California athlete receives praise for stunning move after losing to trans athlete
California girls track athlete Reese Hogan received praise on social media over the weekend when she briefly popped onto the first-place marker during the podium ceremony and posed for a photo after she lost to a transgender athlete in the triple jump.
Hogan, an athlete from Crean Lutheran High School, set a personal record and school record in the triple jump at 37 feet, 2 inches during the meet on Saturday. She was competing in Division 3 of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Southern Section Finals.
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The transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School defeated Hogan by more than 4 feet. The athlete also won the long jump competition.
Hogan, with a medal around her neck, smiled as she stepped up to the first-place spot once the ceremony was finished. The junior received massive cheers in the video that circulated around social media and praised her as the “real champion.”
The 16-year-old was among those who told Fox News Digital last week that CIF officials made her and her fellow athletes remove their “Protect Girls Sports” T-shirts before their meet at the CIF Southern Section Prelims.
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She alleged that officials made them feel that if they did not take off their shirts, then they would be disqualified from the event.
“It wasn’t said, but it was implied that if I didn’t take my shirt off then and there, then something could potentially happen to my spot, it wasn’t said, but it was implied,” Hogan said. “Throughout the day it was kind of getting a little bit more stricter… getting a little bit more hostile with their voices… they never said anything about getting disqualified, but it was kind of implied by the tone of their voice and the way that they said things.”
Since the controversy at the prelims, the Trump administration has put California and Gov. Gavin Newsom on notice.
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The state has still bucked President Donald Trump’s executive order to keep biological males out of girls’ and women’s sports. The CIF is already under a Title IX investigation.
Minneapolis police chief blasts city’s ‘bizarre’ liberal ideology after George Floyd
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called out the “bizarre” progressive ideology that overtook the city following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in an interview Friday with the New York Post.
The outlet spoke with Minneapolis law enforcement and business owners as the city approaches the 5-year anniversary next week of Floyd’s death, which sparked global protests and riots by the Black Lives Matter movement.
O’Hara, who previously served in the Newark, New Jersey police department, joined the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) as chief in November 2022.
Even though he came from a far-left city, O’Hara said he was unprepared for how politicized policing in Minneapolis had become, saying that a “bourgeois liberal mentality” had made it difficult for “reality and facts” to break through.
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“Here it’s very, very ideological and a lot of times it’s like reality and facts can’t get through the filter. It’s a very detached, bourgeois liberal mentality… It’s bizarre,” he told The Post.
“There has been an unbelievable amount of trauma here from the destruction of the city that immediately followed (Floyd’s death) and the explosion of violence that came,” O’Hara added.
The department faced an exodus of police officers in the aftermath of Floyd’s death, reaching its lowest staffing level in four decades, according to a September 2023 analysis by the Minneapolis Star Tribune, as mass anti-police sentiment and calls to defund the police swept the nation.
Members of the progressive-leaning Minneapolis City Council criticized the police chief’s remarks to The Star Tribune.
Council Member Jason Chavez, who was inspired to run for office after Floyd’s death, called the police chief’s words “not only disrespectful” but “counterproductive and condescending.”
“These comments directed at our residents fail to meet the moment we are in when people’s rights are under attack from the federal government and our communities are rightfully pushing back,” Chavez told the Star Tribune.
Council President Elliott Payne also took issue with O’Hara’s remarks, telling the outlet, “Some people come into their politics through a more academic process, others through solidarity, others through lived experience,” Payne said. “No matter how people develop their core values, one should have a deeper understanding of the diverse perspectives of our community before engaging in conversations with New York tabloids.”
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Sgt. Garrett Parten, an MPD spokesperson, clarified O’Hara’s remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“As the chief has said previously, policing in the city has become overly politicized, making it difficult to even discuss the need for effective and adequately resourced police without it being viewed through a rigid ideological lens,” Parten said. “That’s the disconnect — not with residents — but with political narratives that overshadow the real and urgent safety concerns residents are living with every day.”
The city of Minneapolis did not return a request for comment.
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In January, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the Biden administration to overhaul the city’s police training and use-of-force policies, building on changes the force has already made since former officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering Floyd after kneeling on his neck for about nine minutes during a May 2020 arrest.
