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In a major turn in the ongoing legal battle between hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs and singer Cassie Ventura, Diddy's legal team has announced it will argue that the domestic violence in their relationship was "mutual." Combs wrestles with federal criminal charges for s*x trafficking, racketeering, and other serious allegations. According to TMZ, Marc Agnifilo, the lead defense attorney for the rapper, told the judge that his team is going to argue that:
“The teams going to take the position there was mutual violence in their relationship.”
Agnifilo further added:
“We are absolutely going to admit to domestic violence, but at what point does it become coercive?”
To prove that the violence between Combs and Ventura during the 2016 hotel incident was mutual, the team will submit a 'revised' CNN footage copy and two security guard cell phone videos, which allegedly show Ventura's aggressive actions as equally aggressive as Combs's.
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Recent developments have benefited the defense, granting them additional time to complete jury selection. Though previously it was scheduled to be concluded by Friday, the procedure for opening statements will continue until Monday morning.
By scheduling the last phase of the juror selection process on a Monday, potential jurors are less likely to drop out during the weekend or fall prey to some distraction. According to an article published by The Guardian, on May 9, 2025, the prosecution objected to the delay in jury selection.
Before the trial, the prosecution's lead witness, as well as the representative of the lead witness, had gone missing. In court filings, 'Victim-3' was described as the individual who would explain that Combs "s*xually exploited" decades of abuse by Combs and therefore demonstrate a recurring pattern of his bad conduct.
Yet the prosecution team disclosed during jury selection this week that it had been having difficulties contacting the individual or her lawyer, who is dealing with hidden "personal issues".
Sean “Diddy” Combs: From lawsuit to federal court
Sean "Diddy" Combs' ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, and former Bad Boy Records artist sued him in civil court in November 2023, alleging a decade of physical and s*xual abuse. Even though the lawsuit was settled within a few hours, it sparked a chain of more accusations and triggered an extensive federal investigation.
On March 25, 2024, searches were made at Diddy's residences in Los Angeles and Miami by Homeland Security Investigations (DHS). On May 17, 2024, CNN released to the public surveillance video from 2016 of Combs assaulting Ventura, an incident he would later admit to and apologize for to the public.
The surveillance record confirmed Ventura's earlier testimony, leading to increased public condemnation. In May 2025, Diddy's attorneys turned their strategy and claimed that the relationship had "mutual violence" and were ready to submit a video recording where Ventura allegedly committed aggression at some points.
As of May 2025, the trial has entered its next phase, with jury selection and opening arguments in focus.
