A woman who is only being referred to by a pseudonym, “Mia,” who used to work as Sean “Diddy” Combs’ personal assistant for several years, returned to the stand Friday and faced a withering cross-examination after accusing Combs of sexually assaulting her on multiple occasions.
The defense questioned Mia on her social media posts with Combs and on her communications with him in which she said “love you” and praised him as a “mentor and inspiration.” She defended the posts as showing the good parts of her life.
During direct examination, Mia said she left Combs’ employment in 2017 after he shut down Revolt Films. She hired an employment attorney to work out severance. After nine months of back-and-forth, she ended up with a sum of $400,000, and took home $200,000 with attorneys taking the rest, she testified, adding that she now has PTSD following the experience.
Speaking from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump said Friday he was not ruling out a pardon for Combs, telling reporters he would “certainly look at the facts.”
'Mia' will return to stand Monday
Judge Subramanian sent jurors home for the weekend, meaning "Mia" will have to come back for more testimony Monday.
The judge reminded jurors to not talk about this case with anyone and be hypervigilant for any trial talk on TV — and to immediately change the channel if Combs' name is said.
"Have a good weekend," the judge said.
Witness testifies she was crushed about being let go
"Mia" testified she was devastated about being let go from her job on Combs team, according to a Dec. 6, 2016, text conversation between the witness and the mogul's chief of staff, Kristina Khorram.
"I'm going to kill myself, my life is over," Mia wrote about no longer being with Combs. "I'm so heartbroken I can't breathe."
Khorram did her best to console the witness about this career setback, which could help the defense minimize or raise doubt about the abuse Mia said she suffered from Combs.
'Mia' testifies she feared Combs would kill her
When asked point blank by the defense if "Mia" was afraid Combs would kill her, she answered “yes.”
She went on to explain that her "trauma brain" won over her "logic brain" and Combs' behavior became normalized. Mia said she's a "pleaser" and "rule follower" who "wanted to do my best and make everybody happy all the time."
She explained that after something violent, she'd confront him and he'd admit to needing help.
"After something violent, if I was pushed to the edge I would confront him about things, he would say 'I need help,'" she said.
Witness sticks to her allegations against Combs
In the most direct and pointed cross-examination yet, Combs' defense lawyer Steel asked "Mia" if she was wrong — and that his client never had nonconsensual sex with her.
"What I said is true," the unwavering witness said. "I have not lied to anyone at all."
Steel asked Mia if she overestimated the number of times she alleges that Combs might have inappropriately touched her.
"Everything I said in this courtroom is true," she said.
Witness said blaming herself was a defense mechanism
"Mia" testified blaming herself for being the victim of sexual assault was her coping mechanism and shouldn't interpreted as an excuse for the alleged perpetrator.
"I am a sexual assault victim, just survive," she said during cross-examination. "I'm unraveling a lot of this now in therapy. Nobody told me, nobody was there to say the things that were happening were wrong."
In Combs' world, the victims were always made to feel at fault, she said.
"I was always in trouble and always finding a way not to be in trouble," Mia explained.
Trump, asked about pardoning Combs, says he would 'look at the facts'
Trump is not ruling out a pardon for Combs, telling reporters in the Oval Office this afternoon that he would "certainly look at the facts."
Trump, asked by Fox News' Peter Doocy whether he would consider taking that step, said "nobody's asked" but added that "people are thinking about it."
Trump went on to say that he hasn't seen or spoken to Combs in years, and that he hasn't followed Combs' trial closely.
In a 2012 episode of "The Apprentice," Trump called Combs "a good friend of mine" and "a good guy."
In his second term, Trump has issued pardons for various celebrities, including reality stars Todd and Julie Chrisley; rapper NBA YoungBoy; and hip-hop star Lil Wayne.
'Mia' acknowledges she posted Combs on Instagram often, but says all his staffers were expected to post
"Mia" is very engaged during the cross-examination and is confidently claiming ownership of her Instagram posts featuring and praising Combs, despite defense attorney Brian Steel’s attempt to show the disconnect between her claims of suffering at Combs’ hands and her glowing posts about him.
Mia doubled down saying that everyone who worked for Combs was expected to post. She reiterated that back then, people tended to post only about the high moments in life, not the lows.
Combs is the 'coolest alien rockstar' around, alleged victim says
The defense is continuing its effort to minimize any bad acts by Combs, by citing previous kind words from "Mia."
She effusively praised Combs in a social media posting with pictures of his birthday celebration in late 2016.
The caption Mia wrote and shown in court included a praising F-bomb: "You are the coolest alien rockstar unicorn pizza slice and we f------ lovvvve you!"
Party on anniversary of alleged sexual assault
The defense showed pictures of "Mia" at a party wishing Combs a happy birthday — on what would have been the six-year anniversary of a sexual assault she testified he committed against her.
Mia said she just learned to "shut it down" for that moment.
“I tried to protect that night and shut it down and not think about it again," she said.
The defense made Mia read what she wrote about Combs on this birthday: "Legend, rapper, actor, entrepreneur, an extraterrestrial was born, happy bday thank you for showing me the path to Pluto and beyond."
Court back in session
Court is back in session following a lunch break.
