← Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
Drop Dead Serious With Ashleigh Banfield
DIDDY BOMBSHELL: Fellow Rap Icon Likes Freak Offs & Diddy's Voice Texts RELEASED
00:41:07
Loading summary
Transcript39 lines
- [00:00]
Ashley Banfield
Foreign. Hey, everyone, I'm Ashley Banfield, and this is Drop Dead Serious. It was day 22 of Sean Diddy Combs federal trial. And the Internet, my friends, is on fire about the testimony today regarding another famous rapper who apparently likes to freak off just like Sean Combs does. This rapper, his name is being closely guarded, total secret, even though Diddy's lawyers demanded that the judge reveal his name in open court. And there may be a real war building between this rapper and Sean Combs because according to testimony, the men were once close. Very close. But the rapper apparently hit on Diddy's girlfriend behind Diddy's back. So, yeah, drama. The fireworks were lit. I'm going to get to that whole backstory and also the rumor mill in just a minute. And you're also going to hear some private recordings that Diddy sent that girlfriend. All of that is coming in just a hot minute. But today brought to an end a grueling run on the witness stand for that woman named Jane, the ex girlfriend, the woman who's been using that pseudonym for her whole turn during this trial. Up on the witness stand, she's one of the government's most explosive witnesses to date. And after more than five days of testimony, Jane was hit with a blistering final round of cross examination. The defense hammered her on contradictions and control and motive, and the government fired back with a redirect examination. That was raw, and it was really, really emotional. And I have to be honest, folks, it was hard to watch. And so, before we get to today's testimony, I do want to take you back to something that the jury heard in court yesterday, because two audio recordings were just entered into evidence and released to une I. E. The public. They're of Sean Diddy Combs talking to his girlfriend Jane. I want to play them for you now, but they do require a little bit of setup. The first one is about the two of them setting up a hotel night. So I want you to pay close attention to how Diddy refers to this upcoming hotel night. And I'd like you to ask yourself something. Is he deferential to Jane or is he demanding and coercive?
- [02:33]
Sean Combs
So if you come in for 24 hours, yeah, you always wanted to set some up, so now you got the opportunity. So set some shit up for tomorrow night. The last vision we had was that was dawn and atl. See? Put it together, baby.
- [02:53]
Ashley Banfield
And then there was this. A voice note that Sean Combs sent to Jane after they took a trip together to the Turks and caicos in March of 2023. You might remember, it was on that specific trip that Puffy and Jane agreed to something that they called a quote, unquote, love contract. And that's a deal whereby Jane would work less as her, you know, influencer job demanded of her, and Combs would pay for her $10,000 a month apartment. Jane said that with this contract, she was expected to be available to Diddy at all times. Diddy also referenced a strange and dark nickname that he had chosen for her because he said he felt like she was addictive.
- [03:42]
Sean Combs
Hey, baby, we had a great time. Stay in the light. It's all good. Get your rest. You are the crack pipe. That's my new name for you, Crack pipe. Or should I call you C.P. but, yeah, I don't. I want you to stay in the light. You know, I'm saying we had a very, very good time together. Like, so much, so much, so much, so much, so much fun. So much fun. Now go rest up. Get in your bag. You know what I'm saying? Got your contract. Find a nice little spot. Put your mind at ease. And, yeah, I had a great time, and I really, really want you to get some rest. I didn't know about you throwing up and all that. That's when I was like, hold up a second. All right, get some rest, baby. Love.