Claire McCaskill claims Americans ‘not smart enough’ to keep Trump from WH
Former Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill said Monday that Americans weren’t “smart enough” to keep President Donald Trump away from the White House.
“And yes, The Wall Street Journal may say America is smart enough to know better. I will tell The Wall Street Journal this: America, I believe, clearly was not smart enough to keep this guy from the White House. He is causing confusion and uncertainty in a segment of our economy that desperately needs certainty. And by doing that, he is going to get higher prices. And that’s when America will finally get smart, but they’re not smart now because most of them are trying not to pay attention,” said McCaskill, now an MSNBC analyst.
She was responding to a WSJ editorial board piece that criticized Trump and his tariff policy, accusing the president of going “full Kamala Harris in demanding that the retail giant not raise prices.”
McCaskill’s comments came during a panel discussion on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House” that focused on concerns over higher prices after the president said big retailers like Walmart should “eat the tariffs.”
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“But there’s a huge swath of Americans that don’t know about that because their algorithms are purposely not feeding them politics because they don’t want to hear about it. But you know what they’re all going to know about? They’re all going to know about higher prices,” McCaskill continued.
“They’re all going to know that they’re spending more at Walmart than they spent this time last year. They’re all going to know that their 401(k)s are down. They’re all going to know that, and there’s nothing Trump can do about that,” she added.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon warned of potential price increases on Thursday, citing the tariffs.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that the retail giant would absorb the cost of some of the tariffs, after speaking with McMillon.
MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace echoed McCaskill’s argument, saying some Americans were paying close attention to the news and others were not.
“I used to read polls that separated Americans out that way. People paying close attention to the news, and God bless those people. Those are our daily viewers. They are policy wonks. They know more about a lot of the things we talk about than I do. I see a lot of their responses and people that don’t follow the news. This was the first time I read that poll, and I read it and thought, like, #dreams. I wish I was one of them, but I get it. Everyone’s about to feel the burn,” Wallace said.
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After Trump won the election in November, McCaskill acknowledged that the president “knows our country better” than Democrats do.
“I think we have to acknowledge that Donald Trump knows our country better than we do,” McCaskill said. “I think he figured out that anger — and frankly, fear — were way more powerful than appealing to people’s better angels. That anger and fear were going to work in this election. Whether you’re afraid of immigrants or afraid of people who are trans, he figured that out.”
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“And I think we all thought everyone’s better angels would prevail. Turns out, the better angels went on vacation when Donald Trump came down the escalator. And they haven’t returned,” she added.
WWE star suffers gruesome knee injury during match on ‘Raw,’ reaction pours in
WWE star Zoey Stark suffered an apparent knee injury during her Money in the Bank qualifying match on “Monday Night Raw.”
Stark was attempting to connect on a dropkick against Kairi Sane but fell awkwardly. Stark’s knee buckled, and she writhed in pain on the mat as the referee checked on her. A trainer slid into the ring to check on the wrestler and helped her out of the ring.
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The broadcast showed Stark being carried into the back.
The match went from a triple threat involving Stark, Sane and Rhea Ripley to just two competitors. Ripley eventually pinned Sane, who was returning from her own injuries that sidelined her for weeks.
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The pro wrestling world offered their well-wishes to Stark.
Stark, whose real name is Theresa Serrano, did not immediately post on social media about her injury.
She debuted on the “Raw” roster in 2023 after having success in NXT for a few years before getting the call-up.
She immediately made an impact when she partnered with WWE legend Trish Stratus during her feud with Becky Lynch. Once the rivalry was over, she found herself in a new faction with Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville for a few months, but Baszler and Deville eventually departed the company.
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Stark was ranked as the No. 86 top female wrestler in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s 2021 list. She won a tag team championship with Iyo Sky in NXT.
Cole Hauser confirms ‘Yellowstone’ spinoff, dismisses title rumors
Cole Hauser is saddling up for his next adventure.
Speaking with Fox News Digital at the Professional Bull Riding (PBR) finals in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, the 50-year-old actor opened up about the highly anticipated “Yellowstone” spin-off premiering this fall, shared why he loves “putting in the work” when it comes to mastering horseback riding and revealed his admiration for the “classy” American cowboy culture that has recently reintroduced itself.
