In a stunning move, the day before closing arguments in Diddy federal criminal trial in NYC, prosecutors have pulled back on some key testimony during the trial, specifically kidnapping, attempted arson, and aiding and abetting sex trafficking, TMZ reports.
According to the report by TMZ, Prosecutors said in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, the Government is following His Honor’s instructions to “streamline” the jury instructions.
The reality — prosecutors seem to feel they have fallen flat on proving Diddy allegedly kidnapped former employee Capricorn Clark (who was taken to a building and given a lie detector testto determine if she stole Diddy’s jewelry), and Cassie(when she was allegedly held at the London Hotel), TMZ report added.
More surprising, prosecutors are not pursuing the attempted arson claim that Diddy blew up Kid Cudi’s car in a jealous rage. During the trial, prosecutors never directly linked Diddy to the fire.
Both of these charges relate to the racketeering charge Diddy faces.
As for the aiding and abetting sex trafficking charge, prosecutors don’t explain what elements of sex trafficking they will 86 from the jury instructions.
Prosecutors are NOT dropping the various sex trafficking charges … only elements of them, and specifically aiding and abetting.
Prosecutors do say in their letter they want an instruction that just because women (Cassie and Jane) gave prior consent to sexual acts, it does not mean that it can never be withdrawn.
Prosecutors also say jurors should be told just because a woman (Jane) received compensation, “does not preclude a finding of forced labor (which relates to sex trafficking).
And as for sex trafficking, prosecutors want jurors to know neither physical restraint of the alleged victims nor commercial sex acts are required to prove coercion in sex trafficking.