.

[Andrea Canning]

Hey everyone. Andrea Canning here with the latest from the Dateline True Crime Weekly team. For the next eight weeks, or however long it takes, we'll be bringing you daily updates from the trial of Sean Diddy Combs. I'll be talking to NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss every day after court about what she's seeing inside the witnesses, the evidence and what it all means. This is on Trial, a special podcast from DATELINE True Crime Weekly bringing you daily coverage from the Sean Combs trial. I'm Andrea canning. Today is May 12th. This morning, media from around the world Gathered outside a federal courthouse in lower Manhattan as a jury was seated. The music executive, also known as Puffy and Diddy, has been famous for decades for his own hit songs and for producing other major stars. Now he's being tried on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. Prosecutors say they can prove that over a span of 20 years, combs physically, emotionally and sexually abused his alleged victims. They say he coerced women into sexual performances which he recorded and then threatened to reveal the footage if they left him or went to police. Combs has denied these allegations and pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him. Today, both the prosecution and defense delivered their opening statements before lunch. And in the afternoon we got to hear the prosecution's first witnesses, a hotel security guard and a man who said he was paid to be in one of those sexual performances. Combs called Freak Offs. In this episode we're going to be talking about some graphic details and harrowing subject matter. NBC News correspondent Chloe Meloss was inside the courthouse and she joins us now from the sidewalk outside. Chloe, thanks for being here.

[Chloe Meloss]

Thanks for having me.

[Andrea Canning]

You've been there since bright and early this morning.

[Chloe Meloss]

So early. But I was not the earliest because there actually are a lot of people that have been camping out since yesterday.

[Andrea Canning]

So tell us everything about how this all started this morning.

[Chloe Meloss]

So they finally settled on 12 jurors, six alternates. And that 12 person jury is made up of eight men and four women. I think that's really interesting to point out here that it's a male dominated jury. Even the alternates, there's more men than women. We know some of the professions. There's a physician's assistant, there's someone who works at a deli, a massage therapist, even a scientist. So there's a really wide ranging group of people. And these individuals, they hail from the Southern District of New York. So they come from all of the areas in and around New York City.

[Andrea Canning]

The prosecution gave its opening statement, Chloe. It was given by Assistant U.S. attorney Emily Johnson. Did you get a sense for how the U.S. attorney is laying out their case?

[Chloe Meloss]

So much of their case centers around their star witness, which is Combs former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. They say that he ran this criminal enterprise, that he used employees to carry out illegal activity. They helped him organize these drug fueled sex parties that he forced women in his life, these alleged victims to partake in these parties, have sex with male escorts, force them to take drugs.

[Andrea Canning]

So something that came out during these opening statements that's quite disturbing is that the jurors will actually Be seeing video of the freak offs some of them.

[Chloe Meloss]

So it turns out that Combs did film some of these encounters. But what's really interesting is that during the defense openings that were done by Tenny Garagos, she said, you're going to learn that these videos were not found at his home during the raids. These were actually videos provided by Cassie to the prosecutors that, that you think he had the power, but she actually had the power.

[Andrea Canning]

So, Chloe, describe Combs at the defense table. It is he surrounded by, you know, just a lot of attorneys in suits? Is he engaged in his defense? What did you see?

[Chloe Meloss]

Well, this is not your average trial because he has so many attorneys. I think I counted six or maybe seven at this point. We know that he's recently added Brian Steele, he recently represented young Thug in his RICO case. You have Mark Agnifolo, that also represents Luigi Mangione. As for Combs, he had on what looked like khaki pants, a sweater. He had again, his gray hair, a gray goatee, but he was smiling. He blew a kiss to his family behind him. His children were there, his mother. He hugged all of his attorneys.

[Andrea Canning]

You know, it's funny, I thought you were going to say Sean Combs would be in a suit or, you know, but then when you say he's in khakis and a sweater, do you think that was intentional? To make him look friendly, to make him look accessible, not high powered and famous.

[Chloe Meloss]

His team recently put in a motion to actually get sweater. So you're not going to see him in suits. He's going to be in sweaters and khaki pants, shoes without laces. And I was told that this is something that dates as far back as Menendez, the Menendez brothers, when they wore sweaters, is to make them look more approachable to the jury.

[Andrea Canning]

Yeah, I think a lot of us remember them wearing sweaters. That's absolutely right. Okay, Chloe, when we come back, we're going to talk about the prosecution's first two witnesses.

[Defender Advertisement]

If your idea of the perfect getaway is exploring uncharted territory, then the Defender is the ride for you. It's more than a vehicle. It's an icon reimagined through modern design, fit for a new generation of trailblazers like you. Powerful performance meets power of choice. The Defender comes in three distinct models, all engineered to meet challenges head on, so you can explore with confidence. Defender 90 was made for urban exploration. Defender 110 boasts an exterior designed for optimum durability. Defender 130 has expanded cargo capacity and room for eight and adventure seekers won't want to miss Destination Defender, a weekend festival in Port Jervis, N.Y. from May 16th through 18th. This epic road show features inspiring talks, off road driving courses, chef tastings and live music. To learn more, please visit DestinationDefenderUSA.com Inspired.

