In September 2023, crowds packed Instances Sq., cheering, and taking footage as Sean “Diddy” Combs obtained the important thing to the town, an honour bestowed on him by the New York Metropolis mayor who known as Combs the “bad boy of entertainment”.
Lower than two years later and simply three miles down the highway, individuals have been now queueing across the block to safe a spot to see him contained in the courtroom to face prices of intercourse trafficking, racketeering and transportation for prostitution.
The autumn from grace of this music mogul has been sharp and stunning.
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Mayor Eric Adams, left, presenting the Key to the Metropolis to hip-hop artist Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in New York’s Instances Sq. in September 2023. Pic: Workplace of the New York Mayor/Caroline Rubinstein-Willis by way of AP
The distinction of the picture of him that day, holding an enormous gold plated key aloft, his smooth black hair neatly groomed and sporting costly jewelry with the person sitting on the defence desk is stark.
After spending seven months imprisoned on the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Heart, Combs’s hair is now absolutely gray, his beard overgrown.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs’s mom Janice Combs, centre, was amongst those that attended court docket. Pic: AP
His mom Janice arrived on the court docket in a black SUV. I requested her how her son was feeling forward of the primary day of proof on this case however she remained stony confronted.
Combs’s sons Justin and King and his 17-year-old twin daughters, D’Lila Star and Jessie James, adopted behind in a big individuals provider van with different members of the family.
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Sean Diddy Combs, centre, motions a coronary heart gesture to his household. Pic: AP
When Combs was escorted into the courtroom he waved and blew a kiss to his household, who have been seated within the second row of the general public gallery.
They could by no means once more see him as a free man, with essentially the most severe prices in opposition to him carrying a potential life jail sentence.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs’s son King Combs, centre, was amongst those that attended court docket. Pic: AP
Combs, who was sporting a cream jumper, gray trousers and dark-rimmed glasses embraced members of his defence staff when he arrived. He listened intently because the prosecution painted an image of a violent monster, generally taking notes.
Combs used his enterprise empire and appreciable energy, the federal government mentioned, to pressure girls into intercourse, to beat them after which to cowl it up.
There have been gasps from the general public gallery within the overflow courtroom as prosecutor Emily Johnson delivered the opening assertion, particularly as she talked about disturbing element about Combs’s alleged drug-fuelled intercourse events, which he known as “freak offs”.
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Sean “Diddy” Combs’s son Justin Combs, centre. Pic: AP
The prosecution’s star witness might be Cassie Ventura. The pop star was in a relationship with Combs for eleven years.
Her husband Alex Fantastic was in court docket because the trial started in earnest and Cassie is anticipated to start giving proof on Tuesday morning.
She is closely pregnant and should select to make a low profile entrance into the courthouse, avoiding the scrum of nationwide and worldwide media outdoors.
Even earlier than the primary day concluded, individuals have been already queuing for a seat within the public gallery tomorrow. These on the entrance of the road are being paid (between $25 to $40 an hour) to carry a spot for others.
These “professional line sitters” might be right here outdoors the courthouse in a single day when it’s anticipated to rain. P Diddy is used to being the most popular ticket on the town however he presumably by no means imagined it could be in these circumstances. He denies all the costs in opposition to him.
