← Post Reports
Post Reports
The Diddy trial: The alleged $100,000 hotel video
00:28:31
A shocking video was released publicly last year that seemed to show Sean Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. Today, the key role that video has played in his federal trial and how the court is handling anonymous testimony.
Loading summary
Transcript60 lines
- [00:00]
Oregon Lottery Representative
In the summer. All of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video Lottery or Cash Pop, helps support tons of parks projects statewide like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newburgh. It's just one way a little lottery play for many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.
- [00:34]
Elahe Izadi
Even if you're not paying close attention to the allegations against Sean Diddy Combs, there may be one thing that you've seen about him in the past year, and that's this video that aired on cnn. New surveillance footage obtained exclusively by CNN appears to corroborate some of the allegations of abuse against music mogul Sean Diddy Combs. The video, captured on multiple cameras, shows Combs assaulting his then girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hallway at a Los Angeles Hotel in March 2016. The publication of this video last May by CNN felt like one of those turning points for Combs. Before that, civil lawsuits alleging violence and sexual assault had already been filed against him, including by the woman in that video, his ex girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. He denied all of those claims, but the video showed Combs being violent and it was shocking to see. Months later, he was arrested for racketeering, conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs is on trial now and he's pleaded not guilty. This video is a key piece of evidence in his federal trial in New York. Prosecutors are claiming the video illustrates why Combs is guilty. From the newsroom of the Washington Post, this is Post Reports. I'm Elahe izadi. It's Friday, June 6th. We're continuing our coverage of the trial of music mogul Sean Combs, also known as Diddy Puff, Puff Daddy. We'll be bringing you these episodes most Fridays, and we should note we're going to be discussing sex, drugs and violence in this coverage today. I'm talking with style reporter Anne Brennigan about what was going on behind the scenes of this 2016 hotel surveillance video. And we get into the testimony from another one of Combs alleged victims, who's using the pseudonym Jane. And you and I, we have talked about this hotel surveillance video before. It's graphic and appears to show Combs kicking and dragging Cassie Ventura many times in what looks like a hotel hallway. But the physical assault we see on camera is all we really knew about this incident before trial, we didn't have any of the surrounding context, the backstory to what was going on around this video. So can you tell me what witnesses have said about that?
- [03:19]
Anne Brennigan
Right. So we learned a lot about the life of this video and what was going on around that time. So it was introduced very early on, you know, the first week of the prosecution presenting its case, and we had Cassie Ventura actually speak to it. And one of the things that she shared was that there was actually a freak off happening right before this video was taken.
- [03:45]
Elahe Izadi
And we should remind people that freak offs were these, like, sex parties that have been central to the trial.
- [03:51]
Anne Brennigan
Exactly. So sex parties typically involving just one male escort, but that could last for days, and that were fueled by a lot of drug use. Right. So what she said about this incident was that she was actually trying to escape, and she was trying to leave Afrikov early, and that's when Combs chased her down and attacked her. And the thing that the prosecution really wanted to stress in this story is that Ventura said that it's perhaps the only time she ever successfully left a freak off early.
- [04:28]
Elahe Izadi
Well, successfully, but I guess I wonder if that's even true, because the video appears to show him attacking her and kind of like trying to drag her back.
- [04:39]
Anne Brennigan
Exactly. So the connection that the prosecution wants jurors to make here is that this is what would happen to Cassie if she tried to disobey Combs wishes, if she tried to leave these events early, which is really key to their sex trafficking claim and their claims that Ventura, through a manner of ways, was forced and coerced to participate in these events.
- [05:04]
Elahe Izadi
And I know one of the witnesses who took the stand this week was an officer who worked at the Intercontinental Hotel where this assault took place.
- [05:13]
Anne Brennigan
Who.
- [05:13]
Elahe Izadi
Who was he, and what did he have to say about the incident?
- [05:16]
Anne Brennigan
So we heard from a man named Eddie Garcia, and he used to work. He was a sort of security contractor at the hotel at around that time. And what he testified was that Sean Combs and an assistant, after this incident happened, reached out to him multiple times to try to get that hotel footage. So what Garcia said on the stand was that, you know, shortly after this happened, Sean Combs, chief of staff, a woman named Cristina Karam, called him, requested to see the video, get the video. Eddie Garcia says, you know, no, that can't happen. I can only turn it over to you with a subpoena. And then Combs himself calls Garcia multiple times on his cell phone. And Garcia described Combs as being very nice, very charming, he calls him Eddie, my angel. Combs is like, you know, I know you're a good guy. I know you want to help. I know you can help me. And importantly here that I'll take care of you if you help me. Which Garcia said he understood to be that he was offering money.