“Well, first of all, it’s not ‘Dutton Ranch,’” Hauser, a brand ambassador for PBR, said of the spin-off’s rumored title. “That’s not the name of it.”
While the series’ title is still up in the air, one thing is for certain, said Hauser.
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“We can expect the same that we’ve been doing for the last seven years,” he said. “Kelly (Reilly) and I going and working our a– off trying to create something special.”
According to Deadline, Hauser and Reilly have closed deals to lead the spin-off series, reprising their roles as Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler.
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Hauser’s role of the bad boy on the ranch began when his character, Rip, was found by John Dutton (Kevin Costner) as a child. Rip had murdered his stepfather to protect his mother, who succumbed to the abuse by her husband. John raised Rip on the ranch, and he became Yellowstone’s hit man by executing violence and murders when necessary.
In an interview with People last year, Cole explained that Rip becoming a fan favorite “surprised the s— out of [creator] Taylor Sheridan and I, at first.”
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“And I think that’s what’s the scariest part,” he said, adding “he is just that kind of animal.”
Knowing that he was meant to portray a very cutthroat character, he was taken aback when his fans, specifically women, were infatuated with Rip Wheeler.
“At first, to see women coming up and saying, ‘Oh my God, I love your character.’ I was thinking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” he told the outlet before noting that his perspective shifted after seeing the enchanting “bad boy kind of thing that they love.”
“What makes [Rip] special is that he has an unbelievable heart, too,” Hauser said. “I mean, his loyalty is to not only the Dutton family, but to Beth [Dutton portrayed by Kelly Reilly]; and his kindness, other than wanting to kill people at times, is just, to me, it’s the best of both worlds to be able to play.”
Similar to his “Yellowstone” persona, Hauser said his passion for riding horses only intensified throughout his experience filming the show.
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“The amount of time that I’ve put in this battle… I was a decent rider when I started, but to be trained by all these unbelievable trainers. I think I’m most proud of the fact that I did the work at the end of the day. I love putting in the work.”
In 2022, Hauser described how the role of Rip required grueling hours dedicated to “cowboy camp,” his daily training to ride and rope effortlessly.
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“You gotta put in saddle time,” he told Fox News Digital at the time. “There’s no way around it. You’re gonna be sore for the first week, 10 days… you have to be great as a horseman. And Taylor [Sheridan] has been great throughout the five years of putting me with some of the best in the business when it comes to continuing to grow and be better not only [in] my job as a cowboy, but also in the world of being a great horseman. So I’m blessed and lucky to have these people around me. And I’ll continue to do it. I mean, there’s no way you can ever be great at it. It’s just one of those things you have to continue to work on.”
Outside of playing Rip, Hauser has been focusing his energy on another creative outlet.
Most recently, Hauser stepped behind the camera to produce, write, direct, edit and star in PBR’s new brand campaign titled “Be Cowboy.”
The four-minute spot, which premiered at the PBR World Finals on Saturday, shares the message that being a cowboy is more than what meets the eye; it’s about heart, grit, and how you live your life.
“The world of the PBR and the world of American Cowboys, it’s such a classy world,” said Hauser. “People don’t know that. It’s a ‘Yes sir, no sir. Yes, ma’am, no, ma’am’ environment. And it’s just a pleasure to be at my age of 50 years old.”
“To see that this still exists in our country, there’s just an element of unbelievable characters here,” said Hauser, who also hosted the Ultimate Tailgate Party during the world finals weekend.
Cassie Ventura’s parents head to court ahead of mother’s expected testimony
Cassie Ventura’s
parents showed up to the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial.
Regina Ventura is expected to take the stand today to testify against Diddy.
Cassie spent four days last week testifying about the alleged abuse she endured during her 10-year relationship with Diddy. The singer-songwriter spoke about the “freak offs” she was allegedly forced to participate in by the rapper. Cassie testified that Diddy “would put his hands on [her]” during alleged “freak offs.” He would “push me down … kick me … you name it,” she told Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson.
The jury had varied reactions while listening to Cassie testify.
As Cassie described a “bad fight” with Diddy, one juror was focused on the disgraced music mogul. A juror shook her head in agreement after Cassie explained in detail how she didn’t want to tell her mother about Diddy’s alleged abuse.