- [04:38]
Ashley Banfield
Jane testified the previous day that she had responded to these voice memos with a voice note of her own, saying, quote, baby, you make me laugh. The addiction is real. Yay. Two year contract. And later in this episode, you're going to hear another voice memo, one that the jury heard today, where Diddy responds to Jane's breaking point. So I think it's really insightful. I think it's so much more powerful for the jury to hear their words, like, contemporaneously as they're sending messages back and forth, rather than describing them years later on the witness stand. Right, so let's go Back to day 22 in the trial, and let's take you to the beginning of today, where it was definitely not business as usual in the courtroom. First off, testimony did not even begin on time today because of what was going on behind closed doors. Jane was called into a private meeting with the judge, along with her lawyer and both legal teams. And they were in there for, like, about an hour. Nobody would say what they discussed. But honestly, it did not take long to figure out what this might have been about. First, though, the final cross examination of Jane Doe, Diddy's lawyer, Tenny Garagos. And yes, I Keep saying it. It is that Garagos. It's Mark Garagosa's daughter. So, like all in the family, Teddy picked up where the defense left off yesterday. She questioned Jane about a Vegas trip that Jane had described on the witness stand earlier in the week. It was a January 2024 getaway. And as it turned out, Jane revealed today that she traveled to Vegas on a private jet and that she was not alone. Jane said that the jet belonged to a mega star, A well known rap artist who was on board with his girlfriend to celebrate that girlfriend's birthday. Okay, well, the Internet totally broke over that revelation. Like, you could just hear the reverberations, right? Everybody has been playing the guessing game all day as to who the jet belonged to. Which mega rap star and his girlfriend were in Vegas with Jane and her friends for a birthday celebration for that rap star's girlfriend. Because that rap star didn't just provide a ride. Jane said that rap star also provided quite a show. I will tell you exactly what I mean. And yes, I will give you the dirty details in just a second. But here's what happened in Vegas. According to Jane's earlier testimony, there was a full itinerary for Jane and her girlfriends. There was a play, and then a high end dinner. And then a strip club. Huh? And then a party in a hotel suite where things got spicy. And when I say spicy, I mean really spicy. Jane described what was going on in that suite as, quote, a freak off. Only this one was not hosted by Diddy. It wasn't with Jane. It was hosted by the famous rapper. You know, the guy with the jet who brung Jane to Vegas. When Jane arrived, she said she spotted a male escort who'd previously performed in her freak offs with Diddy. This is a guy named Antwan. We've heard of him before. Jane's mentioned him on the witness stand many times. But Antoine was having sex with an unknown woman in the middle of this suite when. While the famous rapper and his girlfriend with the birthday, apparently they were just watching and enjoying. Jane insisted to the court she did not participate in this freak off. No. She said this was for the famous rapper and his girlfriend featuring an escort that. Yes. Me and my boyfriend Diddy, we've had before. Talk about a coincidence, right? You hate that when you run into your gut. Never mind. I'm kidding. So when Diddy found out that apparently Jane had gone to this sex party, Jane said that Diddy was absolutely furious with her. Like, totally jealous, totally controlling. Diddy's lawyer pressed Jane, though. About the sex party and about that rapper and what really happened inside that hotel suite. The lawyer asked, quote, is this rapper an icon in the music industry? To which Jane answered, yes. She confirmed that he was somebody close to Diddy, both personally and professionally. I know the bells are going off in my head, too. But here's the thing. Diddy's lawyer never said the rapper's name because Diddy's lawyer was not allowed to say the rapper's name. Turns out that's what the private meeting was about in the judge's chambers this morning. Remember the one that went on for about an hour that they didn't disclose earlier. The judge had ruled over objections from Diddy's legal team that the rapper. Rapper's identity must remain sealed. Diddy's other lawyer, Mark Agnifolo, made a public objection to that the moment the court resumed. Actually, he argued that the public had a right to know who Jane was talking about and said that the rapper should be named in open court. But the prosecutor, Maureen Comey, fired back and said that the, you know, outing this rapper wasn't about transparency in the case. It was about intimidation. She actually said it was, quote, a pretext to harass this witness, Jane. And in the end, the judge agreed. The judge agreed with the government. Boom. Done, gaveled down, finished. So for now, the identity of that rapper officially remains a mystery. Though I said it before, and I'll say it again, the Internet has, like, done its own forensic deep dive and seemingly figured it out. He was allegedly comfortable enough to host a free cough with an escort. With guests in the hotel suite watching, Jane acknowledged that this rapper and his girlfriend were, in her words, quote, doing kind of similar things sexually to what she'd experienced with