- [06:31]
Elahe Izadi
So are prosecutors trying to say that Combs tried to bribe him?
- [06:35]
Anne Brennigan
Yes, although they're not using the word bribe because they have to prove that it was a bribe. Right. So what Garcia attested to, what he said on the stand earlier this week, was that he actually meets Combs in a building a couple days after the incident happens, and combs gives him $100,000 in a brown paper bag in exchange for a USB copy of that hotel surveillance footage. Now, he also makes him sign two contracts. One is a contract that stipulates this is the only copy of the video. There's no third party that was shown this and there's no backup. And then there's another contract that he signs, which is essentially an NDA, a non disclosure agreement.
- [07:24]
Elahe Izadi
How did the defense question Garcia?
- [07:27]
Anne Brennigan
It was actually pretty light. And, you know, the defense has really been, you know, taking their liberties, as is their right to cross examine a lot of witnesses for a lengthy amount of time. That was not the case with Garcia. In fact, the only thing that they pointed to was part of one of the contracts that said that Garcia could cooperate with law enforcement. Now, the significance of that is that could be enough to say, well, this wasn't bribery because he could go to law enforcement. So really trying to muddy sort of the waters there.
- [08:04]
Elahe Izadi
So then, Anne, I guess my question is, how did CNN many years later, get their hands on this video? If what is being described on the stand is this transaction to prevent this video from becoming public, how did CNN get their hands on it?
- [08:21]
Anne Brennigan
So CNN has not confirmed and probably will not confirm exactly how they got their hands on this video. So the CNN video, it turns out, is actually a video of a video. However, we do know, and we know this from early testimony in the trial, is that there actually was another video that was taken unbeknownst to Garcia or. Or to Combs or to any of the people involved in that payoff. And that was from the hotel security officer who actually responded to the incident on that day.
- [08:55]
Elahe Izadi
And remind me who that was and what he said about that day.
- [08:59]
Anne Brennigan
So Israel Flores, he's now a police officer, but back in 2016, he worked at the Intercontinental Hotel, and he was pretty high up on the chain in terms of working security there. And so what he said when he was on the stand was that he responded to this incident. He saw, you know, Ventura being really distressed. He said that he followed Combs into the hotel room to try to calm him down. He was very irate. But at a certain point, he basically brandishes this big wad of cash. And Flores took that to be a bribe offer, which he refused. He didn't take that money. Now, the defense, in their cross examination, tried to insinuate that maybe that money was to pay for damages to the hotel room, since Flores did tell Combs that the damage to the hotel he would have to pay for, you know. And he later sort of escorts Ventura down, asks her if she wants to go to the police. She says she doesn't. But he writes most of this stuff down in his incident report. And he also reviews the security footage of that time. And he saw that altercation that we've now all seen. So he writes the incident report, he looks at that video, and he said that days later, he could no longer retrieve that hotel security footage. But. And this is such a human detail to me, so it's stuck out since I've heard it. As he's watching this video, he takes out his phone and records the security footage that's playing on the hotel monitor. And he does this not because he wants to do something nefarious. It's not because he wants to report a crime. He does this because he wants to go home and show his wife. And what he said on the stand was, she wouldn't believe me. So here's a video.
- [11:02]
Elahe Izadi
So essentially, he has recorded a video of this video. And, you know, we should say this happened many years ago. And then, you know, CNN gets their hands on a version of this surveillance video, but we can't say for certain it is the one that Flores took. But it looks pretty similar.
- [11:20]
Anne Brennigan
Yes, it looks very similar indeed. In the trial, what we saw was that that footage was corrected by some government experts so that it is as close as possible to the original footage that was taken on those surveillance cameras.
- [11:36]
Elahe Izadi
And why do you think this surveillance footage is so important to the government's case? What are they saying this demonstrates?
- [11:46]
Anne Brennigan
So it goes to a couple really big charges here. It goes to the racketeering charge, because what they're establishing here is who is in this enterprise. Right. That is conspiring to cover up crimes or commit them. And so we have this level of enterprise here because Combs, chief of staff is involved. Right. And, you know, security is also involved witnessing this. There's Also this element of this effort to conceal violence and abuse, we have an alleged bribery, we have this willingness to conceal Combs crimes. And we're seeing the lengths that Combs and his inner circle would go to preserve his power, status and reputation. So that all falls under that racketeering conspiracy umbrella. And then with regard to sex trafficking, that's where the content of the video is also really important because it shows an incredible use of force on Cassie, who is not fighting back. And you know, the context here that this was the result of her not not wanting to finish a freak off. So it goes to that force and coercion that is really, really crucial and that the government must establish in order to prove sex trafficking.
