After federal prosecutors completed six weeks of evidence and testimony backing up their indictment of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs on Tuesday, the defendant told the judge at his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial that he will not be taking the stand to testify in his own defense.
Federal prosecutors rested their case on Tuesday afternoon after six weeks of testimony from Combs’ ex-girlfriends, personal assistants, federal agents and various members of his once powerful media and music empire, which the feds argue was a “criminal enterprise” used to traffic men and women and coerce others into sex marathons. The defense rested later in the afternoon without calling a single witness U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, asked how Combs was and whether he would be testifying at the trial where if found guilty, he could face life in prison.
“I’m doing great, your honor,” Combs told Subramanian. “I want to tell you thank you, you’re doing an excellent job.” Combs then told the judge that he had “thoroughly” discussed the pros and cons of testifying with his team of attorneys and ultimately decided against taking the stand.
“That is my decision, your honor. That is solely my decision,” he said adding to clarify, “I mean, it’s my decision with my lawyers. … My decision to make. I’m making it.”
The judge asking the defendant directly if they wish to testify before the court is a formality and ensures that he is making the decision on his own. During the trial, Judge Subramanian had to admonish Combs for interactions with the jury. On several occasions during testimony, the defendant gestured at jurors following a successful cross-examination; prosecutors noted this to the judge as a form of testifying without cross-examination. Comb was threatened with removal from his trial if he did not stop the interactions.
On Tuesday, the defense asked the judge to toss out the case, arguing that the charges were not proven by the prosecutors; this is also a formality in a criminal trial. Judge Subramanian has not yet issued a decision.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to five counts contained in an indictment, including sex trafficking and racketeering. He has remained incarcerated without bail in Brooklyn after three judges concluded he would be a danger to the community and may potentially attempt to influence witnesses ahead of the trial.
