Lodge safety officer testifies Diddy paid $100K to suppress assault video
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A lot of as we speak’s testimony was spent revisiting Diddy’s March 2016 assault on Casandra Ventura, an incident on the InterContinental Lodge in Los Angeles that was captured on safety video and proven to jurors at the beginning of his trial. Eddy Garcia, the lodge’s safety supervisor, testified that Diddy and his workforce desperately needed to get the only copy of the video and forestall it from getting out. In change for $100,000 divided amongst members of the lodge’s safety workforce, Garcia stated, he signed a nondisclosure settlement that known as for his silence and the destruction of proof.
Right here’s what else to find out about as we speak’s testimony:
- Garcia testified that he was so “nervous” in regards to the NDA that he didn’t learn all of it earlier than he signed it. Diddy offered stacks of money in a brown paper bag, added Garcia, who stated he purchased a used automobile together with his $30,000 share.
- Garcia additionally stated he wasn’t initially truthful to police when he was requested in regards to the assault. On cross-examination, the protection identified the NDA didn’t cease Garcia from talking about it in authorized proceedings, a line of questioning presumably meant to undermine the federal government’s potential declare of obstruction of justice.
- After Garcia, Derek Ferguson, the previous chief monetary officer of Dangerous Boy Leisure, took the stand to debate the construction of Diddy’s companies and the way cash flowed.
🔎 The view from inside
By Adam Reiss and Jing Feng
For the primary time in the course of the trial, a spectator disrupted the courtroom decorum, prompting U.S. District Decide Arun Subramanian to order court docket marshals to “escort her out proper now.”
The uproar started earlier than the jury was seated and Garcia took the stand. At first, each prosecutors and the protection workforce had been discussing with Subramanian displays within the trial and whether or not to supply proof of Diddy’s jail calls. Prosecutors additionally complained to Subramanian that an individual who had been within the courtroom Monday broadcast on YouTube the actual identification of a authorities witness, who glided by the pseudonym “Mia” when she testified.
Immediately, a girl within the courtroom started shouting in protection of Diddy, together with that “it’s not proper what they’re doing to him” and “Diddy’s harmless.” She was rapidly eliminated.
Prosecutors later informed Subramanian that the true identify and identification of “Mia” had been being reported and requested for him to ban the outlet that made them public from the court docket. He stated he would think about such a court docket order.
🗓️ What’s subsequent
Tomorrow: Frank Piazza, a forensic video professional, and Bryana Bangolan, who alleges that Diddy dangled her over an house balcony, could testify.
PSA: Each evening throughout Diddy’s trial, NBC’s “Dateline” will drop particular episodes of the “True Crime Weekly” podcast to get you in control. “Dateline” correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC Information’ Chloe Melas and particular visitors — proper in entrance of the courthouse. Hear right here. 🎧