Diddy. She testified that the rapper and his partner were part of what she referred to as, quote, the lifestyle, end quote. I have heard that before in San Francisco with the cash app murder. They called it the lifestyle. Lots of drugs, lots of kinky sex, all the rest of the lifestyle. It is also a term that Jane has used in conjunction with voyeurism and group sex. Jane said the couple even asked her if she knew anybody who could join them and whether she could recommend someone. According to Jane, she brought up an escort named Steel Sly, somebody she and Diddy had previously hired for one of their freak offs. And as for the escort named Antoine, who was busy doing his thing in the middle of the sex party, Jane said that Antoine told her he had an ongoing relationship with this famous rapper and his girlfriend and often traveled with them. So my head's exploding at this, like, really incestuous world. They're all colliding, you know, it was a total coincidence for Jane to bump into Antoine, you know, the guy she'd been. Yeah, but there you go. Apparently, they're all doing it. Diddy's lawyer then pressed Jane about the other moments from that night. And Jane testified that the famous rapper expressed a personal interest in her, telling her, in his words, that he had, quote, always had a crush on her. That's so cute. But then went, like, a little dirtier, saying he'd always wanted to fuck her. His words. And then she said, I did not engage. But she did say, later in the evening, she briefly flashed her chest in front of the other guests. Side note, I am so curious as to why Diddy's lawyers pushed so hard to name this rapper open in court, right? Fighting with the judge back and forth to get that rapper's name on the record out there in open court. And I really wonder if this very close relationship that Diddy apparently had with this guy ended as soon as Diddy got the discovery in his jail cell and, you know, started leafing through it. What the hell, right? This guy's supposed to be your friend, your very, very close friend, personally and professionally. And Jane is telling the court, yeah, he hit on me, told me he wanted to fuck me, right? I am wondering if Diddy said to his lawyers, you out that son of a bitch. I don't know. I can't think of the strategy. Maybe I haven't thought through it far enough yet. I will sleep on it tonight. It'll be in my nightmares. But, man, oh, man, once this trial's over, whether Diddy's in prison or not, something tells me that bro gonna get outed. So next, Tenny Garago circled back to a very key moment that the jury had already heard about. The morning of June 19, 2024. That's the day that Jane previously described as her most traumatic right. It was one of the worst days of her life, she said. But this time, the focus wasn't on rehashing the violence that she'd already described. It was on a specific detail about that fight and Jane's role in that fight. And remember, this was the fight where Diddy was, like, breaking down doors, Jane said broke through several sets of doors in her apartment to get to her mad as fuck about that Vegas trip. And, you know, all the things that happened in Vegas that Diddy said he saw on her phone. Jane said it wasn't Much. She bumped into Antwan. She went to a sex party, but didn't partake in it. But Diddy went bananas, and that was what the fight was all about. So under cross examination, Jane acknowledged that she was the one who made physical contact with first with Diddy by hitting him on the back of the head. She said that he punched her twice, that she ran like hell, and that he followed her and kicked her. She described being dragged inside by her hair and by her arm. And she testified that she used his phone to call the woman that they'd been fighting about because that was another part of the fight. Once they moved on from the Vegas issue, she went after Diddy because she saw something about, you know, a trip that he'd been on with the family, and she figured that he'd been with another woman. So it didn't go well. So it was actually a trip to Utah. Right. And Jane testified that Diddy, at that point, there's all this fighting going on. He's pinning her down. She testifies that Diddy called his assistant, a man named Jonathan, and had Jonathan speak to Jane directly to assure Jane that the woman they'd argued about wasn't on an upcoming family trip. Man, if you have this many girlfriends, it seems like more work, doesn't it, Having to keep all the drama under a lid. At one point, Jane said the physical fighting continued into the shower. She told the jury that she was still yelling and hurling insults from behind the glass, calling Diddy a pedophile and a. And a piece of. And a fraud. Again, quote, quote, quote, quote, these are her words. And then, according to Jane, she said he hit her. She said Diddy walked into the shower and he slapped her, quote, very hard. Not once, but three times. And after each one, she said, she fell to the ground and got back up. Right. So these are really hard hits she's describing. She also recalled Diddy saying, quote, we've never fought like this before, and now this lawsuit comes out, and you're attacking me. That's what she said Diddy said. Jane said that after the shower, the physical violence actually stopped, but the tension, she said, did not. She reminded the jury how did he found out that Jane had been in Vegas with the famous rapper and his girlfriend and the escort named Antoine. Jane told the jury that she explained to Diddy some of the basics, that