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Well, we wondered when it might come to this. When Diddy‘s mansions were raided, we learned quickly that a lot of digital evidence was seized — including all the hard drives in both homes.
Since multiple accusers claimed he had recorded tons of his activities, it didn’t take much math to realize what the digital evidence was. So we’ve assumed for months now that the feds had video proof of Diddy’s freak offs. Now we have confirmation.
On Monday, for the first time ever, the jury in Diddy’s sex trafficking trial has been shown clips of videos of the freak offs. They’d seen photos and heard audio before, but this was the first time they saw full video.
Related: Diddy’s Former Assistant Says He Sexually Assaulted Her ‘More Than Once’
According to CNN, the jury was shown snippets from three different videos. One was filmed in October 2012, one in October 2014, and one in December 2014. In other words, all during his time with Cassie, theoretically.
It was not made clear if Cassie was in the video clips. Only the judge, the jury, and the witness presenting the evidence (Special Agent DeLeassa Penland of the US Attorney’s Office) actually saw the clips, which totaled just over two minutes of footage. They wore headphones so no one could hear. Even the legal teams weren’t shown because their monitors were in view of the gallery, where press and supporters sit. And these videos are not for public view. Ever.
According to reports from inside the courtroom, the jury mostly sat in stony silence as the clips played. One female juror covered her face in horror, and another winced.
What awfulness was on these tapes? We don’t really have to guess. We have days of testimony by Cassie and Jane Doe and others describing these acts. The prosecution would have chosen clips which confirmed what has already been said, that’s how building an airtight case works.
We have to imagine this will be the nail in the coffin. It’s not often you get video evidence of a crime being committed. It’s about as convincing as evidence gets.
The jury being shown these videos comes after Jane, Diddy’s most recent ex, testified he had threatened to release explicit videos of her. On Monday the jury was also shown a text message sent by Jane to Diddy’s chief of staff Kristina Khorram after Cassie first accused her ex of abuse. Jane had told Diddy she felt “extremely exploited, heartbroken and manipulated” by him. Then a few hours later she complained to Khorram:
“he just threatened me about my sex tapes that he has of me on two phones. He said that he would expose me and send them to my child’s father.”
We guess the jury had to be shown that Diddy’s alleged threat was sincere? To know the videos existed? And hell, maybe just because it’s become pretty damn clear the majority male jury might just not believe multiple women over one man in this country.
[Image via Eugene Powers/MEGA/WENN.]
