June 24, 2025 • 21 mins
So much happened this afternoon in court, including hearing from Diddy for the first time since his trial began! Amy and T.J. discuss the compliment he paid the judge while thanking him, and the Defense’s request for an acquittal before closing arguments this week.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey there, folks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It is Tuesday, June twenty fourth, and the prosecution rests,
the defense rests, and Diddy says thank you to the
judge in open court. Welcome to the second Diddy update
of the day here on Amy and TJ and Robes.
It was a day of developments, which is why we're
hopping back on.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
A lot of.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Stuff happened in the afternoon as we're recording this. It
is early evening here on the East Coast. But a
day of developments, including hearing Diddy's voice in open court.
I guess just the we'll get into the exact quotes
in a second, but just the idea of hearing from
him seems like it's a big day, just that he spoke.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Did you just imagine he said it the way you
inflected it?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Would take that? Take that take that.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I was laughing. I was like, Wow, did he really
do it? Just like that thing?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
You know what if you did, maybe you want to
sound very sweet and very innocent today in court.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
We know I cannot imagine.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Coming out it's probably Mike, thank you no, but this
is the first time that we have heard from Ditty
directly correct since the beginning of this trial.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'm trying to think there had to be something where
he had to give a nod or a yes, or
maybe eighty little.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I can't remember it though.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
The only thing I have seen reported on from folks
in the courtroom is his demeanor, his facial expressions, the
fact that he was nodding or nodding.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Aggressively towards a juror.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
We've seen reports today that he was hunched over, reports
that he wouldn't look at the screen when some of
the explicit videos were being shown, But no, those were
just descriptions of his behavior and his physical demeanor, but
nothing from him directly.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
We've been following a lot of these coom these reporters,
and we were reading their note today about him speaking.
None of them mentioned that he had spoken prior, so
I think they would have.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
They would have pretty sure that would have been a
big deal.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
So this might have been it to hear from him
the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We also had a cross examination that took longer than expected,
which is now messing with the timeline.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
And also Diddy's team.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Is asking for an acquittal right now and they haven't
gotten an answer to that yet, So that's an afternoon
of developments. That's why we jumped on. But I guess,
like we said, the big one here hearing Diddy's voice.
This is a standard part of any trial. We talked
about it before it happened. We're going to hear from
Diddy today because they always ask are.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
You going to testify on your own defense?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
But I thought it was interesting that the judge started
with asking Diddy how he was feeling that.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
I've heard that before. I didn't either, but it.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Once in a while though, cordial, how are you feeling?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
So the judge asked Diddy, how are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Comb says, I'm doing great, Thank you, your honor, and then.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
He added my favorite part. He tells the judge you're
doing an excellent job. Charming as ever.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I did like that, Okay, I did like it.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Look everybody likes to be complimented, and a judge in
his federal trial, I liked it. Who knows what it
came off. I wonder how it felt in the courtroom.
Was it actually a warm moment? Is it possible to
have a warm moment in that courtroom?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Possibly, but it does seem it seems like there's a
motive behind a defendant telling a judge that he's.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Doing an excellent job.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I mean, maybe he really felt that and thought that,
but it just made me laugh a little, just because
so much of what we're hearing about Diddy and his
charming and uh, just he had a way with people.
He knows how to make people do what he wants
them to do.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That was my thing.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
What if this was a matter of control that yes,
I'm the defend that my life was on the line,
but I'm telling you you're doing a good job. I
still need my approval in this room. But what's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Using with confidence, ouzing with confidence, as is the defense.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
You notice our our afternoon updates. We're a lot looser.
We're yeah, we are a punchy. We've been up since
two thirty three in the morning at this point, so
forgive us, but we're.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Going to get through it.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah. Well, we weren't even expecting to do this episode,
but a lot happened this afternoon, and it was certainly
worth noting, specifically because yes, did he did speak, so yes.
Combs also told the judge that he was not going
to testify. No one thought he was going to, and
certainly the defense has told us over the last couple
of days they weren't bringing any witnesses on the stand,
so there was zero expectation that Combs was going to
(04:16):
but we at least got to hear him formally tell
the judge that and why and how he came to
that decision.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, they always want them to know that they have
to tell the judge, and the judge has to be
satisfied because you don't want this issue on appeal. Frankly,
like you saying, definitely, I'm making this decision, making it
on my own. I do not want to testify in
my own defense. Look After he says that the prosecute
and again this what they call summary witnesses. These are
(04:43):
not necessarily for one side or the other, but they're
essentially just to go through notes and to go through
data for the jury and help them piece connect the dots.