she flew on a private jet, that she went for the rapper's girlfriend's birthday. But Jane did not mention flashing anybody with her, you know, with the girls. She told Diddy, quote, nothing. Happened, end quote. Combs, she said, did not believe her. And according to Jane, he snapped. And he said, quote, how could you go to another man's freak off? End quote. Holy Dinah. I did not think we were going to hear Diddy talking about somebody else's freak off in this trial. That's Jane's testimony. She told the jury that Diddy got right in her face and told her to take an ecstasy pill, which she said she agreed to do. Find that really odd, but okay. And then came the moment that jurors have heard described before. Jane said that Diddy had brought an escort to the house already. Guess who? Antoine. Antoine. Same dude who'd been in Vegas. Same dude who was in the sex party with, you know, the famous rapper and his girlfriend watching. Apparently, Antoine was waiting in the next room, and she said Diddy ordered her to, quote, go out and fuck him, end quote. But Jane told the jury she refused, saying, quote, I don't want to, end quote. Jane admitted, however, that she finally acquiesced and performed oral sex on Antoine anyway. And she said there was no other sex than that and that afterwards, she simply dismissed Antoine. But what stood out to her, she said, was what happened next. Usually, Jane testified, there'd be a ritual after their, quote, hotel nights, free costs, whatever you want to call them. Anything that they did with escorts. Jane said that there would usually be cuddling with Diddy or quiet time with Diddy, and then some version of closeness, but not this time. She said nothing. Jane told the jury that Diddy got dressed right away, no conversation, no affection, and left her sitting there all alone. And that is the last we heard about that escort Antoine and the unnamed famous rapper. But here is a quick side note about a famous rapper. A source close to Diddy told CNN that young man named Kanye west has been in touch with the Combs family about possibly attending the trial. He's reportedly in New York and has spoken with Diddy's son, King Combs, about showing up to support. I just want to stop there for a hot minute. Tanya, if CNN has it right, why the hell would you insert yourself into this story on the very day that there's testimony about a rapper who's really close to Diddy personally and professionally, who apparently was in a freaky situation with his girlfriend. Because we know about Kanye's girlfriend, right? Or at least wife or was wife. And we also know about a phone call, right, between Diddy and Kanye while Diddy's in jail awaiting this whole trial where the two of them are fawning all over each other. I mean, it was weird. Real fawning, weird shit.
- [20:08]
Kanye West
Tell you you're real from the front line, you know what I'm saying? Just wicked, wicked, wicked. So you be careful, yeah? We can't do nothing indeed, you know what I'm saying? I need you out there. You feel me?
- [20:20]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, I hear you. Yes, sir.
- [20:24]
Kanye West
Yeah.
- [20:24]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yes, sir.
- [20:25]
Kanye West
Man, have some fun. Having no fun and then get behind the mic, have some fun. Chop up them samples, get back on your hit bin. Have some fun. Get back to smiling these other. They wasting your time, you know what I'm saying?
- [20:41]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah.
- [20:41]
Kanye West
Wasting your time, you know what I'm saying? So put that love in your heart, man, and enjoy yourself, man. When I get out there, man, I'm going see you tear down the stadium. I need to see you back on that stage actually rapping and performing and everything. I be dreaming of that.
- [21:00]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, yeah, it's time. It's time for me just grab the mic and get back on. It's like I. I love. I love music again.
- [21:08]
Kanye West
Good to hear your voice again.
- [21:10]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah.
- [21:10]
Kanye West
Like 59 more days before trial, so I'll definitely be touching in the. Tap into your energy or something. Yeah, play me some over the phone. Give me some life. Sad daddy in jail.
- [21:27]
Unknown Male Speaker
Insane.
- [21:29]
Kanye West
The devil is a liar.
- [21:34]
Sean Combs
Coming out, though.
- [21:37]
Kanye West
Yeah, man, but I love you once again, man. I'm gonna let y' all go and get back to some fun, man. I don't want to bring your vibration down. Never keep it in a high frequency, man. You keep doing everything you're doing, man. You got that freedom. And when I get out and I get that freedom right, I am not caring about nothing but being happy. And I want you to feel that. I want y' all to have that for yourselves, man.
- [22:02]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, yeah. Yes, S. Yeah. Yes, sir. That's it.
- [22:06]
Kanye West
I know. Now. I just want to thank you so much for just taking care of my kids, man. Cuz ain't nobody reach out to them. Ain't nobody calling, you know what I'm saying? Nobody, you know what I'm saying? That meant so much, you know what I'm saying? That you reached out to them and took the money away while I'm in this, man. And I appreciate you for up, man.
- [22:26]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I love you so much, man. It's like you raised me even. Even when I didn't know you. You know what I'm saying?
