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What to know about the sex trafficking trial
- Sean Combs’ former assistant, Capricorn Clark, took the stand today. Unnamed members of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department were also set to testify, but were moved to tomorrow after Clark's gripping testimony took the full day.
- Clark testified about having her life repeatedly threatened by Combs and how he told her he wanted to kill rapper Kid Cudi. She detailed being taken by an enraged, gun-wielding Combs to break into Kid Cudi's home.
- Clark also said she witnessed Combs viciously beating Cassie Ventura over her relationship with Kid Cudi.
- Kid Cudi, legally known as Scott Mescudi, testified last week about his relationship with Ventura and the abusive nature of her relationship with Combs.
- Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has denied the allegations against him.
- This live blog may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline.
- Sign up for the “Diddy on Trial” newsletter for key developments and analysis; listen to the podcast “Dateline: True Crime Weekly” for daily coverage.
Capricorn Clark finishes testimony; court is adjourned
Clark left the witness stand and court is adjourned for the day.
Prosecutors said they believe they will be able to get through their list of witnesses for tomorrow, which includes members of the Los Angeles police and fire departments.
Combs said they'd all be hurt if police found out about Kid Cudi incident, Capricorn Clark testifies
Clark told the court she went with Combs on the day of the break-in at Kid Cudi's house because she felt she could be hurt if she refused.
She said Combs had a gun throughout the entire incident, and it was visible to her.
Clark also testified that she didn't report the situation to the police because Combs told her that if the police found out about the break-in at Kid Cudi's home, they would all be hurt.
Combs held 'all the power' over Capricorn Clark, preventing her from finding work, she says
Clark testified she had no choice but to go back working for Combs and even ask for his forgiveness since he held "all the power."
The defense showed how Clark seemed keen on working for Combs even after the alleged kidnapping and threats against her.
But on redirect examination by the government, Clark told jurors she had no choice but to seek employment with Combs again, just to show the entertainment industry that she "was valuable and not disposable."
"He holds all the power as it relates to me," she explained. Clark later added, "I just want to work and provide for my son."
Capricorn Clark says she asked Combs for forgiveness, breaks down sobbing talking about Cassie
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo entered an email Clark sent to Combs in September 2014 into evidence, where Clark asked for his forgiveness.
The email was sent two years after Combs fired her and about two years before she returned to work for him again. In the email, Clark wrote that hopefully Combs will forgive her soon, and that she felt like he forgave everyone but her.
Other emails were also brought up in court, including one from months later where Clark said she wanted to be his friend again. Clark seemed angry with Cassie Ventura, saying she was clearly never a real friend.
Clark broke down sobbing on the witness stand, saying the situation was complicated for her and that she felt she was Ventura's protector. She apologized to the judge for her crying, but Judge Arun Subramanian assured her she didn't need to be sorry.
Capricorn Clark dodged LAFD investigators on Kid Cudi car fire
The one-time Combs assistant admitted she didn't help Los Angeles fire investigators in their probe of Kid Cudi's car getting torched.
When an LAFD representative called her in the summer of 2012, Clark hung up on the investigator and never called back.
Clark said she simply didn't "want to have anything to do with this any longer."
Capricorn Clark says Kid Cudi was on speaker phone when she tried to warn Cassie: 'He's in my house?'
Clark testified that she had to tip off Cassie Ventura that Combs was armed and hunting for Kid Cudi at his house.
On the morning Combs sought to confront Kid Cudi, Clark said she managed to sneak in a call to Ventura on her burner phone — and Ventura just happened to be with the rival rapper at that moment, the witness said.
Clark said she could hear Kid Cudi on speaker phone reacting to this threat in the background, asking: "He's in my house?"
Capricorn Clark continued doing business with Combs after she says she was kidnapped
The defense presented Clark with emails from her work at Bad Boy Records from January 2012, just three weeks after she says she was kidnapped by Combs.
When asked if she continued conducting business with Combs, even after telling the jury she was kidnapped and threatened with murder, Clark responded, "Yes."
Cassie got 'lion's share' of Bad Boy resources, Capricorn Clark says
The career of Combs' girlfriend was an important company goal between 2007 and 2010, Clark said.
In that time, Ventura seemed to receive the "lion's share of Bad Boy" Records' resources, Clark testified.
"From my perspective," Clark testified, "the lion’s share of Bad Boy was on Cassie in that first block of time."
Capricorn Clark says Cassie Ventura is no Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey
Clark implied that Ventura "had talent," but not quite to Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey levels.
When the defense pushed Clark to evaluate Ventura's singing ability, the witness said she wasn't a Whitney- or Mariah-level talent, but more of a studio artist.
Clark said she'd seen Ventura live a handful of times and Combs' then-girlfriend might have underperformed due to nerves. She also said that around 2016 she thought that drug use was taking a toll on Ventura's career.
Combs tried to chase Kid Cudi in car before police sirens dissuaded him, Capricorn Clark says
Earlier in her direct testimony, Clark offered new details on Combs' attempt to confront Kid Cudi in December 2011 and why Combs left.
She told the court that after she called Cassie Ventura to let her know Combs broke into Kid Cudi's home, Combs got into the car and left the residence. They were driving away from the home when Combs spotted Kid Cudi traveling in the other direction, Clark said.
Combs chased Kid Cudi in the vehicle until he heard sirens headed in the direction of Kid Cudi's home, when Clark told the court Combs pulled himself together and drove to a stop at a club on Sunset Boulevard.
