It’s week seven of the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial, with the prosecution’s case drawing to a close, and the defence indicating it will not present any witnesses – meaning closing statements could come this week. Follow the latest from the court in New York.
Tuesday 24 June 2025 16:25, UK
As cross-examination of Homeland Security Investigations special agent Joseph Cerciellio continues, jurors are taken through more messages between Sean “Diddy” Combs, his former girlfriend Jane*, and male sex workers.
The defence is trying to show Jane, who testified against Diddy under a pseudonym earlier in the trial, played an active role in their sex sessions with escorts.
Jane texted one male entertainer about meeting up in October and November 2022, the court hears, including a text asking if the entertainer was “free this evening” for “his birthday”.
Combs’s birthday is 4 November.
Jurors are also told about messages between Diddy and Jane from January 2023, in which he asked her: “Can I walk in on you and [escort] I would like that.”
“Yes,” Jane replied.
She also text a “thumbs up” emoji about a night of “debauchery”.
Jane dated Diddy on and off from early 2021 to September 2024, when he was arrested.
While sex sessions with escorts were mainly referred to as “freak offs” by Combs when he was with previous partner Cassie Ventura, with Jane they were called “hotel nights”, “wild king nights”, or “debauchery”, the court has heard.
The court continues to hear about messages between Sean “Diddy” Combs and his former girlfriend, Jane*.
In April 2022, Combs text Jane to tell her he was having “crazy fantasies” about her and a sex worker.
She replied saying she wanted to “make love” to Combs as she hadn’t been with him “selfishly” for five months.
Other messages later in the year show Jane telling Combs she loves him and saying she would not take him for granted.
Today’s hearing was about to start with jurors watching footage or listening to audio, but due to problems with headphones the court was told they will come back to this.
Moving on, defence lawyer Teny Geragos takes jurors through text message exchanges between Sean “Diddy” Combs and his former girlfriend Jane*, and Jane and an escort, from December 2021.
In the messages, Jane appears to be showing she enjoyed a sex session she had with Combs, telling him: “Haven’t stopped thinking about it, it just gets better and better.”
In messages to the escort, she asked him to “elaborate” about their night, and told him: “That was one for the books.”
Other messages appear to show Jane contacting the escort herself in the days after this.
Remember, Jane and Combs dated on and off from early 2021 until his arrest in September 2024.
She is an alleged victim in this trial and gave evidence accusing Combs of abuse, under a pseudonym to protect her identity.
After a lengthy legal debate between the prosecution and defence lawyers and Judge Arun Subramanian, over text message evidence, special agent Joseph Cerciello has returned to the stand.
He began his evidence on Friday and continued for all of yesterday’s hearing.
The Homeland Security Investigations agent will now continue to answer questions under cross-examination by Teny Geragos, one of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s lawyers.
Today’s hearing has begun.
The prosecution and defence teams are having a few legal discussions with Judge Arun Subramanian before the jury comes in and testimony begins.
Sean “Diddy” Combs has arrived in court and is wearing an orange jumper today.
He shuffled through papers in a folder after sitting down at the defence table.
Court is not yet in session but evidence should begin at about 2pm UK time.
Jurors were shown what appeared to be explicit videos involving Sean “Diddy” Combs’s former girlfriend Jane, who has testified under a pseudonym, during yesterday’s court session.
The pair dated on and off between early 2021 and September 2024, which is when the hip-hop mogul was charged and jailed ahead of this trial.
Jurors wore headsets to watch the footage, which was not shown to media or members of the public in court.
Combs looked around the courtroom as the clips played, seemingly trying to avoid looking at the graphic recordings on the screen in front of him.
His mother, Janice Combs, who has been in the courtroom to support him throughout the trial, appeared to focus her gaze on the jury box.
We’re back with live updates on day 29 of the Sean “Diddy” Combs trial in Manhattan, New York.
Prosecutors are expected to rest their case against the hip-hop mogul today, but before that the court will hear the last of special agent Joseph Cerciello’s testimony.
Combs’s defence lawyers said yesterday that they plans to rest their case without calling any witnesses, but will submit some evidence. This means that Diddy himself would not be testifying.
It appears that instead of witnesses, the defence will stipulate several issues, according to our US partner NBC News.
Today’s session is due to start at about 2pm UK time.
At the start of the seventh week of the trial, the court heard continued testimony from a special agent who has reviewed some of the evidence in the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Joseph Cerciello began giving evidence on Friday and will continue tomorrow as well. The prosecution is expected to rest its case after this.
Before today’s session started, Combs’s defence lawyers said they do not plan to call any witnesses, but will submit some evidence, according to our US partner NBC.
After this, defence lawyer Teny Geragos said it is expected that each side — the prosecution and the defence — will take about four hours to make closing arguments to jurors.
Those final words could be spoken on Thursday, with jurors getting their first chance to deliberate on Friday.
If you’re just checking in, here’s a round-up of all today’s key updates:
A reminder of the charges: Combs faces five criminal counts – one of racketeering conspiracy; two of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two of transportation to engage in prostitution.
He has strenuously and consistently denied the allegations against him, and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
That’s all for our coverage today – the trial resumes tomorrow at 2pm UK time on Tuesday. We’ll see you back here then.
Before court finishes for the day, jurors hear that in December 2021, Jane – whose real name is not being given in court – was in contact with a sex worker and appeared to initiate a “freak off” sex session.
She asked him to take a PCR test, the court hears – a reminder of the tests millions had to take during the COVID pandemic.
“You know it’ll always be great,” she told him.
Court will be back in session at 2pm UK time tomorrow.
We’ll be back here shortly with a round-up of today’s evidence.
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