- [13:13]
Elahe Izadi
You know, Ann, I remember at the start of this series that we're doing these conversations about the Diddy trial. You said that before the trial the defense was saying that the video had been manipulated and they didn't even want this to be introduced as evidence. So now that it is in this trial, what have they been saying about the video now?
- [13:37]
Anne Brennigan
So what they were saying was that because it was a cell phone video of a video, you know, that the images were a bit distorted, you know, there was some pixelation. So they questioned sort of why certain things were pixelated, noted that the speed could seem off, so the events appeared faster than they were actually happen sort of in real life that Combs might have appeared bigger because of that recording of a recording element. But the way that they're responding to it now is, you know, they're not denying, and they have not denied ever that the violence shown on that video is real. The way they're characterizing it is that it's, you know, in their words, a sad glimpse into a decade long consensual relationship and that it shows a domestic dispute, but that in and of itself it is not evidence of sex trafficking.
- [14:32]
Elahe Izadi
I see. And so then how did the government try to argue against that, that the video was not manipulated?
- [14:40]
Anne Brennigan
So during the trial, they have not shown the version that we've seen that we saw on CNN of that video of a video. What they showed during trial was a corrected video that removes the distortions that were result of the cell phone recording a hotel monitor, and they did this through a forensic audio and video editor named Frank Piazza. He reviewed that footage and corrected the video so that it was as close as possible to what the hotel surveillance footage would have been. And also, you know, sort of made sure that there weren't any other manipulations, that it was not altered, that there were no signs of tampering. He basically gives it a clean bill in that regard. And by the way, Piazza also reviewed a lot of those freak off videos, essentially doing the same thing, making sure that nothing was manipulated, deleted, and really being very meticulous about the order in which things happened, about when something happened, how it happened. The side effect of that is that this video of Combs assaulting Cassie gets played again and again and again and again. And I'm very curious what effect that had on the jury at this point.
- [16:05]
Elahe Izadi
Like whether it was played so much that it wasn't as shocking or played so much that it sears into their brains.
- [16:12]
Anne Brennigan
Right. Either scenario could be possible.
- [16:19]
Elahe Izadi
After the break, we'll hear from Anne about more shocking testimony, this time from another ex girlfriend of Combs who says she was sex trafficked. We'll be right back.
- [16:38]
GoodRx Representative
Allergy season doesn't wait, and neither should you. Luckily, with GoodRx you can get ahead of allergy symptoms and save money doing it. GoodRx helps you find big savings on the meds you need, like popular allergy relief for as little as $15 so you, your and even your pets can breathe a little easier. Using GoodRx is free and easy. Just search your prescription on the GoodRx app or website, compare prices at nearby pharmacies, and then show your coupon at the counter. That's it. You can save at over 70,000 pharmacies across the country, including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Publix, Kroger and more. And here's something extra. With GoodRx rewards, you earn points every time you use a coupon, points you can redeem later for gift cards and more. GoodRx isn't insurance, but it works whether you have it or not. In fact, it could even beat your insurance copay. So don't let allergy season slow you down. Visit goodrx.com reports today. That's goodrx.com reports.
- [17:39]
Gab Representative
We hear it all the time. There's a growing concern about kids, mental health and the role technology plays in their daily lives. Screens are everywhere and young people are spending more time on them than ever. It's a staggering reality, but for many parents, not a surprising one. One company tackling this issue is Gab, with a solution called Tech in Steps, a gradual, age appropriate approach to introducing technology. Protect your kids with phones and watches designed just for them. Here's how it works. Gab devices have no social media, no Internet browser, and are tailored to different stages. For younger kids, the Gab Watch 3e offers GPS tracking, safe zones and limited calling and texting. Tweens move up to a starter phone and teens have access to a to a more advanced device with parent controlled apps and a premium camera, all with safety at the core. We recently got the watch 3e for our kids. It's been a great way to keep them connected and safe when they're out. To learn more and see current offers, visit gab.com reports. That's g-a b-b.com reports. Terms and conditions apply.
