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A replacement juror in the criminal trial against Sean Combs for sex trade and conspiracy for organized crime has commented on the acquittal of the mogul in the more serious charges. And explains that the video, the Combs’ attack on Casandra “Cassie” Ventura in the Intercontinental Hotel, shows in connection with the indictment points were not weighted too much.
Replacement juror understood the judgment
“I mean it was a very bad video,” said the 37-year-old man, who works in the United Nations anti-terrorist office, to CNN presenter Laura Coates on Thursday. But Combs was “not charged with domestic violence.”
The man, whose full name was not published by CNN, said he would probably have come to the same judgment as the eight men and four women who decided on Combs’ fate. “I understood the judgment,” he said. “I made a lot of notes – a total of 350 pages … and looking back on the evidence I would probably have come to the same conclusion as the other jury … and I think there was always a little doubt.”
On Wednesday morning, Combs fell to his knees and prayed after he was acquitted from the allegation of the conspiracy to organized crime as well as from sex trade to Ventura and Combs’ girlfriend “Jane”. Although the founder of Bad Boy Entertainment escaped a lifelong prison sentence, he still threatens prison, after he was guilty in two cases of promotion to exercise prostitution.
Statements about the “freak-off” videos
Although the juror was not part of the consulting group, he was the first member of the jury reserve – which included six substitutes – which commented on a total of 34 witnesses after eight weeks.
He also spoke about the sealed “freak-off” videos in which Combs’ friends have sex with male escorts. Both the public prosecutor’s office of the Southern District of New York and Combs’ prominent defense showed explicit video material – but each.
When trying to describe the videos, the man sticked out. They were “captivating”. However, some sections “harmless”. “They were very graphic, but I think overall you could only see it from one side,” said the man. “It was definitely captivating and open.”
However, he contradicted himself a few seconds later. And said some videos showed sexual acts. But nothing “too hard”. “It didn’t seem forced,” he added. “It was actually pretty harmless. And it was just a lot of oil.”
Allegations of coercion and drugs
The public prosecutor claimed that Combs had forced his friends Ventura and Jane to take part in so-called “freak-offs” in which women had sex with male escorts while Combs masturbated and filmed the scenes. Both women said that they often felt that they were committed to participating during these days of sex marathons and taking mood -oriented drugs. Everything to distance yourself from the events. (Combs denies the allegations.)
Further developments
Combs is currently in custody in the Metropolitan Detention Center. He is waiting for his verdict. The hearing for punishment is scheduled for Tuesday, July 8th. His defense team applied for an accelerated judgment. Because they want to push for a minimum penalty for the former billionaire.
After the verdict, Combs’ main defender Marc Agnifilo told the press that in the case of “not ending”. “We won’t stop until he returns to his family as a free man.”