As you say, So, this is supposed to be a
boring witness for a lot of ways. This dude was
on from Friday through this afternoon early almost to the afternoon.
He turned out to be very important, And I think
(05:04):
this ended up being a defense witness, did it not, Yes, So.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That's what I believe was going on. So yes, the
defense didn't technically call any witnesses, but this Homeland Security
special agent ended up being a conduit by which the
defense was able to present texts and videos, and so
they were in a way able to present its case
through this prosecution witness, which is not what I don't
(05:28):
think any of us expected at least. So, yes, he
was only supposed to be on the stand for a while.
He was on the stand for three days and much
longer today, as you pointed out, than he was expected to.
I believe the defense told the court they thought they'd
need about an hour and change with him. He was
up for what three hours made me more?
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah, he ended up being very important. I think those.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We've obviously kept up with every single day of the
trial actually now to think about it, but some of
the evidence, now, I guess some of the text messages
he was able to introduce, or the defense was able
to introduce through him, they paint a picture of almost loving,
normal boyfriend girlfriend relationships. They paint a picture of women
(06:11):
who are enthusiastic and we use the word earlier giddy.
I think some of these text messages hit harder than
a lot of previous ones. We've seen, and that's why
this witness ended up being so valuable, possibly for the event.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
And you know, whoever goes last.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think leaves a bigger
impression because it's the freshest on your mind. It's the
thing that's closest to the decision you're going to end
up coming to, just before you deliberate. This is the
last bit of evidence you're hearing, so it tends to
have a lot of weight. And yeah, we heard texts
where we saw loving, consensual relationships, but we also saw
(06:48):
explicit texts that were describing sexual acts, but consensual sexual acts.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
So those were two very important things.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Not only did he have a loving, softer side, but
it very much seemed through these.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Techs that both Cassie and.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Jane were, as you say, enthusiastically participating in explicit sexual acts.
And they said so through their texts, through their own words,
through their own written words in real time.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
That's powerful that they are initiating. There was not some
they're not being coursed, they're not being right. They initiate
a lot of this stuff. And look, the defense did
its job.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
This is what they're supposed to do. Put a little
bit of doubt. That's all you need. Reasonable doubts.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yes, that what they say did the prosecution prove its
case beyond a reasonable doubt. Look, all we could do
is report on it from here and read transcripts in
the courtroom. I don't know, piece by piece listening to
every single bit of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Hibar Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
One of the reporters in the courtroom pointed out this
text message that the defense was able to talk about
and present to the jury was a message from Cassie
even Too or Fine, who told Diddy in a text
in twenty seventeen, you you are my best friend, and
she said that there was no one that she.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Loves more than him.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
That's hard to imagine that you would write a text
to someone like that you are my best friend in
a way that's even more powerful than any of this
sexually explicit acts, or that I love you.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I love you is.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Because that's mutual admiration. That's that's a deeper bond in
a way. I just thought that was really powerful.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You know, I hadn't thought about it the way you're
speaking of it now. I think a lot of people
can relate to what those words mean, and it's tough
to balance to that with this is a woman who
is being, according to the prosecution, almost held hostage by
this man because of threats of violence, because of threats
of taking away rent, because the threats of her career.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
That paints a much different.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Picture, right, Because if someone is obsessed with someone or
or sexually obsessed with someone, it might create a different
in a relationship. But a best friend sounds like a mutual, consensual, loving, friendly,
respectable relationship.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
It's it's different than.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Some of these explicit texts we see, and that for me,
that had a lot of.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Weight to it.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
You know, we were questioning why it seems amazing. It's
remarkable that the defense, after all this and everything that's
on the line, that they would not present any witnesses,
but having is weird. I just noticed it now that
over the past several days, all we've been talking about
as the prosecution is putting on.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Their case is the defense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Ye, because on they are putting on their case, they
exactly have been doing that, and they've been making their
points and they have been making some headway and having
more Perry Mason and courtroom moments than we're used to.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
They are highlighting, and they have an highlighting over the
past several days, but even specifically yesterday and today, massive
inconsistencies by the prosecution's star witnesses. And that's with all
of these loving kind texts. They just fly in the
face of the direct testimony we heard from those two women.