Another female juror grimaced when the government introduced evidence showing Cassie’s bruises while one juror strained his neck to get a better look.
Cassie finished her testimony on May 16. Diddy’s trial is expected to last eight weeks.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Cassie’s mother, Regina Ventura, testified Sean “Diddy” Combs demanded $20K from the family in 2011.
The jury was shown an email from Cassie to her mother on Dec. 23, 2011. In the email, Cassie said that Diddy would release two sex tapes. Cassie’s email also claimed that Diddy would have someone hurt her and rapper Kid Cudi, who she was dating at the time.
Regina said she “was physically sick” and did not understand a lot of it. She claimed the sex tapes threw her, but she understood that Diddy was allegedly going to hurt Cassie.
Regina explained she understood that the “Last Night” singer wanted $20K to recoup the money he spent on Cassie. At the time, Diddy was allegedly angry that Cassie was with another person. It was expected the money would come from Regina and her husband.
Regina claimed they took a home equity loan to pay Diddy. When Regina received wiring instructions, she wired the money from her checking account to the Bad Boy account. About four to five days later, the money allegedly came back. Regina said she did not have any conversations with Diddy about the money and she does not have a copy of the wiring instructions.
“I was scared for my daughter’s safety,” Regina told Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’
former personal assistant, James, finished testifying in the rapper’s sex-trafficking trial and Cassie Ventura’s mother, Regina Ventura, then took the stand.
Diddy’s ex-assistant began his testimony Monday at the end of the court day.
James testified that he worked for Diddy from 2007 until 2009. While on the stand, James recalled two conversations he had with Diddy’s now ex-girlfriend Cassie. James remembered sitting on the dock of the rapper’s Miami home smoking cigarettes with Cassie and her friend, Kerry Morgan. He recalled Cassie saying, “Man this lifestyle is crazy.”
According to James, he told Cassie to get out. Cassie allegedly said she couldn’t because Diddy controlled so much of her life.
James testified he also overheard a conversation while in the car with Diddy in NYC. A business associate of Combs’ asked about Porter and Cassie. He claimed Diddy replied, “Cassie is good…I’ve got her right where I want her…”
On Tuesday, James testified about an alleged run-in with Diddy’s competitor Suge Knight.
He also told the jury about a time he allegedly walked in on Cassie, Diddy and another man at a hotel. James testified about how he would prep Diddy’s hotel rooms for the rapper’s alleged “freak offs,” although he was not aware of the sexual sessions that were taking place at the time.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-assistant testified about picking up prostitutes with Diddy’s security during cross-examination.
Diddy’s defense lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, asked James about a time he allegedly brought prostitutes back to the rapper’s home with Diddy’s security guard, Bonds. James claimed he did not know they were prostitutes. He explained that he and Bonds were out, picked up two women and brought them back to Combs’ home. Diddy was allegedly not home at the time. James continued, claiming that “security did it all the time.” According to James, he never spoke with Diddy about personal things.
James testified that after having sex, the woman asked for $200. He claimed he was shocked, but that Bonds told him to pay her so there were no problems at the house. James paid her and then she allegedly asked to take a shower.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs kept embarrassing footage of his former personal assistant in case the rapper ever needed it, according to David James’ testimony.
James admitted that there were times he consumed drugs. On one occasion, he was off of work and went to a party for New Year’s Eve. According to James, he took an ecstasy pill from Diddy’s bag. He admitted that he stole it, and felt excited. James recalled dancing, “Diddy bopping,” after taking the pill. The former assistant claimed he was “vibing” and enjoying himself.
James recalled after the party, Diddy was “reviewing footage” because they always had a videographer filming. Combs saw James dancing on video and told him, “I’m going to keep this footage in case I ever need it.” James said the dancing was so out of character for him and he believed the rapper was keeping it to embarrass him.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former personal assistant consulted a lawyer before telling prosecutors about his alleged run-in with Suge Knight.
Diddy’s defense lawyer asked David James about the guns the rapper allegedly had in the car when the assistant, Combs and his security guard drove back to the diner where Suge Knight
had been. James testified that he had never seen guns before and was unaware they had guns.
Marc Agnifilo asked what role James had. James claimed, “I was there to drive the car.”