- [18:43]
Elahe Izadi
And now I want to turn to a key witness this week who is another one of Combs alleged victims. She is testifying under the pseudonym Jane and she started testifying on Thursday afternoon. What can you say about who she is?
- [19:01]
Anne Brennigan
So what we know about Jane is that she started dating combs in 2020 and they dated for a while right up until actually around the time that he was arrested last year. So what I think is really important here about Jane and what the government finds really important about Jane is how much her story kind of tracks with Cass account of what happened in her relationship with Combs and these sex trafficking allegations that she's made against him. So like Ventura, Jane described, you know, falling in love with Combs, but that there are dynamics that existed within their relationship that dramatically changed over time. So frequent drug use. She said that every time she and Combs had sex, he would give her ecstasy or some sort of drugs. He introduced this concept of voyeurism. So having another male partner there. And she says that she made very clear over the course of their relationship that she didn't want to do these things and said she even said it in writing, but that these things would happen anyway. Right. She described feeling obligated to, quote, perform these freak offs for him, which in their relationship they refer to as hotel nights that she felt obligated to perform because of the amount of financial control he held over her as the course of their relationship went on.
- [20:43]
Elahe Izadi
Also, it's just so shocking to hear about this testimony given the timeline, like because he was being investigated, but also there were all these lawsuits already coming out too.
- [20:53]
Anne Brennigan
Exactly. Yes.
- [20:57]
Elahe Izadi
So why do prosecutors want to protect her identity?
- [21:03]
Anne Brennigan
So she's going to be giving really graphic testimony. Right. So you know, she is going to be alleging that she's a victim of a sex crime. And in those cases, we do see the legal system protecting the identities of people who are alleged victims of sexual crimes.
- [21:28]
Elahe Izadi
And what have Combs lawyers said about Jane's allegations and testimony?
- [21:33]
Anne Brennigan
So from opening statements, I think that we can Suppose that they're gonna take a very similar track that they took with Ventura, which is painting their relationship as unconventional but ultimately consensual. And they're going to stress the fact that, you know, they believe Jane enjoyed these events and expressed enjoyment of these events. And this is still to be seen how they do this. But something that they've done with Ventura and with other witnesses is to try to question the motive here of why these people are coming forward and alleging these things against Combs.
- [22:13]
Elahe Izadi
I am curious how the legal system and this court is trying to protect the identity of Jane and other anonymous testimony. And, you know, this is a high profile case, and Jane is the second person we've seen testify under a pseudonym. The first person was Mia, who testified last week and also into this week. And as a reminder, she's Combs former assistant, and she alleged that Combs sexually assaulted her several times. So how did that go for Mia? Was the court able to keep her identity a secret?
- [22:48]
Anne Brennigan
So I think the court is still trying to figure this out. So with regard to Mia, they did put protections in place. People who were spectators and press weren't allowed to describe what she looks like. So we described, say, her demeanor on the stand, say if she was crying or hanging her head, and we might describe what she's wearing, but we couldn't describe anything that could be identifying. So they did put some protections in place. You know, no pictures or sketches of Mia could be released. Our listeners might have seen those sketches that just show, you know, this blank face. Right. That was a reflection of that court order. But despite these instructions, her identity was very quickly revealed online by a YouTuber and another media outlet. And there was also this incident during which the defense accidentally played a video of her during their cross. They were submitting it as evidence. And so what needed to happen was that her face needed to be blurred or, you know, that these things that can identify her are in some way redacted. That did not happen. And so there were. There was this very clear picture of her that was shown and entered into evidence. I should also add here that during testimony, there were also identifying details about her that came out. So it did put people in an awkward position because she did share, say, the exact title she held at one of Combs companies. They did talk about a project that she pitched. And so people were very easily able to find out who she was just based on those details that came up in testimony.
- [24:44]
Elahe Izadi
I'm wondering, given what happened in the courtroom and that some people weren't able to piece together her identity. Have there been any additional instructions or things done to help protect the identity of Jane?
- [24:58]
Anne Brennigan
The instructions not to report on her likeness, those are the same as Mia. But there's an extra level here where the exhibits, the evidence that's being shown is typically also shown to the gallery and to spectators and to the press room that will no longer be shown. And they said it's because, you know, they have a lot of evidence that has her name on it and the name of her child and that they simply did not have enough time to redact all of that information appropriately.
- [25:31]
Elahe Izadi
So the jury will see it, but everyone else, for the most part, won't.
- [25:36]
Anne Brennigan
That's right.
- [25:37]
Elahe Izadi
And what can we expect from the rest of Jean's testimony?