(10:21):
And these texts are irrefutable. Even the prosecution had to
acknowledge their authenticity. These are real texts that happened from
these women.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So this is standard. They asked for an acquittal. That
was the other big yes moment today. It's called it
rule twenty nine I believe it's called a rule twenty
nine motion.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
This is standard.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So they go through and you kind of get a
little insight into what their defense strategy is, what their
closing argument might be, and what they think a winning
strategy has been. But they laid out several things and
a key part of it was saying that domestic violence
is not sex trafficking. Yep, like we are copying to Yep,
(11:05):
he absolutely put his hands on that woman. That is
not him being violent forcing her to have sex, which
apparently is a key to proving sex trafficking.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
It has to be the violence. That is a threat, and.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
They laid that out today as a part of the
motion to say, hey, the prosecution hasn't even made its case.
We don't even need to put a case on Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
They also tried to dismantle the prosecution's claims that did
He was participating in racketeering acts. They were trying to
or at least they presented to the court that there
was zero evidence or they failed to show evidence the
prosecution did that did He tried to bribe anyone surrounding
(11:49):
that hotel attack, that video that we saw, So I
don't know because they said there was no police involvement
because Cassie venture Fine didn't want any police involved, and
no charges were So they're trying to go through each
one of these charges against Didty and saying the prosecution
did not prove those points.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
You just made the key you.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Just started with. I'm sorry, I'm racking my brain now. Yes, folks,
we have been up a long time. You just started
with the racketeering as what you were talking about it hearing. Okay,
this is maybe one of the biggest points that they made.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
They prove that Diddy and.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Others he tried to hide the freak offs from other
staff members. He tried to keep it a secret from
some people. He tried to say, hey, wait till the
coast is clear before you bring mister whoever cowboy.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
In to the room.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
If you do that, then that means you are not
running a criminal enterprise in which you have fellow criminals
doing your bidding, because you're actually trying to keep what
you're doing from them.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
That is a big, big.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Point about running a criminal enterprise racketeering. He is not
a mob boss in this argument from the defense, because
what does a mob boss do. Everybody on the lower
level on the streets know what bidding they're doing. They're
doing the criminal bidding for the guy, and the money's
going right. It's not that kind of thing. They proved
through text messages. He was trying to not involve people.
(13:15):
What did the defence attorney say, they did Errand's make
travel arrangements, They had anything to do with what went
on with him his girlfriends, and.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
They acknowledged like, yes, did.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
He may have created some difficult, even abusive working conditions,
grueling working conditions.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Staffers had little sleep.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
They had to do his bidding at all hours of
the night, with very little notice. But they point out
they all could have left, and the reason why they
did all of these things was not because of any
threat or coercion or anything illegal. It was because they
didn't want to lose their jobs. Much simpler, period, And
that actually makes sense what they were saying, at least,
(13:55):
what the defense was presenting today was kind of common sense.
And the dismantle is the best way. They really did
an effective job of trying to dismantle what the prosecution says.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
They've already proved well in.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
A simplistic way, in a way we can all digest.
That makes sense to me. Yes, I've done. Who hasn't
done something you didn't want to do because you want
to hold on.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
To your job.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Correct, I'm saying it didn't have to be illegal. Hell,
I don't even want to go get your coffee that
kind of a thing. It's not my job. I'm a
junior partner here. Everybody has. But they put on their case.
They did not put on a case, but they put
one on as the prosecution was still having their own
witnesses up there. So this is what they're going into
(14:39):
now robes tomorrow. Wait, the timeline now is getting adjusted.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yes, so now, because this final witness for the prosecution
went longer than expected, and I don't know how this
shifts anything too much. The judge asked the jurors to
return on Thursday at nine am. But the issue now
is how long it's going to take and when they're
actually going to be able to start their closing arguments.
(15:05):
They think closing arguments now might bleed over into Friday,
and so now there was the suggestion that the jury
might not even begin deliberating until Monday, possibly late Friday,
but possibly they won't even start until Monday.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Okay, so we can probably rest assured we're not getting
a verdict this week.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
I think that's highly likely and very probable.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I wonder how long, I don't think. I don't think.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I feel completely confident. The conference tomorrow for the jury
instructions is or is not an open court.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
We're not sure yet, and so obviously we're hoping it is.
So the jury will for sure not be present for that, obviously,
because they're discussing what they tell the jurors and what
the language is that they use for the jurors to
go and start their deliberation, if it's open quart or not.
