Diddy Trial: Special Agent DeLeassa Penland Takes The Stand Before Lunch On Day 25 (Part 1) (6/17/25)

Beyond The Horizon

Before lunch on June 17th, the Sean “Diddy” Combs federal trial resumed with a tense start as Judge Arun Subramanian sternly warned both legal teams about the leaking of information from a previously sealed Friday hearing. He emphasized that any further violations of gag or sealing orders could result in civil or criminal contempt charges, holding lead counsel personally accountable for compliance going forward. The judge’s remarks set the tone for a morning already thick with tension, as the courtroom braced for more disturbing and explicit government evidence. The prosecution continued its case by recalling FBI Special Agent DeLeassa Penland to the stand, who walked jurors through a collection of phone records and text messages between Combs and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. These messages, sent both before and after the alleged 2016 hotel assault, were framed as evidence of Combs’s desperation, control, and attempts to manage public fallout.
Penland also introduced sexually explicit video footage, referred to as “freak-off” recordings, which showed Combs orchestrating group sex parties. Several jurors—particularly Black female jurors—were visibly unsettled during the viewing, reacting with discomfort and concern. The prosecution supplemented the footage with related evidence, including records of luxury purchases like candles and flights allegedly used to support these events, as well as documentation of hotel damages totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Finally, the government previewed the upcoming testimony of Brendan Paul, a former Syracuse University basketball player turned Combs assistant, who is expected to testify under immunity. Meanwhile, the defense signaled that its case would be brief—potentially only two days—strongly suggesting that Combs himself will not take the stand. This development sets up the possibility that jury deliberations could begin as soon as next week.
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Live updates: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial coverage | CNN