Washington DC [US], June 6 : Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been threatened to be removed from court by the judge presiding over the ongoing sex trafficking trial if the discgraced music mogul continues to make faces at members of the jury.
"I was very clear, there should be no facial expressions to the jury," US district Judge Arun Subramanian told Combs' legal team in a federal courtroom in the US on Thursday. "I could not have been clearer. There was a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury," according to E! News.
"That is unacceptable," he continued. "There should be no efforts to have any interactions with this jury. If it happens again, I will give an instruction to the jury or it could result in the exclusion of your client from the courtroom."
Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo assured the judge that this was "not going to happen again."
Subramanian's admonishments come as Bryana Bongolan, a close friend of Combs' ex Cassie Ventura, returned to the witness stand for more cross-examination. The fashion designer further testified about allegedly being dangled over a 17th-floor balcony by the Bad Boy Records founder in 2016. The defence tried to debunk her claims with defence attorney Nicole Westmoreland, who claimed that Combs was in New York on the days he was accused of the incident, as per E! News.
However, Bongolan confirmed her assertions, telling the juror that she had "no doubt" that Combs, who pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to participate in prostitution, had held her up on the balcony. Just one day earlier, she provided more information about the alleged encounter, which she claimed occurred in Ventura's Los Angeles flat.
However, Bongolan reaffirmed her statements, telling the juror that she had "no doubt" that Combswho pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, as well as transportation to engage in prostitutionhad held her up on the balcony. Just one day earlier, she shared more insight into the alleged incident, which she said took place at Ventura's Los Angeles apartment.
"Combs came behind me, lifted me up and had me on top of the rail," Bongolan, who said she weighed about 100 pounds at the time, testified June 4. "I was trying not to slip, pushing back on him because I was scared I was going to fall," as per the outlet.
"For a second, I thought I was going to fall," she continued. "He was yelling at me. He was saying, You know what the fk you did.' I had no idea what he was talking about. I said, 'I don't know what I did.' He was yelling loud," according to E! News.
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