But I don't know if reporters will be allowed, if
the public will be allowed into the courtroom to hear that.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I would think that they would be.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I mean it would just the whole point of a
court is to have it be transparent, to have it
be something that the public can witness and watch and
know that it's done ethically and correctly.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
So it would fly in the face.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I mean, there are certain things obviously they don't want
to get out. They'll take a taken aside and the
judge's chambers or approach the bench that they don't want
people to know or hear. But in terms of getting
the jurors instructions, I'm trying to remember in other court
cases that we have covered, whether or not we've been
privy to that discussion and that conversation.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think so right now, I would say, yes, they're
not coming back until noon tomorrow, so there are, but
they all are all expected to be there tomorrow now, hope.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I don't think robes haven't seen.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Anywhere either that they expect the charge conference to go
any longer than tomorrow. I don't think that's going to
bleed into Thursday, right, They have to get that right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I think they have to get that wrapped up.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I mean, who knows anything's possible, But I just looked
it up and it says generally jury instructions are not
open to the public during the deliberation process, but they
are often part of the public court record after the trial.
So I knew there had to be transparency. They're just
not going to be transparent in real time after the fact.
If people want to go and look and see how
do they come to the decision to tell the jurors X, Y,
(17:20):
and Z, that will be.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Made public after the fact. And so.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
The actual deliberations, including the instructions right by the judge.
Obviously you know the jury deliberations are private, but that's
to protect the integrity of the process.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
So the jury instructions we'll see and those have been
and if they say what they need four hours each
for closing arguments on for Thursday.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
So even if we start at nine in the morning,
whoever starts first is going to go in least until
after lunch, and then whoever's after that is going to
go through the rest of the day. So then you
can expect that the next day they're going to start
instructions to the jury. They do do this in open court,
and he reads it word for word to them. They
(18:07):
get it to go back. I mean, they have the
instructures to go back with him a booklet, but he
reads every line. This takes a long time. Yeah, from
my experience.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
So will it take a full day? Will it take
a half a day? That? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, that's anyone's guess. Something else that was We're told
it's standard. But I thought it was kind of interesting
that the prosecution, once the defense rested today, they decided
not to present a rebuttal case, which they're allowed to do.
They made the decision not to, So I don't know
how unusual that is, or if that's them trying to
show their own moment of confidence to reprove dark case.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
They had nothing to but because they didn't present much
of anything. A few text messages that they acknowledge, yep,
that was part of the actual record.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I mean, ye, I don't know if there was much to.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Rebut that is that is actually fair? So I mean
who knows. But yes, everything that happened today was what
we were expecting to happen, including the defense asking for
that acquittal and the judge saying that he will consider
making a ruling on it, but not making a ruling
on it. That's also very standard, very common. I don't
know if he ends up actually having to make a
(19:14):
ruling on it, having to declare I am denying your
request for an acquittal. I'm guessing that has to happen.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Perhaps tomorrow he will, but it seems strang I'm told
that's common for them to do that, but I was
still it seemed odd to me, like, of course, he's
not gonna do an acquittal. It's just they have to ask.
The judge then denies. It's part of all these major trials.
I just didn't know why I didn't do it on
the spot. But I think I read somewhere from one
of the reporters that it's also common for the judge
(19:40):
to handle it this way, just to kind of punt
it to it.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Let me think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's like when you're a parent and your kid asks
you for something and you know you're not gonna let
them do it, but you just don't want to cause
a scene right there, and you say, I'll let you
know later, but you already know you're going to say, now,
you know what we.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Can talk about this when we get home, exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
I feel like that's basically what.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Happened today with the judge's decision. He's he already knows
what he's going to say, which is, yeah, we're gonna
give this to the jury.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Can you imagine.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I don't know that's obviously that's not gonna happen, But
just there's been I'm waiting for something else, right, I'm
waiting for another shoot to drop. I'm waiting for another
shocking moment. I'm waiting for something to become a headline
we weren't expecting. Don't know what that'll be, but I
just it's been that kind of trial.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
It certainly has almost every day, but certainly at least
once a week we get something that's actually we're not
just exaggerating, jaw dropping. I mean, that's been the case,
it seems, at least from the beginning, at least something
each and every time.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Right, But thirty four witnesses down and just a few
more days to go before the jury starts deliberating folks.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
In this trial.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
We will continue to keep you updated, obviously well check
back in with our Diddy update tomorrow. Always you can
catch us on morning run with your news headlines. But
for now I am TJ. Holmes and for Amy Robot.
We always appreciate you running with us. No, we're not
running today. This isn't run, This is the ditty run.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Just listening to us, This is the morning receipt.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah, I know you're tired. Did we mentioned you didn't
sleep last night at all? Zero on your Aura score,
so yes, thanks for listening. Everyone, have a great one.
Hey there, folks.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
It is Tuesday, June twenty fourth, and the prosecution rests,
the defense rests, and Diddy says thank you to the
judge in open court. Welcome to the second Diddy update
of the day here on Amy and TJ and Robes.