Diddy’s defense lawyer commented that James was in a car with two other men and three guns to confront someone else. He then asked why James went.
James replied, “I don’t think I had an option.”
Agnifilo asked why James didn’t share the second part of the story regarding the alleged run-in with Knight at his first meeting with the prosecution. James claimed he told the government after seeking legal counsel. The former personal assistant confirmed he was given a proffer agreement, which typically allows the individual to share information about a crime in exchange for certain benefits.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former assistant became defensive during his cross-examination.
After testifying, David James was cross-examined by Diddy’s defense lawyer, Marc Agnifilo.
Agnifilo asked if James left Diddy’s security guard D-Roc at the diner during the Suge Knight incident. James responded, saying that was a “crazy question.” According to James, he would not have left D-Roc alone at the diner and is “100 percent sure.”
Agnifilo asked some more questions and James became a little defensive saying the incident was 20 years ago.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
David James testified that he was forced to take lie detector tests while working for Sean “Diddy” Combs.
According to James, there were instances where items were stolen from the rapper. James claimed he had to take lie detector tests on two separate occasions. On the first occasion, cash was stolen. James said he didn’t feel like he could refuse to take the test. James took the test and there were no discrepancies.
On another occasion, a watch was stolen from Combs. James again took a lie detector test. James claimed he was more nervous this time. During the test, he passed the question about the watch, but the administrator of the test noticed James was nervous. James admitted he had taken things from Diddy before, including jeans.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
David James, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former personal assistant, testified about a run-in with
Suge Knight during his testimony Tuesday.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavik asked James about going to a diner with Diddy’s security guard, D-Roc. According to James, after a late night at the studio, he and D-Roc went to the diner to get food for the staff. James claimed he drove, and when they pulled into the parking lot, D-Roc noticed Suge Knight. The musician is widely known as one of Diddy’s competitors. D-Roc allegedly went up to Suge and described himself as “Biggie’s Boy.”
While waiting for food, they noticed four black SUVs pull into the parking lot. Suge was in the middle of the parking lot with a gun, according to James. D-Roc said they had to go and they allegedly went back to Diddy’s home, where Combs and Cassie were. James testified that it looked like they had been fighting. Cassie looked upset and was crying.
James said he drove D-Roc and Diddy back to the diner. Combs was allegedly in the back seat with three handguns in his lap. However, they did not see Suge at the diner and Combs told James to drive around the block.
The former personal assistant testified that he was “really shook up by it” and it was the first time working for Diddy where he thought his life was in danger. They went back to New York and James gave his six months notice.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ personal assistant seemingly once walked into a hotel room during an alleged “freak off.”
David James testified about an incident that occurred in Miami in 2008. According to James, Diddy asked him to bring an iPad to his hotel room. James said he went and got the iPad. When he knocked on the hotel room door, nobody answered. So, James testified that he used his key and let himself in.
He claimed he saw Cassie in the bed. She was allegedly laying on her back with her head to the side. A gentleman, who he did not recognize, was in the room and James said he heard the shower running. According to James, Cassie normally slept on her side. The other person was completely naked, about 5 feet 10, long hair, with a “large endowment,” James testified. The former personal assistant claimed it appeared like the unknown man did not want to be seen. Cassie allegedly did not respond when James entered the room and James never saw Diddy.
James testified he never spoke with Diddy about the incident
, because it was not his business. The former personal assistant said he was not hired to ask about personal matters.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ personal assistant testified he was responsible for setting up the hotels rooms for the rapper’s alleged “freak offs.”
According to James, he did not book the hotel rooms. The rooms would be booked under the name, “Frank Black.” James’ job would be to advance the hotel room for Diddy, which meant making them more comfortable for the rapper. James explained he would bring a Jordan sweatsuit, underwear, socks, toiletry bag, applesauce, Jell-O, Fiji water, vodka and other food items. In the toiletry bag was a razor, Just for Men, etc. James testified that he’d receive a key from the front desk.
The former personal assistant claimed there was always a medicine bag and other personal items. James would also bring Diddy’s Louis Vuitton bag containing money, around $10K cash, and the rapper’s wallet. He claimed security always carried the personal Louis Vuitton bag.
There were allegedly 25-30 different pill bottles in the medicine bag, some unmarked – Advil, Tylenol, Viagra, something to increase sperm count and ecstasy.
