The ongoing RICO case against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, a figure once celebrated in hip-hop, has now entered its third week, and the courtroom drama shows no signs of abating.
On this day (28), the prosecution is working to establish that Combs’ alleged racketeering activities culminated in a moment of courtroom chaos, prompting the defense to fervently call for a mistrial.
While it may be increasingly difficult to contest the claims of physical and sexual abuse against his former partner, Cassie, prosecutors face the formidable task of demonstrating, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Combs leveraged his business empire and employees to “carry out, facilitate, and cover up” acts of violence, abuse, and commercial sex—essentially the crux of racketeering.
Numerous employees have testified about their roles in orchestrating the infamous “freak-offs,” yet whether they directly witnessed Combs’ alleged violent outbursts or his confrontational escapades with figures like Suge Knight remains a point of contention.
In an interesting twist, some defense attorneys have taken to the media, suggesting that the prosecution has yet to land any significant blows against the rapper, effectively painting the courtroom narrative as one where the government struggles to substantiate its claims.
Today’s trial session took a dramatic turn when Diddy’s legal team demanded a mistrial after a Los Angeles official disclosed that evidence related to a burglary at Kid Cudi’s residence had been destroyed. Cudi alleges that Combs was responsible for breaking into his home and setting fire to his car.
The Daily Mail reported:
“Diddy’s lawyers have motioned for a mistrial, claiming the prosecution made an inappropriate insinuation in front of the jury.”
“The defense labeled the suggestion as ‘outrageous’ when prosecutors hinted that the mogul might have destroyed fingerprint evidence linked to the January 2012 bombing of Cudi’s car.”
| Federal agents in New York have just released the extremely graphic, unedited 15-minute video of the altercation between Diddy and Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel, showing Diddy dragging Cassie down the hotel hallway. https://t.co/lH92WNbIoD
— News Day Mundo (@NewsDayMundo) May 14, 2025
When Officer Jimenez mentioned that “somebody within LAPD” had authorized the destruction of the evidence, Diddy’s legal team erupted in objection.
“They know what they were doing,” the defense contended regarding the prosecution. “They were insinuating that someone in this courtroom is implicated in the improper and suspicious destruction of these fingerprint cards, which is outrageous.” The attorneys further argued, “The only appropriate remedy to address this severe prejudice is a mistrial.”
Despite the tumult, the judge denied the defense’s request for a mistrial.
Read more:
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trial: Rapper Kid Cudi Testifies That Disgraced Mogul Broke Into His House and Set Fire to His Car