Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: We’re two weeks into his trial proceedings. Jury selection started two weeks ago and was finalized early in court proceedings on May 12. The Shade Room was on site as the trial kicked off with opening statements. For the record, he’s facing one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecution is set out to prove these crimes happened between 2004 and 2024, and Cassie was a KEY witness in all of this.
Keep scrolling to see everything Cas said on the stand, along with a recap of testimonies from Dawn Richard and MORE.
#TSRTrialWatch: The jury and alternates — 12 men and 6 women — are now seated in the courtroom.
Opening statements will start after the judge finishes explaining the law as it relates to this trial, along with incidentals such as that a light breakfast will be provided to them…
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
Like President Donald Trump’s criminal trial in 2024, the jurors’ identities in Diddy’s trial will be kept anonymous. Judge Arun Subramanian promised them that, right before warning them to ditch any outside information they have on Diddy. It’s a standard, but important instruction, he said.
“Anything you’ve seen or heard outside the courtroom is not evidence. It must be disregarded,” the judge said.
Opening statements kicked off on May 12 at about 10:55 a.m., NYC time. The prosecution spoke first, and they wasted no time getting into the nitty-gritty!
By: Cassandra Santiago
RELATED: EVERYTHING To Know As Diddy’s Trial Kicks Off: His Federal Indictment, Charges & Who’s Expected To Testify
Trial: Prosecution Says Diddy Intimidated Cassie With Sex Tape “Souvenirs”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson spoke for the prosecution’s opening statement. She acknowledged that fans see him as “larger than life.” However, she says there’s “another side to him, a side that ran a criminal enterprise.” Johnson cited an instance where Diddy allegedly kidnapped an employee, and another example of Diddy threatening Cassie with the release of sex tapes allegedly featuring her and a male escort. The recordings, Johnson says, were “souvenirs of the most humiliating nights of her life.”
Additionally, Johnson accused Diddy of beating Cassie over minor occurrences, such as leaving a sex party early or taking too long in the bathroom. “Her livelihood depended on keeping him happy,” the U.S. attorney said.
Cassie was not in the courtroom on May 12 at the start of opening statements.
#TSRTrialWatch: “For 20 years, the defendant, with the help of his trusted inner circle, committed crime after crime. That’s why we are here today. That’s what this case is about.” Attorney Johnson said, telling jurors that Cassie was far from the only woman Combs beat and…
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
By: Cassandra Santiago
Prosecution Says Diddy Paid $100,000 To Cover Cassie’s Hallway Beating
CNN shook the internet when it published the never-before-seen footage of Diddy kicking and slamming Cassie in a hotel hallway in 2016. Days after the video went viral, Sean Combs apologized to Cassie in a video, calling his behavior “inexcusable” and his actions disgusting. He claimed that he attended therapy, went to rehab, and asked “God for his mercy” following the incident.
“I’m so sorry. But I’m committed to be a better man each and every day. I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry,” Diddy said at the time. Cassie never responded to his public apology, but later issued a strong statement, encouraging people to believe “victims the first time.”
In their opening statement, the prosecution recalled the hallway beating and accused the mogul of coordinating a cover-up afterward. A bodyguard and Diddy’s chief of staff allegedly witnessed him trying to pay $100,000 in cash in a brown paper bag to a security guard to ditch the tape.
“This is far from the only time that the defendant’s inner circle tried to close ranks and do damage control,” Johnson said.
#TSRTrialWatch Prosecutor describes the cover-up that followed Cassie’s hotel hallway beating telling jurors a security guard was given a brown paper bag full of $100,000 in cash while Combs’ bodyguard and chief of staff stood by.
“This is far from the only time that the…
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
By: Cassandra Santiago
Prosecution Says Diddy Beat A “Jane” Who Confronted Him, Defense Team Denies It
All that said, U.S. Attorney Johnson also alleged that the singer is not the only woman Combs beat and sexually exploited. A woman only referred to as Jane allegedly confronted Sean Combs in 2024 about years of forced participation in “Freak offs.”
According to TSR in the courtroom, Attorney Johnson said that Diddy allegedly punched Jane in the face, dragged her by her hair, and slapped her to the ground. “Then he demanded that she call an escort, cover up her black eye, and ingest ecstasy,” TSR reported.
#TSRTrialWatch: Johnson introduces another attack on another woman, "Like with Cassie, the defendant’s violence had gotten him what he wanted"
Jane — a pseudonym — confronted him last year about enduring years of “Freak Offs” in dark hotel rooms while he took other paramours on…
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
Diddy’s lawyer, Teny Geragos, alleges that the case is about “love, jealousy, infidelity, and money.” Furthermore, Geragos admitted that Diddy can act “jealous or angry,” and even come off as “a jerk or mean.” However, she said that Diddy is being tried on racketeering charges, rather than a case of domestic violence.
“Jealousy drove choices of the victims… they remain in multi-year relationships with him. These women were in love with him. Infidelity and jealousy drove the violence. Alcohol and drugs drove things. But he is not a racketeer,” the attorney reportedly said.
Like the prosecution, the lawyer also jumped right into Cassie. She slammed Diddy’s actions in the hotel video as “horrible dehumanizing violence,” but also said Cassie “had a choice every single day to stay with him.”
#TSRTrialWatch: Geragos — “Cassie had a choice every single day to stay with him. That was her better choice. Until she broke up with him. She was not coerced. When she left, there were no repercussions. She ran into the arms of a physical trainer combs had hired to train her.”
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
As for Jane, the defense team painted her as “desperate” to be with Diddy, and claimed that’s the reason she engaged in “consensual threesomes and hotel parties.”
#TSRTrialWatch: Geragos claims Diddy’s accusers were motivated by money, pointing out Cassie’s $30 million lawsuit.
“I want you to ask yourself, how many millions of reasons does this witness, swearing to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, have to lie?”
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
#TSRTrialWatch: The defense finishes its opening statement by asking the jury not to “impose your morality on this man.”
Teny Geragos: “If you listen, you will find him not guilty of these crimes. Thank you”
— TheShadeRoom (@TheShadeRoom) May 12, 2025
By: Cassandra Santiago
Diddy’s “Freak Offs” Had Other Names Too & Trial Jury Will See Videos
One stand-out comment in Attorney Johnson’s opening was about the infamous “freak offs.” The public has been obsessed with those since the raids on his homes in early 2024 and his arrest in September. More lawsuits followed Cassie’s bombshell one in November 2023, and “freak offs” were a common theme. In her statement, Johnson revealed that they had other names, too. “Wild King Nights” and “Hotel Nights” were also alleged code names for the “highly orchestrated, drug-fueled sex parties.”
Prosecution argues that Diddy funded these parties with his company and held them at hotels across the U.S. and overseas. He allegedly had employees stage rooms with his preferred lighting, extra linens, and lubricant.
From the courtroom, The Shade Room reported that:
Johnson went on to state that Combs compelled women, including Cassie, to take drugs and engage in sexual activity with male escorts while he gratified himself and sometimes recorded them.
Prosecution confirmed that the jury will see videos of Cassie and Jane “pretend they enjoy themselves during Freak Offs.” There is also allegedly footage of Sean Combs “brutally beating Cassie” during a freak-off at a hotel in Los Angeles.
Editor’s Update: On day two of Cassie’s testimony, the prosecution chose not to show the freak off videos and presented still images instead. Follow along for live updates from Cassie’s testimony HERE.
By: Cassandra Santiago
