Deputy: In the matter of USA v. Combs, how do you find the defendant, Sean Combs, for count one, racketeering conspiracy?

Juror 5: Not guilty.

There’s a small gasp from Diddy’s two rows of friends and family.

Deputy: As for sex trafficking of Casandra Ventura, how do you find the defendant?

Juror 5: Not guilty.

Someone from the same section of the gallery says “yeah!!” It was quiet but in the tension of the courtroom it is clear that everyone heard it. His kids have broken into smiles, happily nodding.

Deputy: Transportation for purposes of prostitution related to Casandra Ventura?

Juror 5: Guilty.

There’s no reaction.

Deputy: As for sex trafficking of Jane, how do you find the defendant?

Juror 5: Not guilty.

Teny Geragos tightly grips Sean Combs’s hand across the table as the defense team exchanges positive looks.

Deputy: Transportation for purposes of prostitution related to Jane?

Juror 5: Guilty.

As the entire courtroom stands and watches the jury leave, Combs continues to nod and clasp his hands in prayer directed towards the jurors; a silent ‘thank you.’

Basically the moment the jury walk out of the room, Marc Agnifilo, Sean Combs's lead defense attorney immediately petitions the Judge.

Judge: Are you proposing he just walk outside now?

Agnifilo: Yes…

Thursday morning felt like we were seeing something we weren't supposed to be seeing…

Sean Combs is sitting in his normal spot and the entire defense team fall into formation like soldiers at attention. They make a human force field as they huddle around Sean Combs.

Is this a pep talk? What's happening?

Through the cracks we can see, Sean Combs, absolutely livid. They stay like that until Father Arun, aka Judge Arun calls for a sidebar in the robing room. Lead counsel, Father Arun, and the court reporter disappear behind the door for 20 mins. Then 30 mins.

It’s an hour into the morning and we have yet to start the actual court proceedings - nor can we hear anything that’s going on inside the robing room.

Usually the rumors will come and go in the press pews - there’s not that many to go around.

But everything about this Thursday is different. With nothing else to do - the press are whispering -

‘Did you hear?’ ‘I don’t know if it’s true’

‘Kanye West is trying to get into the courthouse’

‘I heard he’s here to support Diddy’

But this doesn’t make sense because why would Diddy be so viscerally angry to the point that his entire team has to block our view of him? Wouldn’t he want his friend supporting him? Is this why the attorneys have spent so long in the robing room?

It all seems a lot deeper than that. Perhaps even darker. A lot of people start to speculate that Kanye might be the Feds next target - he might be who they’re coming after next.

Full show notes at rottenmangopodcast.com

During a sidebar for the case of USA v. Sean Combs - the judge tells the defense attorneys:

“Well, that is victim blaming. That is literally that's like if you had a dictionary that had a term victim blaming, like that would be the explanation that you'd be given, so it can't be that. It has to be something else.”

He clarifies that they themselves are not victim blamers; however, some of their questions could not be accepted in open court for their rather victim blaming nature.

He has said what netizens have been thinking for months now.

Netizens have been wondering for months -

Who is on trial here? Sean Combs or the victims?

Every single text message and every intimate detail of these women’s lives have been brought up in court.

They are being subjected to days and 20+ hours of brutal testimony. Their pasts are being dug up online - while Sean Combs has a growing line of fans waiting to get into the courtroom to support him. We are nearing the end of the trial and it feels like nobody really knows how this will end.

Full show notes at rottenmangopodcast.com