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We’re just nine days away from the start of jury selection in United States v. Combs. In today’s edition of Diddy on Trial, I’ll introduce you to the presiding judge and the lawyers on both sides of the case. Plus, we take a question from one of our subscribers. But first, here’s a rundown of our latest reporting:
- Judge Arun Subramanian said at a hearing Friday that he will allow graphic surveillance video of Diddy attacking his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 to be shown during the trial. Adam Reiss reported from the courtroom.
- Diddy’s former chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, stood by his side for years. But that working relationship has also brought her intense scrutiny. At least three civil suits allege she helped cover up his behavior, though she hasn’t been charged with any crimes. Janelle Griffith has details.
- Prosecutors are expected to call an expert witness named Dawn Hughes. She’s a forensic psychologist who played a key role in other high-profile legal sagas, including the 2021 prosecution of singer R. Kelly and the defamation trial involving actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. I took a closer look at her background and expertise.
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Mailbag
Joe Demosthenes, one of our readers, wants to know who is on the list of expected witnesses. We put that question to Janelle, who sent over this reply:
The witness list has not been made public and it’s unclear whether one will. But we do know that four women — all accusers — will testify at Diddy’s trial. That’s according to a court filing from federal prosecutors.
Three of the accusers will testify using pseudonyms to shield their identities from the public and the media. Their names are known to Diddy and his legal team. The woman identified in the indictment as Victim-1 has leveled allegations that closely align with those of Diddy’s ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie.
Victim-1 is prepared to testify under her own name, the filing said.
Meet the judge and the lawyers at the center of the case
By Daniel Arkin
If you’ve ever spent time in an American courtroom, it’s easy to see why so many people have likened the experience to watching a play. The figures who populate the courtroom oftentimes resemble characters in a tense, high-stakes drama.
In that vein, consider this edition of Diddy on Trial a short guide to some of the case’s cast members. In the weeks and months ahead, their names will become increasingly familiar to readers of this newsletter.
Let’s start with the judge, Arun Subramanian. Subramanian has been on the federal bench for about two years. He was nominated to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York by then-President Joe Biden in 2022 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2023 in a 59-37 vote. (Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reportedly recommended Subramanian to Biden.)
Diddy’s trial appears to be the most high-profile judicial assignment to date for Subramanian, who once clerked for the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before working at the white shoe Manhattan law firm Susman Godfrey.
Diddy’s lead attorneys are no strangers to high-profile cases. Marc Antony Agnifilo, a veteran criminal defense lawyer, previously represented NXIVM sex cult leader Keith Raniere, former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng, former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn and “Pharma Bro” Martin Shkreli.
Agnifilo will be joined by Teny Geragos, one of the partners at his firm. She is “particularly experienced in defending and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct,” the firm’s website says. She is also the daughter of famed defense lawyer Mark Geragos, whose clients have included artists Michael Jackson and Chris Brown.
The court docket lists five other attorneys on Diddy’s side, including Alexandra Shapiro and Brian Steel. Steel, who recently joined the defense team, represented rapper Young Thug in Georgia’s longest-running criminal trial.
The same docket lists eight lawyers for the federal government, five of whom are designated as leads for the prosecution. They include Emily Anne Johnson, Madison Reddick Smyser, Mary Christine Slavik, Meredith Foster and Mitzi Steiner.
The prosecution’s side features Maurene Ryan Comey, too. She’s a veteran of the Southern District who helped secure a conviction against British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell for conspiring with Jeffrey Epstein. Maurene Comey is the daughter of former FBI Director James Comey.