- [22:34]
Kanye West
Yeah, I feel the love. Yeah, for real. I feel the love. For real. It means so much to me. This right here is crazy. You Be careful out there. Cause they definitely trying to end us. You feel me? Yeah. They can't do it. They can't do it, and they ain't going to do it. You know what I'm saying? And get next to you. We gonna raise our families and become the kings that we serve. Supposed to be. You feel me?
- [22:59]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, absolutely.
- [23:01]
Ashley Banfield
Yeah.
- [23:02]
Kanye West
But. But. But words can't explain how much it means to me, you know, be able to hug you and thank you and show you for the rest of your life how much you appreciate it and.
- [23:11]
Unknown Male Speaker
Always be there for you, man. Thank you, man. Thank you. But it. It's. I just feel like, as a community, like, we got to take the responsibility to, you know, just for us, just all us. It's like we a family. Everybody has been taken in by this. Fame, media, music, everything go duck.
- [23:34]
Kanye West
I thought we was all family, man. I really thought that. You know what I'm saying right now, you're the only family I got. The only family I see. You feel me?
- [23:42]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah.
- [23:43]
Kanye West
I always spoke up for everybody, you know? And, you know, I ain't bitter or nothing. I'm just telling you how it is because you the only one. You know what I'm saying? If you're the only one that came to get me, that's all I could do is say, like, damn. You know what I'm saying?
- [23:56]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah.
- [23:59]
Kanye West
Every time everybody try to attack us, I'm always riding, and you're the only person that woke up. And I appreciate it.
- [24:07]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. I just felt that energy. It's like some. Something was channeling through me, you know, I have you, and I like getting that mold, and it's like, you gotta do it. Yeah.
- [24:18]
Kanye West
Yeah. Thanks for the Sean John look, too. You know what I'm saying?
- [24:23]
Unknown Male Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. We gotta keep that going. When I, you know, I got my website. It's ready. They gave it back to me, actually. Yeah, absolutely. I just felt that energy. It's like some. Something was channeling Kanye.
- [24:39]
Ashley Banfield
Why on earth would you insert yourself at this moment when the whole Internet is trying to figure out who the famous rapper is who's so close to Diddy? Next, Garagos pointed the jury to more of Jane's text messages. Specifically, a text that Jane sent on July 15, 2024. Let's mark that date July 15, 2024. About four months beforehand, the feds had raided Diddy's mansions and Jane's home. So Jane and Diddy know that he's under a federal investigation. Okay. And they've known it for four months. They've had their homes raided. Diddy has been in multiple moments of contact with his attorneys. Right. And yet this stuff is happening. Jane writes this to Diddy, quote, and my dumb ass thought that maybe if I more and did more hotels, I'd finally get a trip. The defense pointed out to the court here that this message suggests Jane wasn't being forced into all that filthy, dirty, cakey sex, that she just wanted a high end vacation. As in, all of her frustration with Diddy wasn't about not wanting the sex. It was more about wanting better perks. And I think that Diddy's lawyers are doing a really good job at trying to convince the jury of that part of the argument. Whether they've done it or not, that's not up for me to decide. That's up for the jury to decide. But next, they heard about what Jane described as a reset. She testified that Diddy proposed that they start fresh, a whole clean slate. And he invited her to Miami, she flew out, and they stayed at the Four Seasons. Jane describes it as, quote, a really nice time. And she said that she had positive memories from the trip. She told the jury, quote, there was a little moment, but yes, for the most part, we were having a good time, end quote. While they were there, Jane said she took ecstasy and that in that state, told Diddy that she missed an escort by the name of Paul, a man they'd previously brought into their sex life before. She testified that, yes, she genuinely meant it when she said it at the time that she missed Paul the escort. According to Jane, the comment made Diddy happy and they even tried to get a hold of Paul, but that, well, unfortunately, Paul was not in Miami. Three days later, though, Paul showed up at Diddy's house. Jane said she took a different drug that day and told the jury that, quote, it was a great sexual experience. She said, quote, it felt less like a live performance and more like a fun group activity. In one of her meetings with prosecutors, she called it, quote, a love fest. It was the kind of moment that the. The defense clearly wanted the jury to hear, not to prove consent once, but to suggest that some of these encounters were wanted and even welcomed. Next, more text messages shown to the jury, this time from August 6, 2024. In one message, Jane wrote, quote, I will always mean all of the things I say to you, end quote. In another, she said, quote, I'm back in love with your ass. Best moments we've