Diddy Trial

Diddy's defense made a big deal in court about a scrapbook one of his former assistants -- who testified Diddy raped her -- says she made for his birthday ... and now we're seeing it for the first time.

The ex-assistant, who took the stand under the pseudonym "Mia," testified about making a scrapbook for Diddy's 45th trip around the sun ... Diddy's defense attorney Brian Steel showed it to jurors back in May, and it's now been entered into the public record as a defense exhibit.

The scrapbook features a glowing letter to Diddy ... with Mia writing at the end, "I love you forever and eva and eva."

Loads of Diddy clips and soundbites have been subject to social media scrutiny since his federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial kicked off -- but probably none bigger than his infamous "Drink Champs" interview with Fabolous and Jadakiss!!!

N.O.R.E. hit "The Breakfast Club" on Monday to clear up the viral fiasco where Diddy made some eyebrow-raising comments towards the star NYC MCs ... something about "loving when they're scraping and scrambling for sh*t."

The clip occurred nearly 8 years ago, and N.O.R.E. says he's still getting tagged in it to this day -- but says there's a perfectly good explanation for the shenanigans!!!

Here's the verdict sheet jurors in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial were given as they deliberated his fate ... and you can see the charges laid out against him.

The first count is racketeering conspiracy ... and Judge Arun Subramanian told jurors that in order to convict Diddy here, they must find he agreed with at least one other member of the alleged Combs Enterprise to commit two predicate acts within 10 years of each other.

There are 8 qualifying crimes for the RICO charge ... kidnapping, arson, bribery, witness tampering, forced labor, sex trafficking, transportation for purposes of prostitution, and drug distribution.

There's already a dramatic development as the jury began deliberating in Diddy's federal criminal trial in NYC ... a note was sent by the jury to the judge in the courtroom within about an hour of when deliberations began.

Judge Arun Subramanian announced at about 1:15 PM ET ... "We have received a note from the jury." He said the note from the jury foreperson reads, "We have a juror, Juror 25, who we believe cannot follow your honor's instructions," and the foreperson wanted to meet with the judge about it.

Diddy and his lawyers were huddled in the courtroom at this announcement.

Diddy's focusing on clearing his name as his trial winds down -- a name that got unnecessarily tarnished by Cassie and Jane Doe ... so claims longtime family Lawanda 'Lala' Lane!!!

TMZ caught up with Lala outside the NYC courthouse as jurors began to contemplate Diddy's fate Monday morning.

As the late Kim Porter's BFF, Lala tells us she got a front-row seat to the Diddy love triangles, and she feels Cassie and Jane were both along for the ride -- until they weren't.

Jurors in the federal criminal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs in NYC are now deliberating after receiving instructions from Judge Arun Subramanian for more than an hour Monday morning.

After the jury of eight men and four women was seated, Subramanian went through each of the charges as the gallery looked on ... telling jurors "Actions may speak louder than words."

The judge told jurors they should decide for themselves how credible they found each witness ... "The evidence is the testimony," he said while reminding the jurors to take note of the acts of everyone they considered to be participants in the events presented.

There's absolutely no denying Diddy's insatiable appetite for freak-offs, which has been on full display throughout his federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial.

After 7 weeks of witness testimony -- much of it centered around Diddy's freak-off obsession -- the case will be handed to the 12-person jury on Monday, and they will start deliberating on whether to acquit or convict Diddy on five felony charges.

Here's the thing ... If Diddy walks on all of the charges and strolls out of court a free man, one question immediately comes to mind -- will the music mogul go right back to freaking-off with girlfriends, male escorts and, of course, baby oil?

It's the final countdown ... closing arguments in the Diddy criminal trial are now in the books after an explosive day in court ... with the defense taking aim at Cassie and Jane, and prosecutors getting the last word.

Diddy's defense attorney Marc Agnifilo put on a big show handling the defense's closing argument all by himself ... getting dramatic and theatrical as he paced before the jury and explained why he feels the charges against his client are bogus.

With Diddy's family watching from the gallery, Agnifilo told jurors Diddy was a victim of the government's bedroom policing ... and he warned us all, we could be the next targets if the feds don't like the way we have sex ... as he says was the case with Diddy.

