In a courtroom buzzing with tension, the judge firmly rejected Sean “Diddy” Combs’ defence team’s bid for a mistrial on Wednesday. The move came amid fiery testimony over destroyed fingerprint evidence related to an arson case involving a firebombed Porsche belonging to rapper Kid Cudi.
This was the first time Combs’ lawyers attempted to end the trial early, a legal drama now entering its third week in New York. The stakes remain high: if convicted, Combs faces a possible life sentence over charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Judge Arun Subramanian swiftly dismissed the mistrial request after the jury had been sent out, noting that a key witness never confirmed whether the destruction of the fingerprint cards was unusual. He cautioned jurors to ignore the testimony about the destroyed evidence, calling it irrelevant to Combs’ case.
“It’s important to stress this does not reflect on the defendant,” the judge told the courtroom. “Jurors are to disregard that line of questioning.”
Fingerprint Evidence Destroyed Amid Arson Probe
The controversy stems from the 2012 firebombing of Kid Cudi’s Porsche 911 Cabriolet, which was doused with a homemade Molotov cocktail. Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator from the Los Angeles Fire Department, told the court he found clear signs the attack was deliberate.
“Someone had lit it, cut the roof, and dropped the device inside the car,” Jimenez said. “In my opinion, it was targeted.”
He described the burnt interior, the smashed roof, and the petrol-soaked cloth found inside the vehicle, backed by photos presented to the jury.
The investigation yielded two fingerprints lifted from the glass front door of Kid Cudi’s home, which Jimenez said he handed over to the LAPD. But, shockingly, those fingerprint cards were later destroyed, an unusual and unexplained turn.
When prosecutors asked if it was common for such evidence to be destroyed, Combs’ defence jumped at the opportunity to accuse them of misconduct. Defence lawyer Alexandra Shapiro argued, “The government was clearly trying to suggest that Mr Combs was responsible for this destruction. It was unfair and improper.”
No Charges Yet in Arson Case
Despite the dramatic allegations, no charges have been filed related to the firebombing. The LAPD has not commented on the fingerprint evidence, and the case remains officially inactive pending further developments.
The trial also heard testimony from Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Ignacio, who responded to a break-in at Kid Cudi’s home days before the firebombing. Ignacio testified that a black Cadillac Escalade seen leaving the scene was registered to Bad Boy Productions, Combs’ company.
Combs’ former assistant, Capricorn Clark, testified earlier that Combs and a bodyguard allegedly kidnapped her at gunpoint and drove her to Kid Cudi’s house, though no property was reported missing.
Witness Details Abuse of Cassie Ventura
The day ended with testimony from Deonte Nash, a celebrity stylist and close friend of Cassie Ventura, the prosecution’s star witness. Nash described how he frequently saw Ventura with bruises and how she was pressured by Combs to participate in so-called “freak-offs”—sex parties she did not want to join.
On Ventura’s 29th birthday, Nash recounted, Combs became furious when she refused to attend such a party. “He said, ‘I do all this for you, and you can’t do this one thing for me,’” Nash told the court. Ventura reportedly told Nash, “He’s just mad because I don’t want to go to the hotel and freak off.”
Nash also described Combs’ controlling behaviour, from dictating Ventura’s clothes and hairstyle to issuing threats to her and her family if she disobeyed.
“He told her he wouldn’t release her music, that he’d get her parents fired, and that he would put out sex tapes,” Nash said.
Despite the abuse, Nash remains a friend to Ventura and has supported her throughout the trial.
Defence Calls Control a Business Matter
Combs’ defence argued that controlling Ventura’s appearance was a business decision. Defence lawyer Xaviar Donaldson said, “It’s fair to say the label head would want the artist to look good.”
Nash agreed, but prosecutors paint a darker picture of coercion and manipulation.
As the trial continues, attention now turns to the next witnesses, including another key prosecution figure expected to testify soon. The courtroom drama unfolds day by day, with the jury tasked with sifting through a complex web of allegations, evidence, and personal testimony.