It was a day of developments, which is why we're
hopping back on.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
A lot of.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Stuff happened in the afternoon as we're recording this. It
is early evening here on the East Coast. But a
day of developments, including hearing Diddy's voice in open court.
I guess just the we'll get into the exact quotes
in a second, but just the idea of hearing from
him seems like it's a big day, just that he spoke.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Did you just imagine he said it the way you
inflected it?
Speaker 4 (00:45):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Would take that? Take that take that.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
I was laughing. I was like, Wow, did he really
do it? Just like that thing?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
You know what if you did, maybe you want to
sound very sweet and very innocent today in court.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
We know I cannot imagine.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Coming out it's probably Mike, thank you no, but this
is the first time that we have heard from Ditty
directly correct since the beginning of this trial.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I'm trying to think there had to be something where
he had to give a nod or a yes, or
maybe eighty little.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
I can't remember it though.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
The only thing I have seen reported on from folks
in the courtroom is his demeanor, his facial expressions, the
fact that he was nodding or nodding.
Speaker 4 (01:28):
Aggressively towards a juror.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
We've seen reports today that he was hunched over, reports
that he wouldn't look at the screen when some of
the explicit videos were being shown, But no, those were
just descriptions of his behavior and his physical demeanor, but
nothing from him directly.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
We've been following a lot of these coom these reporters,
and we were reading their note today about him speaking.
None of them mentioned that he had spoken prior, so
I think they would have.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
They would have pretty sure that would have been a
big deal.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
So this might have been it to hear from him
the first time.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
We also had a cross examination that took longer than expected,
which is now messing with the timeline.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
And also Diddy's team.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Is asking for an acquittal right now and they haven't
gotten an answer to that yet, So that's an afternoon
of developments. That's why we jumped on. But I guess,
like we said, the big one here hearing Diddy's voice.
This is a standard part of any trial. We talked
about it before it happened. We're going to hear from
Diddy today because they always ask are.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
You going to testify on your own defense?
Speaker 4 (02:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (02:29):
But I thought it was interesting that the judge started
with asking Diddy how he was feeling that.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
I've heard that before. I didn't either, but it.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Once in a while though, cordial, how are you feeling?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
So the judge asked Diddy, how are you feeling?
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Comb says, I'm doing great, Thank you, your honor, and then.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
He added my favorite part. He tells the judge you're
doing an excellent job. Charming as ever.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I did like that, Okay, I did like it.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Look everybody likes to be complimented, and a judge in
his federal trial, I liked it. Who knows what it
came off. I wonder how it felt in the courtroom.
Was it actually a warm moment? Is it possible to
have a warm moment in that courtroom?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Possibly, but it does seem it seems like there's a
motive behind a defendant telling a judge that he's.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Doing an excellent job.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I mean, maybe he really felt that and thought that,
but it just made me laugh a little, just because
so much of what we're hearing about Diddy and his
charming and uh, just he had a way with people.
He knows how to make people do what he wants
them to do.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
That was my thing.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
What if this was a matter of control that yes,
I'm the defend that my life was on the line,
but I'm telling you you're doing a good job. I
still need my approval in this room. But what's going on?
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Using with confidence, ouzing with confidence, as is the defense.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
You notice our our afternoon updates. We're a lot looser.
We're yeah, we are a punchy. We've been up since
two thirty three in the morning at this point, so
forgive us, but we're.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Going to get through it.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah. Well, we weren't even expecting to do this episode,
but a lot happened this afternoon, and it was certainly
worth noting, specifically because yes, did he did speak, so yes.
Combs also told the judge that he was not going
to testify. No one thought he was going to, and
certainly the defense has told us over the last couple
of days they weren't bringing any witnesses on the stand,
so there was zero expectation that Combs was going to
(04:16):
but we at least got to hear him formally tell
the judge that and why and how he came to
that decision.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Yeah, they always want them to know that they have
to tell the judge, and the judge has to be
satisfied because you don't want this issue on appeal. Frankly,
like you saying, definitely, I'm making this decision, making it
on my own. I do not want to testify in
my own defense. Look After he says that the prosecute
and again this what they call summary witnesses. These are
(04:43):
not necessarily for one side or the other, but they're
essentially just to go through notes and to go through
data for the jury and help them piece connect the dots.
As you say, So, this is supposed to be a
boring witness for a lot of ways. This dude was
on from Friday through this afternoon early almost to the afternoon.
He turned out to be very important, And I think
(05:04):
this ended up being a defense witness, did it not, Yes, So.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
That's what I believe was going on. So yes, the
defense didn't technically call any witnesses, but this Homeland Security
special agent ended up being a conduit by which the
defense was able to present texts and videos, and so
they were in a way able to present its case
through this prosecution witness, which is not what I don't
(05:28):
think any of us expected at least. So, yes, he
was only supposed to be on the stand for a while.
