Sean Combs trial updates: 'Jane' testifies on 'hotel nights' with Combs

After a lengthy and contentious defense cross-examination of "Mia," federal prosecutors sought to reframe the social media posts filled with flattering descriptions of Sean Combs, which the defense attempted to use to try to undermine "Mia's" testimony.

"Did you post on social media as part of your job?" prosecutor Madison Smyser asked on re-direct examination.

"Yes," "Mia" testified, asserting that authoring positive posts about Combs' various enterprises, and Combs himself, were part of her job.

"Was it indeed part of your job to manage all of PD's social media presence?" Smyser asked, referring to Combs.

"Yes," "Mia" told the court, adding that if she did not do her job, "I would be screamed at, humiliated, and my job would be threatened."

"Mia" testified under re-direct that her Instagram posts were "like the highlight reel" of Combs and not meant to be about the downside of working for him.

"Is that why you didn't post about Mr. Combs slamming Cassie's head into a bed frame?" Smyser asked, referring to former Combs girlfriend Cassie Ventura.

"Yes," "Mia" testified.

"Is that why you didn't post about Mr. Combs throwing a computer at your head?" Smyser asked, referring to "Mia's" previous testimony about an alleged incident.

"Yes," "Mia" testified.

"Is that why you didn't post about Mr. Combs sexually assaulting you?"

"Yes," "Mia" told the court.

"Mia" testified that she made a scrapbook filled with articles about Combs to make him happy for his birthday. "When he was happy, I was safe," Mia testified.

Smyser asked "Mia" to clarify why she met so often with federal prosecutors, which the defense questioned.

"I met with the government so much in order to understand my story and because I was so terrified and I was learning at the same time," she told the court, clarifying that she was "terrified of Puff."

"Mia" testified she has never been able to talk about her claim that Combs sexually assaulted her without looking down: "It's the worst thing I ever had to talk about in my life," she told the court.

"Do you want to be here talking about this today?" Smyser asked.

"Mia" testified that she did not but felt she had to. "I can't look my niece and my goddaughters in the eyes and ever advise them in the future if they happen to be in this situation," she testified.

There was no re-cross-examination. "Mia's" testimony is now over.

The defense continued to attempt to cast doubt on the credibility of Sean Combs' former assistant, who is testifying under the pseudonym "Mia," asking why she never called the police to report the alleged sexual assaults she testified that Combs repeatedly inflicted on her.

"Did you ever anonymously think about calling law enforcement?" defense attorney Brian Steel asked.

"No," Mia testified.

"You ever hear about a battered women's shelter and just reporting it there?" Steel asked.

"No," "Mia" told the court.

Steel also sought to demonstrate that "Mia's" testimony about being traumatized and battered during her association with Combs seemed at odds with flattering text messages and social media posts she authored, which were shown to the court earlier.

"The only thing you wrote to or about Mr. Combs were admiration statements," Steel said.

He then questioned "Mia's" account of Combs slamming her arm in a door, asking if she sought medical treatment after the alleged incident.

"No," "Mia" testified. "It wouldn't have been allowed."

When "Mia" affirmed that there was bruising resulting from the incident, Steel asked if she took a photo of it.

"No," "Mia" testified.

"Were you screaming?" Steel asked.

"I was not screaming," "Mia" told the court.

"Was it painful," Steel asked.

"Yes," "Mia" testified.

"Why were you not screaming?" Steel asked.

"I don't have the answer why I didn't scream. I was in shock," "Mia" told the court.

The cross-examination of "Mia" has concluded. She remains on the witness stand for re-direct examination by the prosecution.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, you can call the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or if you're unable to speak safely, you can log onto thehotline.org or text LOVEIS to 22522. The Safe Center also has a 24/7 hotline that can be reached at 516-542-0404.

Defense attorneys attempted during their continued cross-examination of the witness testifying under the pseudonym "Mia" to establish that she met with federal prosecutors a total of 28 times, beginning in January 2024. They contended that "Mia" did not appear to tell prosecutors about her claim that Combs sexually assaulted her until June 2024.

After leaving Combs' employment in March 2017, "Mia" testified that she went to work for Madonna for eight months.

"Did Mr. Combs assist you in getting that job?" defense attorney Brian Steel asked.

"Absolutely not," Mia testified.

"Do you have any evidence to show this jury that you were somehow blacklisted?" Steel followed up.

"No, of course not," Mia told the court. She did, however, repeat her assertion that she experienced retribution by Combs.

"He took away the TV show that I created. He took away the credit I was promised in the documentary," "Mia" testified.

Steel questioned the reason for "Mia's" departure from her employment with Sean Combs, following up on her testimony that she was surprised her job was eliminated.

"Isn't it true that you were let go for failing to arrive on time and for drinking?" Steel asked.

"Absolutely not," "Mia" testified.

When "Mia" wrote in a text message previously shown to the court that she was going to kill herself after she lost her job with Combs, Steel said it was "because you loved that job."

"Mia" took issue with that characterization. "My entire world was being ripped away from me. In hindsight that world was awful. I didn't know it at the time," she told the court.

"You wanted to work and continue to work for Mr. Combs and his business?" Steel asked.

"I wanted to follow my dreams and I had a separation from them," "Mia" testified in response.

"You made the decision to continue to work for Sean Combs and his businesses, right?" Steel asked.

"I didn't think I had a choice," "Mia" told the court.

The defense also sought to discredit earlier testimony that Combs controlled his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.

"Is it true that Mr. Combs promoted Ms. Ventura more than any other artist in the label?" Steel asked "Mia."

"I don't know," "Mia" testified.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Brian Steel attempted to argue that "Mia" timed her disclosure of alleged sexual assaults on her by Sean Combs with the civil lawsuit filed against Combs by his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.

Steel questioned why "Mia," the former Combs assistant testifying under a pseudonym, did not tell federal prosecutors about her claim that Sean Combs allegedly sexually assaulted her until June 2024, six months after "Mia" began meeting with them and seven months after Ventura's civil lawsuit was filed.

"Do you remember the first time you ever made a claim Mr. Combs ever sexually assaulted you was on June 18, 2024?" Steel asked.

"I don't remember the dates but I do remember that horrible conversation," "Mia" testified.

"That is seven months after Ms. Ventura's lawsuit went viral," Steel said.

Federal prosecutors repeatedly objected when Steel started to ask about "Mia's" choice of legal representation. The judge sustained the objections and called a sidebar.

The jury did not hear that "Mia" is represented by Shawn Crowley and Michael Ferrara, two lawyers who represented E. Jean Carroll during her lawsuits against President Donald Trump.

Steel also questioned "Mia's" prior testimony that she escaped Combs with Ventura in Turks and Caicos by paddle-boarding out to sea. Steel asked whether there were any text messages, emails or photographs referring to the alleged event. "Mia" testified that there were not.

"Was that just made up by you?" Steel asked.

"No," Mia testified.

Steel's next question earned a sustained objection: "How is it that all these events have no photograph or text message or email from you?"

Steel also earned a sustained objection when he asked "Mia" whether she hired a lawyer in 2024 because she wanted to join what he called the "#MeToo money grab against Mr. Combs."

Steel asked if "Mia" met with federal prosecutors 27 times in advance of her testimony. She told the court that she did not recall a specific number but knew that it was "quite a bit."

The court then took a lunch break. Cross-examination will continue after lunch.