- [25:41]
Anne Brennigan
So this is gonna be really, really big testimony. And the thing to pay attention to here is that she will describe an event that happened in June 2024. So just last year, that Assistant U.S. attorney Maureen Comey said is, quote, one of the clearest cut incidents of sex, sex trafficking. This will be graphic testimony. And we do know that video from these freak offs involving her will be played for the jury in some form. So it may just be the audio. They may see the video and everybody else doesn't see it. But that will also be something that's going to be brought forward.
- [26:27]
Elahe Izadi
And before you go, there were a couple of other I just wanted to quickly ask you about. First, I saw that the judge in this case issued a warning to Sean Combs inside the courtroom. Can you tell me about that?
- [26:39]
Anne Brennigan
So this was a moment, but he actually calls out Sean Combs lead counsel Mark Agnifolo, and he warns Mark Agnifolo that his client could be removed over his, like his interactions or his attempted interactions with the jury. So what happened Thursday morning was that during parts of the cross examination, Combs was apparently looking over at the jury, nodding his head vigorously to certain parts that were, you know, favorable to him. And this is explicitly not allowed. And the judge has said this multiple times, that there is to be no interaction at all between the parties. So Combs, his lawyers, the government lawyers and jurors. And this is to protect against any allegations of anything improper happening. And so the judge was incredibly stern in his warning. He told Agnifolo that this behavior was absolutely unacceptable and that if it happens again, and he said even once he would consider excluding Combs from the courtroom. So he told Agnifolo to talk to Combs and make sure everyone understands it. Cuz he really means it.
- [28:06]
Elahe Izadi
Yeah, yeah. And Then there was one other thing. Last week, President Donald Trump was asked by a reporter if he would consider pardoning Combs should Combs be convicted. And he basically said, well, no one has asked me, but you know, he would, he would have to look into it.
- [28:23]
Anne Brennigan
I don't know. I would certainly look at the facts.
- [28:26]
Elahe Izadi
If I think somebody was mistreated, whether.
- [28:29]
Anne Brennigan
They like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me.
- [28:34]
Elahe Izadi
Can Trump pardon Combs if he's convicted?
- [28:38]
Anne Brennigan
So the short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is yes, absolutely. Presidents can pardon for any federal offense and Combs is being tried for federal crime. So that is certainly plausible. I will note that to me, his answer was a little bit non committal. Now, some people have already taken issue with this, Most notably rapper 50 Cent who has had a long time feud with Combs. And 50 Cent said on his Instagram, because where else would you say this, Right. He said that he would try to dissuade Trump from doing such a thing.
- [29:21]
Elahe Izadi
Well, Anne, thanks so much for making time and talk to you next week.
- [29:25]
Anne Brennigan
Talk to you soon. Elahi, Take care.
- [29:30]
Elahe Izadi
Ann Branigan is a reporter for the Style section of the Post. Later on Friday, prosecutors continued to ask Jane about the freak offs or hotel nights she described having with Combs. Prosecutors played a video of one of those encounters for the jurors and the attorneys. The rest of the court and media could only hear the audio. And just to say it was graphic, they could hear Combs appearing to demand that Jane have sex with a male escort without a condom. As the video played in the courtroom, Jane broke down in tears while on the scene stand. That's it for Post reports. Thanks for listening. Today's show was produced by Sabi Robinson, who also contributed reporting from New York. It was edited by Rena Flores with help from Ariel Plotnick and mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Carla Spartos. If you love the show, help other people discover it by leaving a rating on Spotify or a rating and review on apple pie podcasts. We really appreciate it. Our team includes Martine Powers, Colby Ichowitz, Maggie Penman, Ted Muldoon, Lucy Perkins, Alana Gordon, Ariel Plotnik, Rennie Srinovsky, Emma Talkoff, Peter Bresnan, Laura Benshoff and Renita Jablonski. I'm Elahei Izadi. We'll be back tomorrow with more stories from the Washington Post.
- [31:04]
Oregon Lottery Representative
In the summer, all of Oregon is our playground thanks to our incredible park system. That's why it's so cool that Oregon Lottery gameplay like video lottery or cash pop helps support tons of parks projects statewide, like accessible trails at Silver Falls State park or upgrades to your favorite dog park in Newberg. It's just one way along. Little lottery play from many Oregonians can add up to a lot of good the Oregon Lottery. Together we do good things. Lottery games are based on chance and should be played for entertainment only. Must be 18 or older to play.