He was on the stand for three days and much
longer today, as you pointed out, than he was expected to.
I believe the defense told the court they thought they'd
need about an hour and change with him. He was
up for what three hours made me more?
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Yeah, he ended up being very important. I think those.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
We've obviously kept up with every single day of the
trial actually now to think about it, but some of
the evidence, now, I guess some of the text messages
he was able to introduce, or the defense was able
to introduce through him, they paint a picture of almost loving,
normal boyfriend girlfriend relationships. They paint a picture of women
(06:11):
who are enthusiastic and we use the word earlier giddy.
I think some of these text messages hit harder than
a lot of previous ones. We've seen, and that's why
this witness ended up being so valuable, possibly for the event.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
And you know, whoever goes last.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Maybe I'm wrong, but I would think leaves a bigger
impression because it's the freshest on your mind. It's the
thing that's closest to the decision you're going to end
up coming to, just before you deliberate. This is the
last bit of evidence you're hearing, so it tends to
have a lot of weight. And yeah, we heard texts
where we saw loving, consensual relationships, but we also saw
(06:48):
explicit texts that were describing sexual acts, but consensual sexual acts.
Speaker 4 (06:54):
So those were two very important things.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Not only did he have a loving, softer side, but
it very much seemed through these.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Techs that both Cassie and.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Jane were, as you say, enthusiastically participating in explicit sexual acts.
And they said so through their texts, through their own words,
through their own written words in real time.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
That's powerful that they are initiating. There was not some
they're not being coursed, they're not being right. They initiate
a lot of this stuff. And look, the defense did
its job.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
This is what they're supposed to do. Put a little
bit of doubt. That's all you need. Reasonable doubts.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Yes, that what they say did the prosecution prove its
case beyond a reasonable doubt. Look, all we could do
is report on it from here and read transcripts in
the courtroom. I don't know, piece by piece listening to
every single bit of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Hibar Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
One of the reporters in the courtroom pointed out this
text message that the defense was able to talk about
and present to the jury was a message from Cassie
even Too or Fine, who told Diddy in a text
in twenty seventeen, you you are my best friend, and
she said that there was no one that she.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
Loves more than him.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
That's hard to imagine that you would write a text
to someone like that you are my best friend in
a way that's even more powerful than any of this
sexually explicit acts, or that I love you.
Speaker 4 (08:18):
I love you is.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Because that's mutual admiration. That's that's a deeper bond in
a way. I just thought that was really powerful.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You know, I hadn't thought about it the way you're
speaking of it now. I think a lot of people
can relate to what those words mean, and it's tough
to balance to that with this is a woman who
is being, according to the prosecution, almost held hostage by
this man because of threats of violence, because of threats
of taking away rent, because the threats of her career.
Speaker 1 (08:49):
That paints a much different.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
Picture, right, Because if someone is obsessed with someone or
or sexually obsessed with someone, it might create a different
in a relationship. But a best friend sounds like a mutual, consensual, loving, friendly,
respectable relationship.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
It's it's different than.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Some of these explicit texts we see, and that for me,
that had a lot of.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
Weight to it.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
You know, we were questioning why it seems amazing. It's
remarkable that the defense, after all this and everything that's
on the line, that they would not present any witnesses,
but having is weird. I just noticed it now that
over the past several days, all we've been talking about
as the prosecution is putting on.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Their case is the defense.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Ye, because on they are putting on their case, they
exactly have been doing that, and they've been making their
points and they have been making some headway and having
more Perry Mason and courtroom moments than we're used to.
Speaker 3 (09:57):
They are highlighting, and they have an highlighting over the
past several days, but even specifically yesterday and today, massive
inconsistencies by the prosecution's star witnesses. And that's with all
of these loving kind texts. They just fly in the
face of the direct testimony we heard from those two women.
(10:21):
And these texts are irrefutable. Even the prosecution had to
acknowledge their authenticity. These are real texts that happened from
these women.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
So this is standard. They asked for an acquittal. That
was the other big yes moment today. It's called it
rule twenty nine I believe it's called a rule twenty
nine motion.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
This is standard.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
So they go through and you kind of get a
little insight into what their defense strategy is, what their
closing argument might be, and what they think a winning
strategy has been. But they laid out several things and
a key part of it was saying that domestic violence
is not sex trafficking. Yep, like we are copying to Yep,
(11:05):
he absolutely put his hands on that woman. That is
not him being violent forcing her to have sex, which
apparently is a key to proving sex trafficking.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
It has to be the violence. That is a threat, and.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
They laid that out today as a part of the
motion to say, hey, the prosecution hasn't even made its case.