[Always Advertisement]

By Judy Blume's groundbreaking 1975 novel Forever, watch the reimagined coming of age series about young love by Mara Bracha Kiel, the iconic creator of Girlfriends. The epic love story follows two black teens, Keisha and Justin, as they explore romance and their identities throughout the awkward journey of being each other's firsts. Watch Forever, now playing only on Netflix.

[Chloe Meloss]

Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms can be unpredictable I.

[Jerry]

Had joint pain and I couldn't move like I used to. I needed relief.

[Medical Disclaimer]

I got Cosentyx.

[Jerry]

It helped me move better.

[Cosentyx Advertisement]

Cosentix Secukenumab is prescribed for people 2 years of age and older with active psoriatic arthritis, depending on use. If you're allergic to Cosentyx before starting, get checked for tuberculosis. An increased risk of infections and lowered ability to fight them may occur like tuberculosis or other serious bacterial, fungal or viral infections. Some were fatal. Tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms like fevers, sweats, chills, muscle aches or cough had a vaccine or plan to, or if inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop or worsen serious allergic reactions and severe eczema like skin reactions may occur. Learn more at 1-844-cosentix or cosentyx.com.

[Jerry]

Ask your rheumatologist about Cosentyx.

[Andrea Canning]

Chloe, who did the prosecution call as their first witness?

[Chloe Meloss]

So the first person was a security guard. This was someone that was actually working at the hotel when Cassie was brutally beaten in that hallway in 2016. He testified that on that night he got a call about a woman in distress on the sixth floor of the hotel. So he went up to go see what was going on. And when he got there, that's when he recognized, oh, this is Sean Diddy Combs. And he was there in a towel and socks. And he actually said that Combs had a, quote, devilish stare. He then said that he asked Combs what was going on and Combs said, look, we were arguing. We were just having a dispute. But then he testified that he heard Combs tell Cassie to you are not going to leave.

[Andrea Canning]

Okay, so how did the defense cross examine the security guard?

[Chloe Meloss]

So Brian Steele handled the cross examination. You have Brian Steele saying what you wrote in your incident report to your employer is not what you're describing to me now on the stand. So he pointed out that in his report he did not write that Combs told Cassie, you're not leaving. He never said that. Combs had a devilish stare on his face. And he also asked, why did you not call 911? Why did you not get authorities involved?

[Andrea Canning]

Witness number two was actually someone hired to have sex with Cassie. Is that hired by Sean Combs?

[Chloe Meloss]

So it's very unclear. This individual calls himself a stripper, but prosecutors had called him an escort. He does say that he had been paid by Ventura actually to take part in sex acts where he would have sex with Cassie while Combs were watched. And he also testified that on two occasions he actually remembers Combs physically assaulting Cassie. He said in one instance, he saw Combs grab Cassie by the hair while she was sitting in front of her computer, pulled her off of a chair and dragged her into the bedroom and that he could hear slapping sounds coming from the other room. And he was asked by prosecutors, why did you not call the police? Why did you not intervene? And he said more than once that he was scared for his own life.

[Andrea Canning]

Tomorrow, the star witness, Cassie Ventura herself is expected to be called to the stand, correct?

[Chloe Meloss]

Yes. So Cassie is the main witness for the government. She's victim one. She's heavily pregnant. She's in her third trimester. She's pregnant with her third child. But she's going to take the stand and it's going to take multiple days for her testimony and the according to opening statements, this will actually be the first time that Cassie has been in the same room as Combs since they broke up.

[Andrea Canning]

Chloe, thank you for all of your color and insight into this first day of this big trial. We look forward to speaking with you on day two.

[Chloe Meloss]

It's going to be a big day.

[Andrea Canning]

Thanks for listening. For all of our in depth coverage, follow DATELINE True Crime Weekly will have a new episode tomorrow and if you'd rather read the latest developments and analysis from inside the courtroom, check out the NBC Newsletter. Diddy on trial go to nbcnews.com diddy to find that. On Trial is produced by Franny Kelly with help from the DATELINE True Crime Weekly team. Our senior producer is Liz Brown Kurloff. Original Music by Jesse McGinty Paul Ryan is executive producer and Liz Cole is senior Executive producer of dateline.

[Always Pocket Flex Foam Advertisement]

Revolutionize your period care with new Always Pocket Flex Foam, a full size Flex foam pad packed into a surprisingly tiny design that fits seamlessly in your purse or pocket. Whether you're heading to a meeting, the gym or a night out with friends. Its portability means you can flow on the go with up to zero leaks, zero feel and zero bunching all Always Pocket Flex Foam adapts to your body so you can move freely and confidently. Experience the future of period protection with new Always Pocket Flex Foam. Pick up your pack today.