Federal prosecutors went to their closer Friday as they got the last word in the Diddy criminal trial ... and their star lawyer tried to pick apart an animated closing argument from Diddy's defense.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, who is known for her closing arguments, handled the government's rebuttal to Marc Agnifilo's impassioned defense of Diddy.

Comey tried to poke holes in Agnifilo's arguments ... a reversal of roles in this trial, as Diddy's army of lawyers spent the past 7 weeks poking holes in the prosecution's 34 witnesses.

Diddy's defense says the whole criminal case boils down to the almighty dollar, and co-lead attorney Marc Agnifilo is telling jurors that's the only reason they're even in court ... money, money, money.

Agnifilo is taking the reins on the defense's closing argument Friday, and took jurors back to what the defense says is the beginning of the case against Diddy -- Cassie's 2023 civil lawsuit.

As Agnifilo put it, Cassie "is sitting somewhere in the world with $30 million" ... referencing the $20 mil settlement in her Diddy suit and the $10 mil deal she cut with the owner of the InterContinental Hotel in L.A., the scene of the infamous beating video.

Diddy's defense is making their closing argument in his criminal trial and they are owning the domestic violence testimony ... but they say there's no way he's guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking.

Marc Agnifilo, Diddy's co-lead counsel, is handling the defense's closing argument Friday and he told jurors Diddy owns the domestic violence stories Cassie and "Jane" told on the stand ... but Agnifilo was quick to point out there are no domestic violence charges here.

Diddy's attorney says the Bad Boy founder would have pled guilty if he was charged with DV but it's a state crime and this is a federal case ... and Agnifilo scoffed at the federal charges his client is facing, saying there's no way Diddy is guilty of RICO or sex trafficking his ex girlfriends.

Kanye West's support for Diddy now has a musical home -- thanks to a collaboration project with the mogul's youngest son, Christian 'King' Combs!!!

On Friday, Ye and King released their 7-track "Never Stop" EP -- a play on Diddy's signature "Can't Stop, Won't Stop" slogan.

Ye executive produces the entire project and recruits his daughter, North West, on the opening track "Lonely Roads," where she busts a flow and harmonizes on the chorus!!!

Diddy's daughters, who've avoided appearing in court for most of his federal trial, are right behind him for closing arguments, and the emotion of the day is showing on their faces.

His twins, Jessie and D'Lila, along with Chance, all held hands as they walked out of the federal courthouse in Manhattan. Their brothers -- Justin, King and Quincy -- also strolled to a waiting SUV ... along with Diddy's mother, Janice.

The family's united front comes on the heels of prosecutors delivering closing arguments to the jury ... laying out why they should convict Diddy on all counts, including sex trafficking and racketeering.

Prosecutors in Diddy's criminal trial are telling jurors the Mann Act charges against Diddy are a slam dunk ... the feds say it's painfully obvious Diddy is guilty of interstate transportation for prostitution.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik is taking the reins on the government's closing argument and she told jurors Thursday the prostitution counts are super simple.

Slavik told jurors the charge does not require force, fraud, coercion, or even consent to find Diddy guilty ... she says Diddy committed a crime if the jury finds he transported people across state lines for the purpose of having sex at freak-offs.

Prosecutors in Diddy's criminal trial are telling jurors how they can find him guilty of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion ... the feds say one strike and Diddy's out.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik is handling the government's closing argument ... and on Thursday, she told jurors if there's a single freak-off jurors find was the result of force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion by Diddy ... then they should find him guilty of sex trafficking.

Slavik told the jury the feds aren't arguing all of the freak-offs Diddy had over the years with ex-girlfriends Cassie Ventura and "Jane" were examples of sex trafficking ... but she says if jurors find one instance of force, fraud or coercion, Diddy's cooked.

Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Daphne Joy is living in a whole different reality -- while he faces the heat in his federal criminal trial, she’s out pumping gas in her luxury whip.

Daphne was serving gas-station glam Wednesday in L.A. -- rocking a perilously low-cut black top that flashed her lace bra, paired with skintight bootcut jeans that put her curves on full display.

The model was lookin' fire -- full glam makeup, flawless flowing locks catching the breeze, all while casually handling business at the pump like a total queen.

Daphne's not only physically thousands of miles away from Diddy's legal drama ... she seems mentally detached from it, because she looked like she was in great spirits.