We don't even need to put a case on Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
They also tried to dismantle the prosecution's claims that did
He was participating in racketeering acts. They were trying to
or at least they presented to the court that there
was zero evidence or they failed to show evidence the
prosecution did that did He tried to bribe anyone surrounding
(11:49):
that hotel attack, that video that we saw, So I
don't know because they said there was no police involvement
because Cassie venture Fine didn't want any police involved, and
no charges were So they're trying to go through each
one of these charges against Didty and saying the prosecution
did not prove those points.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
You just made the key you.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Just started with. I'm sorry, I'm racking my brain now. Yes, folks,
we have been up a long time. You just started
with the racketeering as what you were talking about it hearing. Okay,
this is maybe one of the biggest points that they made.
Speaker 1 (12:21):
They prove that Diddy and.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
Others he tried to hide the freak offs from other
staff members. He tried to keep it a secret from
some people. He tried to say, hey, wait till the
coast is clear before you bring mister whoever cowboy.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
In to the room.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
If you do that, then that means you are not
running a criminal enterprise in which you have fellow criminals
doing your bidding, because you're actually trying to keep what
you're doing from them.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
That is a big, big.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
Point about running a criminal enterprise racketeering. He is not
a mob boss in this argument from the defense, because
what does a mob boss do. Everybody on the lower
level on the streets know what bidding they're doing. They're
doing the criminal bidding for the guy, and the money's
going right. It's not that kind of thing. They proved
through text messages. He was trying to not involve people.
(13:15):
What did the defence attorney say, they did Errand's make
travel arrangements, They had anything to do with what went
on with him his girlfriends, and.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
They acknowledged like, yes, did.
Speaker 3 (13:24):
He may have created some difficult, even abusive working conditions,
grueling working conditions.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
Staffers had little sleep.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
They had to do his bidding at all hours of
the night, with very little notice. But they point out
they all could have left, and the reason why they
did all of these things was not because of any
threat or coercion or anything illegal. It was because they
didn't want to lose their jobs. Much simpler, period, And
that actually makes sense what they were saying, at least,
(13:55):
what the defense was presenting today was kind of common sense.
And the dismantle is the best way. They really did
an effective job of trying to dismantle what the prosecution says.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
They've already proved well in.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
A simplistic way, in a way we can all digest.
That makes sense to me. Yes, I've done. Who hasn't
done something you didn't want to do because you want
to hold on.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
To your job.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
Correct, I'm saying it didn't have to be illegal. Hell,
I don't even want to go get your coffee that
kind of a thing. It's not my job. I'm a
junior partner here. Everybody has. But they put on their case.
They did not put on a case, but they put
one on as the prosecution was still having their own
witnesses up there. So this is what they're going into
(14:39):
now robes tomorrow. Wait, the timeline now is getting adjusted.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Yes, so now, because this final witness for the prosecution
went longer than expected, and I don't know how this
shifts anything too much. The judge asked the jurors to
return on Thursday at nine am. But the issue now
is how long it's going to take and when they're
actually going to be able to start their closing arguments.
(15:05):
They think closing arguments now might bleed over into Friday,
and so now there was the suggestion that the jury
might not even begin deliberating until Monday, possibly late Friday,
but possibly they won't even start until Monday.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
Okay, so we can probably rest assured we're not getting
a verdict this week.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
I think that's highly likely and very probable.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
I wonder how long, I don't think. I don't think.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
I feel completely confident. The conference tomorrow for the jury
instructions is or is not an open court.
Speaker 3 (15:39):
We're not sure yet, and so obviously we're hoping it is.
So the jury will for sure not be present for that, obviously,
because they're discussing what they tell the jurors and what
the language is that they use for the jurors to
go and start their deliberation, if it's open quart or not.
But I don't know if reporters will be allowed, if
the public will be allowed into the courtroom to hear that.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
I would think that they would be.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I mean it would just the whole point of a
court is to have it be transparent, to have it
be something that the public can witness and watch and
know that it's done ethically and correctly.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
So it would fly in the face.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
I mean, there are certain things obviously they don't want
to get out. They'll take a taken aside and the
judge's chambers or approach the bench that they don't want
people to know or hear. But in terms of getting
the jurors instructions, I'm trying to remember in other court
cases that we have covered, whether or not we've been
privy to that discussion and that conversation.
