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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyers wanted a mistrial. Here’s why they thought the prosecution’s questions were out of line.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers moved for a mistrial following questioning about Kid Cudi. Prosecutors recently asked a Los Angeles arson investigator about evidence relating to the alleged bombing of Cudi’s car. Here’s why prosecutors thought one question was enough to get a mistrial.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyers requested a mistrial
Combs’ former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, became briefly involved with Kid Cudi. During testimony, Ventura alleged that Combs threatened to blow up Cudi’s car. Not long after, someone threw a Molotov cocktail into Cudi’s car.
Arson investigator Lance Jimenez told the prosecution that fingerprint evidence related to the bombing had been destroyed. The prosecution then asked if it was “unusual” for this to happen to fingerprint evidence. Combs’ defense team believed this was an attempt to blame their client for tampering with evidence.
“It was becoming clearer and clearer that this inference was what the government was doing this for,” his lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro, said, per ABC News. “There’s no way to unring this bell.”
The defense moved for a mistrial, which Judge Arun Subramanian denied. Still, he instructed the jury to disregard the information about the fingerprints.
“Before the break, you heard some testimony about fingerprint cards, and I’m now instructing you that questions regarding the destruction of the fingerprint cards and the answers are irrelevant to this case and to the defendant and are not to be considered by you,” Subramanian said.
Combs faces life in prison if convicted on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