ever had together. Quote. And then came a line from Diddy. He told Jane that she Quote, hit him with the pill, end quote. A reference to Jane giving Diddy ecstasy. The defense pointed to that moment not just as intimacy, but as evidence that Jane wasn't just a passenger in this lifestyle, that she was an active participant, sometimes even a facilitator. And with that cross examination finally came to an end, the government now had another shot to clean up the mess that Diddy's lawyers made of their witnesses. On redirect, the prosecutors tried to rebuild Jane's credibility and remind the jury of the bigger picture that they had tried to lay out for days and days before Diddy's lawyers got to her. Coercion, sex trafficking, threats, fear, and rico, Right? Remember rico? Racketeer influenced and corrupt organization. Yeah, that's what they're trying to remind the jury of all that stuff they'd laid out days ago. They showed the jury a text that Jane sent to Diddy saying, quote, I know what you want, baby, but not really in the mood for that part, end quote. She followed it with another message, quote, don't want to make you mad, end quote. Jane testified that wasn't just a throwaway line. She said anger was the typical response whenever she tried to say no. And the government didn't stop there. They pulled up a second exchange, one Jane said she'd never seen before. About an hour and a half after her texts with Diddy, he messaged Paul the escort and said the following, quote, I'mma need you to persuade her, and if she hears from you, we're in, end quote. By the way, let me stop for a minute because I've had a couple of comments from viewers and listeners who said, what's with Ashley putting an accent? I think somebody called it a black scent. Sometimes Diddy's quotes are actually written with the accent. Like that Last1 is ima I m m a. So if I were to read it, I'm going to. That would be a white scent, like a white person's accent. So I'm literally trying to read the quotes as they appear, and a lot of times they're written the way they sound. That's all I can say. But if you're offended by it, I'm sorry. I am trying my best to give you what it feels like and sounds like in the actual case. I digress. Jane actually told the jury that she had no idea that that message that she just heard in open court had been sent to Paul, but that it didn't surprise her. She said, did he pressure her to participate in hotel nights, Quote, all the time, End Quote, she testified that she often pretended to enjoy the sex and explained that she was, quote, putting on a show for Sean, end quote. And that she didn't orgasm during the hotel nights, that she faked it. Then came a name that we've heard before. Cabral, the escort who Jane says once tried to extort her by threatening to release a sex video of one of their hotel nights if she didn't give him 10 grand. She said he eventually sold that tape to a major broadcaster after Diddy promised her he'd look after it. She never did see it. She never did find out where it ended up or why that broadcaster bought it. Anyway, Jane confirmed on redirect that at the time that that threat by Cabral was made, Diddy already knew he was under criminal investigation. And then the prosecutor asked Jane a simple question. Did she want to remember every hotel night that she had with Sean Combs? And Jane's answer was simple and devastating. She said, quote, I wish I could forget them. Then the prosecutor showed the jury a note that Jane had written in her phone, something she'd saved in her notes. Apple. Jane said that Combs had made promises, quote, trips, dates, romance, just normalcy, end quote. But Jane testified that is not what happened, that it's not what she got. And when prosecutor Comey asked whether she felt jealous of the other women in Diddy's life, that's when Jane broke down on the stand. Quote, she said how they just had more ease and I had more pressure. She was saying this through tears. She said, quote, I was just made to be. And she paused, sobbing, and then continued, the one to carry this impossible pressure. And they. They didn't have to. It just felt that it was unfair, end quote. Her voice cracked as she wiped her eyes and wiped her nose. And then came one of the most raw lines of the day. She said, quote, why do I have to be degraded to be with you? She cried. And then she continued saying, why was I being treated like this? And they weren't. It certainly gave context to yet another audio message that we heard in court today, and this one was from December 2023. It was recorded after Jane told Sean Combs that she did not want to do hotel nights anymore and that she felt like she had wasted three years of her life while her friends and peers were moving forward with their lives. Here's what the jury heard.
- [33:55]
Sean Combs
We should really just focus on at the end of the day, what will make you get better? What do you want me to do to make you feel better? What do you want me to give you. How can we get to a solution so we. We can move on? You know, I'm saying I don't want to be in a relationship like this. I don't want to make nobody feel like this. Let's get to the solutions on how in a graceful, beautiful, loving way, you know, saying, in this cycle, move on with your life so you don't feel like I wasted your life.
