Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs probably will not give evidence in sex trafficking trial

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denies the charges (Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP)

The possibility that music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs might give evidence at his federal sex trafficking trial in the US all but vanished on Tuesday after his lawyer predicted a defence presentation lasting as little as two days and a judge said jurors could begin deliberations as early as next week.

Lawyer Marc Agnifilo offered the hint when Judge Arun Subramanian asked him for an estimate on the length of the defence case, and the lawyer said their presentation could last less than two days – but not more than five.

If Combs gave evidence, it was likely it would take longer than a week. Evidence by two of his former girlfriends consumed two of the trial’s six weeks.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.

A court artist’s sketch of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (Elizabeth Williams via AP)

Assistant US attorney Maurene Comey said prosecutors would rest as early as Wednesday and no later than Friday morning.

The estimates were provided on Tuesday after the irate judge scolded prosecutors and defence lawyers, saying information about a closed court proceeding involving a juror last Friday had leaked to a media outlet.

The judge said he believed someone who was at the sealed court hearing violated his secrecy order. In the future, Judge Subramanian said, he would hold Ms Comey and Mr Agnifilo responsible for any slip-ups, and any violations of his orders could result in criminal contempt penalties “at the most extreme level”.

“This is the only warning I will give,” he said.

Meanwhile, prosecutors resumed showing jurors evidence on Tuesday of text messages, phone calls and hotel records to support charges that Combs oversaw a racketeering conspiracy that utilised his employees and associates and his stature in the hip-hop industry to help him control and abuse women, including two former girlfriends.

Ex-girlfriends Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym “Jane” told jurors that Combs used threats and monetary incentives to coerce them into frequent multi-day sex marathons where Combs watched, directed and sometimes filmed them engaging with male sex workers.

Defence lawyers say prosecutors were trying to criminalise consenting sex between adults by targeting Combs.