Sean Combs scored a huge legal victory in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, June 24. Federal prosecutors dropped key charges in their RICO sex trafficking case against the disgraced music mogul.
Combs’ attorneys rested their case in less than 30 minutes on Tuesday. They did not call any witnesses to the stand. Combs told the judge it was “solely my decision” not to testify in his own defense.
Prosecutors decided to drop certain sex trafficking charges, attempted arson and kidnapping charges against Combs since those charges were not proven in court.
All other charges, including transportation for purposes of prostitution, bribery, witness tampering and drug-related offenses will remain.
“The Government is no longer planning to proceed on these theories of liability, so instructions are no longer necessary,” prosecutors wrote in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
The arson allegation stems from rapper Kid Cudi’s testimony that Combs threw a Molotov cocktail into his Porsche sports car. But no one witnessed Combs throwing the incendiary device, therefore the charge was dropped.
Kid Cudi also claimed Combs broke into his home after he discovered Cudi was sleeping with Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
The kidnapping charge was dropped because Combs’ former assistant Capricorn Clark’s testimony was simply not credible.
Prosecutors conceded they do not have enough proof for the kidnapping, arson and some of the sex trafficking claims.
BACKGRID
Sex trafficking was the central point of the government’s case against Combs. But most of the witnesses – including Cassie herself – lacked credibility on the witness stand.
The government didn’t prove that any of the male escorts were forced to have sex with Cassie against their will. Cassie also failed to prove that she was forced to prostitute herself.
Combs’ lawyers proved that she booked the male escorts herself and paid them cash for their services.
Sean Combs scored a huge legal victory in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday, June 24. Federal prosecutors dropped key charges in their RICO sex trafficking case against the disgraced music mogul.
Combs’ attorneys rested their case in less than 30 minutes on Tuesday. They did not call any witnesses to the stand. Combs told the judge it was “solely my decision” not to testify in his own defense.
Prosecutors decided to drop certain sex trafficking charges, attempted arson and kidnapping charges against Combs since those charges were not proven in court.
All other charges, including transportation for purposes of prostitution, bribery, witness tampering and drug-related offenses will remain.
“The Government is no longer planning to proceed on these theories of liability, so instructions are no longer necessary,” prosecutors wrote in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images
The arson allegation stems from rapper Kid Cudi’s testimony that Combs threw a Molotov cocktail into his Porsche sports car. But no one witnessed Combs throwing the incendiary device, therefore the charge was dropped.
Kid Cudi also claimed Combs broke into his home after he discovered Cudi was sleeping with Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
The kidnapping charge was dropped because Combs’ former assistant Capricorn Clark’s testimony was simply not credible.
Prosecutors conceded they do not have enough proof for the kidnapping, arson and some of the sex trafficking claims.
BACKGRID
Sex trafficking was the central point of the government’s case against Combs. But most of the witnesses – including Cassie herself – lacked credibility on the witness stand.
The government didn’t prove that any of the male escorts were forced to have sex with Cassie against their will. Cassie also failed to prove that she was forced to prostitute herself.
Combs’ lawyers proved that she booked the male escorts herself and paid them cash for their services.