- [34:33]
Ashley Banfield
It was a raw and emotional end to the prosecutor's redirect examination of Jane's testimony. And it wasn't over yet. Diddy's lawyers stood up for another round of cross examination, and they began with a shift in tone. Gloves came off again. Tenny Garagos ditched the gentle approach, and she came in sharp, pressing Jane hard on inconsistencies and control and choices, choices that Jane made. And Jane gave it right back. At times, she looked down, but at times she glared. But Jane was combative from the jump. Tenny Garagos focused on the night with Antoine. Jane confirmed that she was the only one who had Antoine's number. She was the one who had to open the gate. She drove down to the gate. She hadn't been drinking or using drugs. And when Garagos asked if she allowed him into the bedroom, Jane answered, quote, as requested. But Garago's pushed again. But you did that, right? And Jane said, yes. Then came the money. Jane was asked if she'd return the apartment that Combs was paying for, just like she said she'd return the money and the gift. And her answer was, quote, that's where me and my child live, end quote. And then she finally said, no. She told the jury that she makes her own money now, more than $10,000 a month on OnlyFans, and that she once made $50,000 in a single month. Nearly every juror at this point was taking notes, and when asked if combs gave her $150,000, she replied, is that all I'm worth? But eventually, she had to admit, yes, he did. Garagos asked if Jane ever told Antwan that she didn't want to have sex, and Jane answered, no. She was asked if she lifts heavy weights. Jane said, yes. She was asked if she's a strong woman. Jane responded, yes, but a woman's power does not overpower a man's end quote. And when asked if she wanted to, quote, put on a show for the sex recordings, Jane stared Garagos down with a long pause and then answered, yes. She added, the videos showed my truth, end quote. Garagos challenged her on her contradictions about loving combs, about enjoying hotel nights, about whether she was truly being pressured. At one point, she asked directly, are you now changing your whole testimony? And Jane paused and said, I don't know. I guess so. And when Garagos asked her point blank if she didn't want to break up with Diddy because she still loved him, Jane took a long breath and said, yes. And with that, Jane stepped down from the witness stand, ending more than 55 days of intense and emotional and often combative testimony. Was she, Cassie? No. If you're asking me, she was a very different witness than Cassie. Did she come to the witness stand with endless photos and videos showing bruises and stitches and witnesses corroborating beating after beating to the point they all lost count? No. And did she come with that hotel beating, the one that we all saw with our own eyes? The one that Diddy allegedly bribed security, using his staff, Christina Coram, and one of his security guys to pay $100,000 to make that videotape go away? AKA can I have the thumb drive, please? Is this the only copy? No. Were there moments that she brought to our attention on the witness stand where she felt coerced, where there was money changing hands and drugs and dealing and that sort of thing? Sure, there was testimony of that. Was there a fight and violence? Yes. Was she, Cassie? No. So if you're trying to suggest to this jury forced sex, coercion, fear, and that that resulted in sex trafficking, it might be a harder pill to swallow for them. Cassie. However, I don't think that's so tough. Her cross examination didn't even go so bad. Right. But, my friends, that was day 22. This trial is not over. It's far from over. And when it resumes, we're going to hear from three new witnesses. And if you heard my podcast yesterday where I reported that the upcoming three witnesses were minors, that was a miscommunication from the courtroom. Like you could chalk this up to semantics. They're not minors. They are minor witnesses. Meaning not that big a deal. And may I just get on my soapbox for a moment and say that is the exact reason, among many, why cameras should be in courtrooms and they should be public. For the public to determine what's being said and how. For the public to hear the semantics, not for the reporters and journalists to try to read the spoken word on paper. Okay, I'm off the soapbox. But now you know it's three minor witnesses, not three witnesses who are minors. First up, is going to be Andre Lemon. He's a special agent with Homeland Security. And then. I'm looking forward to this one. Jonathan Perez. That's Sean Combs, former assistant. Remember, Jane testified that Jonathan was the one who helped set up her home the night that she says Diddy hit her, and that they had the FaceTime where Jonathan was supposed to assure her that this other girl that, you know, Jane was jealous of wasn't going on a family trip with Diddy. And then, finally, someone named Ananya Sankar. A summary witness expected to help the jury connect all the digital dots. And we're going to be there for every word of it, so make sure you're subscribed to Drop Dead Serious so you don't miss what happens next. I'm Ashley Banfield. Thank you so much for listening. And remember, the truth is not just serious. It's Drop Dead Seriously.