Friday 5/9 Day 5. The Vanishing Witness

0:03 Callaroga Shark Media. Welcome back to Diddy Do It, The daily podcast following every twist in the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean Ditty Combs. I'm Nate Oliver. It's Friday, May ninth, and today marked the final day of jury selection. But while the courtroom moved steadily toward Monday's opening statements, a major development from the prosecution side sent a ripple of uncertainty through the entire case. One of the government's key witnesses has vanished. Let's break it down. This morning, just after the judge finished preliminary remarks and both legal teams reviewed the final jury pool, Assistant US Attorney Meredith Ekdahl dropped a bombshell. Victim three, one of the prosecution's most anticipated witnesses, has gone missing, not just unresponsive, unlocatable.

1:01 According to court documents first reported by The Daily Mail, the woman who was expected to testify about a long pattern of abuse allegedly orchestrated by Combs and his inner circle, stopped communicating with prosecutors earlier this week. They haven't heard from her, her attorney hasn't returned calls. She's simply gone, and while the judge has issued no official ruling on the matter, yet the mood in the courtroom changed instantly. Sources close to the prosecution say Victim three's testimony was designed to anchor the broader narrative that Comb systematically controlled an abused young women using his fame, drugs, threats, and a network of loyal employees. Without her, a portion of the timeline and some key corroboration may be lost. Defense attorney Joe Takapina didn't comment directly, but the smirk Hey wars he'd leaned in too whisper to Combs, said plenty. Meanwhile, prosecutors appear to be doubling down on the witnesses they do have. That includes Cassie Ventura, Diddy's former partner and the most high profile alleged victim so far. According to Reuter's and The Hollywood Reporter, Cassie is expected to testify early in the trial, and an appointed decision, she'll be doing so under her full legal name, Cassandra Ventura. This move, insiders say, is meant to signal strength and authenticity. She's not hiding, she's not using an alias. She's telling her story on the record in front of a jury. Ventura previously settled a civil suit against Comb's just hours after

2:34 it was filed last November, but now in the criminal case, she's back not for money, but as a witness for the state. So who else is expected to testify? We've learned that the government plans to call at least six women over the course of the trial, along with two former employees of Combs's security team. One of those men reportedly has a recording of Comb's discussing what the prosecution says our hush money payment if the judge allows it. In that recording could be explosive, But let's get back to the courtroom today. The atmosphere was equal parts tense and procedural. By midday, both sides had exercised their peremptory strikes.

3:15 One man who previously said he believed celebrities often get away with things was cut, so was a woman who'd posted on social media about the Ventura lawsuit, despite telling the court she could be impartial. In the end, twelve jurors and six alternates were seated. It's a mix of working class and professional New Yorkers, most of whom appeared stone faced and serious as the judge thanked them for their service. One juror, a middle aged woman from Staten Island, reportedly nodded when asked if she understood the responsibility ahead. Another, a young man in a navy sweater, avoided eye contact. Altogether, no names were given, their identities remained sealed. Combs sat still through it all, dressed again in gray, his expression unreadable.

4:01 When the final jury was confirmed, he leaned back in his chair, not relaxed, but relieved. His team now knows who will judge him. The game board is set more in a moment. Outside the media frenzy has only intensified overnight. The news about the missing witness exploded on cable news and across social media. Hashtags like victim three and where is she began trending. Some suggested she's scared, others say she's been paid off. No evidence of either theory, but that's how this trial is playing out. One foot in court, one foot in the headlines. On the courthouse steps, protesters gathered again. Some held signs in support of Ventura, others chanted in support of Combs, arguing that the trial is a takedown orchestrated by the government, and in the middle of it all, security presence increased. Marshals were seen conferring with NYPD officers, likely in preparation for the media circus expected to erupt next week. Opening statements begin Monday morning.

5:13 Each side will get ninety minutes to lay out its case. Prosecutors are expected to present the trial as the culmination of years of abuse, alleging that Combs built a sex trafficking enterprise inside his music empire. They'll present testimony, video, financial records, and what they say is a clear pattern. The defense will argue it's all exaggerated. That Combs was involved in wild, consensual parties, sure, but that calling it trafficking is a stretch. They'll attack the credibility of witnesses, question motives, and paint Ditty as a victim of fame and political ambition. It's going to be intense, and we'll be there so to recap Victim three, A key witness has vanished. Cassie Ventura is confirmed to testify under her real name. The jury is seated. Opening statements are locked in for Monday, and this trial it's about to explode into the public consciousness. That's it for today's episode of Diddy Do It. The last before opening arguments begin. Follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows, and don't forget Hey, we'll be here Monday morning with full coverage from day one of testimony. I'm Nate Oliver.

6:26 Thanks for listening.