Speaker 2 (16:35):
I think so right now, I would say, yes, they're
not coming back until noon tomorrow, so there are, but
they all are all expected to be there tomorrow now, hope.
Speaker 1 (16:47):
I don't think robes haven't seen.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Anywhere either that they expect the charge conference to go
any longer than tomorrow. I don't think that's going to
bleed into Thursday, right, They have to get that right.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
I think they have to get that wrapped up.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
I mean, who knows anything's possible, But I just looked
it up and it says generally jury instructions are not
open to the public during the deliberation process, but they
are often part of the public court record after the trial.
So I knew there had to be transparency. They're just
not going to be transparent in real time after the fact.
If people want to go and look and see how
do they come to the decision to tell the jurors X, Y,
(17:20):
and Z, that will be.
Speaker 4 (17:22):
Made public after the fact. And so.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
The actual deliberations, including the instructions right by the judge.
Obviously you know the jury deliberations are private, but that's
to protect the integrity of the process.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
So the jury instructions we'll see and those have been
and if they say what they need four hours each
for closing arguments on for Thursday.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
So even if we start at nine in the morning,
whoever starts first is going to go in least until
after lunch, and then whoever's after that is going to
go through the rest of the day. So then you
can expect that the next day they're going to start
instructions to the jury. They do do this in open court,
and he reads it word for word to them. They
(18:07):
get it to go back. I mean, they have the
instructures to go back with him a booklet, but he
reads every line. This takes a long time. Yeah, from
my experience.
Speaker 1 (18:17):
So will it take a full day? Will it take
a half a day? That? I don't know.
Speaker 3 (18:22):
Yeah, that's anyone's guess. Something else that was We're told
it's standard. But I thought it was kind of interesting
that the prosecution, once the defense rested today, they decided
not to present a rebuttal case, which they're allowed to do.
They made the decision not to, So I don't know
how unusual that is, or if that's them trying to
show their own moment of confidence to reprove dark case.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
They had nothing to but because they didn't present much
of anything. A few text messages that they acknowledge, yep,
that was part of the actual record.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
I mean, ye, I don't know if there was much to.
Speaker 3 (18:53):
Rebut that is that is actually fair? So I mean
who knows. But yes, everything that happened today was what
we were expecting to happen, including the defense asking for
that acquittal and the judge saying that he will consider
making a ruling on it, but not making a ruling
on it. That's also very standard, very common. I don't
know if he ends up actually having to make a
(19:14):
ruling on it, having to declare I am denying your
request for an acquittal. I'm guessing that has to happen.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
Perhaps tomorrow he will, but it seems strang I'm told
that's common for them to do that, but I was
still it seemed odd to me, like, of course, he's
not gonna do an acquittal. It's just they have to ask.
The judge then denies. It's part of all these major trials.
I just didn't know why I didn't do it on
the spot. But I think I read somewhere from one
of the reporters that it's also common for the judge
(19:40):
to handle it this way, just to kind of punt
it to it.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Let me think about it.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
It's like when you're a parent and your kid asks
you for something and you know you're not gonna let
them do it, but you just don't want to cause
a scene right there, and you say, I'll let you
know later, but you already know you're going to say, now,
you know what we.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Can talk about this when we get home, exactly.
Speaker 4 (19:57):
I feel like that's basically what.
Speaker 3 (19:59):
Happened today with the judge's decision. He's he already knows
what he's going to say, which is, yeah, we're gonna
give this to the jury.
Speaker 1 (20:05):
Can you imagine.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I don't know that's obviously that's not gonna happen, But
just there's been I'm waiting for something else, right, I'm
waiting for another shoot to drop. I'm waiting for another
shocking moment. I'm waiting for something to become a headline
we weren't expecting. Don't know what that'll be, but I
just it's been that kind of trial.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
It certainly has almost every day, but certainly at least
once a week we get something that's actually we're not
just exaggerating, jaw dropping. I mean, that's been the case,
it seems, at least from the beginning, at least something
each and every time.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
Right, But thirty four witnesses down and just a few
more days to go before the jury starts deliberating folks.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
In this trial.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
We will continue to keep you updated, obviously well check
back in with our Diddy update tomorrow. Always you can
catch us on morning run with your news headlines. But
for now I am TJ. Holmes and for Amy Robot.
We always appreciate you running with us. No, we're not
running today. This isn't run, This is the ditty run.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Just listening to us, This is the morning receipt.
Speaker 3 (20:59):
Yeah, I know you're tired. Did we mentioned you didn't
sleep last night at all? Zero on your Aura score,
so yes, thanks for listening. Everyone, have a great one.
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