Prosecutors plan to show five different perspectives of the 2016 Cassie beating video in Diddy trial
Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial began on May 5 at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in lower Manhattan.
According to TMZ's report dated May 9, prosecutors plan on showing the jurors five different perspectives of the viral 2016 Cassie Ventura video, in which Combs was physically attacking his then-girlfriend, Cassie, in the hallway of the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
The media outlet reported that two videos from the hotel's security guard will be shown along with three variations of the hotel's surveillance camera footage, which CNN will provide.
Back in May 2024, CNN released the CCTV footage of Diddy kicking and dragging Cassie in the hotel hallway. During a hearing in March 2025, the rapper's defense team claimed the media outlet allegedly altered the footage. A spokesperson from CNN responded and stated that the footage was not changed.
"CNN never altered the video and did not destroy the original copy of the footage which was retained by the source. CNN aired the story about the video several months before Combs was arrested," the statement read.
Diddy's defense lawyer plans to accuse Cassie Ventura of domestic violence
According to Reuters' report, during the court hearing on May 9, the music mogul's defense lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, told U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian that the relationship between Combs and Cassie Ventura will be referred to as "domestic violence" by their legal team. The media outlet reported that Agnifilo will supposedly try to showcase how the two's relationship was mutually violent.
"I think we're probably going to refer to that as domestic violence," the attorney stated.
For the unversed, Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of s*x trafficking, and two counts of transportation for pr*stitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Diddy's legal team stated on May 9 that they will prove that the alleged victims are falsely accusing their client for money. They also accused the prosecutors of trying to allegedly criminalize the rapper's "swinger lifestyle," referring to Combs' "Freak off" parties.
Music executive gives insights on the challenges men and women face in the music industry
Ty Stiklorius, former music manager and founder of the LA-based firm Friends at Work, told Morning Edition on May 8 that many people in the music industry stay silent about their struggles because of nondisclosure agreements.
For basic rights, such as song ownership and fair pay, the artists are allegedly pressured into signing NDAs.
"I think part of it is we have to talk about NDA's, nondisclosure agreements. I think they play a huge role. I know many men and women who've been threatened with the end of their careers that they spoke up. NDA's have been signed. They're signing away their truth in exchange for basic rights like song ownership or fair pay. That silence wasn't consent. It was survival," Stiklorius stated.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian stated that Diddy's trial could last approximately eight weeks.