James testified he was responsible for replenishing supplies.
He explained he would go to Duane Read, use his own credit card, and Diddy would allegedly later reimburse him.
James claimed he was reimbursed differently for personal items, which included baby oil, Astroglide, condoms, etc. James would get cash for those items through security because Combs didn’t want to go through the company.
At the time, James was not aware that the alleged “freak offs” were happening.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly searched through his former personal assistant’s browsing history after a blog post surfaced accusing the rapper of beating Cassie Ventura.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavik asked David James about a Jan 2009 blog post incident when he returned to the stand Tuesday morning.
James explained he was off, but was working on a research project about tattoos at Diddy’s Los Angeles home.
The rapper had been at a club, but when he returned home, Diddy came to James, looked over his shoulder and told the assistant that someone was blogging about him. He then checked James’ browser history. James testified that Diddy seemed “pretty upset.”
The alleged lie in the blogpost was that the “Last Night” singer hit Cassie at a club. James claimed it was “jarring” having Diddy look through his browsing history.
James admitted that he looked for the blog post and googled it.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial testimony was delayed Tuesday after a few jurors were late.
Four jurors seemed to be missing when trial was set to resume at 9am ET. They were likely late due to train issues. Judge Arun Subramanian called a recess until they arrive.
Diddy, the defense and the prosecution spent time before the recess discussing several pending issues. Diddy’s defense complained about David James testifying regarding an incident with Suge Knight.
According to the government, the incident goes to count 1 – racketeering.
Judge Subramanian overruled the defense’s objection.
The juror delay only seemed to last roughly 20 minutes.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
The jury will likely hear from Cassie Ventura’s mom, Regina Ventura, today, May 20. Before the start of the court day, the defense raised an objection to part of Regina’s expected testimony.
When Sean “Diddy” Combs
found out Cassie was seeing Kid Cudi in 2011, the prosecution claimed Diddy asked for $20K from Cassie’s mom. According to the government, this goes directly to count 2 as evidence of coercion, trying to keep Cassie and prevent her from leaving.
The defense objected to this testimony and said the money was returned. It was transferred and then transferred back, according to Marc Agnifilo. Diddy’s defense lawyer called it “purely prejudicial” and that it raises more questions than it answers.
Judge Arun Subramanian asked what the prejudice is and Agnifilo said the Ventura family is hardworking, middle class who probably needs $20K and Combs did not.
The judge then asked about the coercion. According to the prosecution, Cassie said Diddy controlled all aspects of her life. Cassie told her mother this and that Diddy was blackmailing her, and the money was transferred the same day. The government said Cassie’s mother received an email about the videos and perceived it as a threat and proceeded accordingly.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs’
former personal assistant David James took the stand Monday in the rapper’s sex-trafficking trial.
“David James, Combs’ former assistant, took the stand at the end of the day. He said Ventura told him she couldn’t get out. His testimony continues [Tuesday], and I think he knows where the bodies are buried,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Fox News Digital.
Rahmani also broke down the rest of Monday’s testimony from Cassie’s former best friend.
“Ventura’s former best friend, Kerry Morgan, testified, and she was one of the best witnesses so far,” according to the West Coast Trial Lawyers founder. “She saw Combs punch and drag Ventura across the floor. Once, it was because Ventura was taking too long in the bathroom. And after the infamous hotel attack, Combs came to Ventura’s apartment and banged on the door with a hammer.”
“Morgan begged Ventura to leave Combs, but Ventura was unable to do so. Combs controlled every aspect of her life: her finances, her apartment, her car, and her career. This control explains the psychology of abuse and is strong evidence for the sex trafficking charges.
“Combs choked Morgan and assaulted her with a coat hanger. Combs paid her $30k to sign an NDA, but that was the end of her friendship with Ventura. Morgan was a great witness because she hasn’t filed a lawsuit against Combs and has no financial bias. And she is no longer friends with either of them, so she is truly independent. The defense’s lead lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, tried to cross examine her, but he didn’t score many points.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs was back in court Tuesday for the continued testimony of his former personal assistant.
Diddy sat at the defense table after entering the courtroom, wearing a dark sweater. He flipped through some papers while Judge Arun Subramanian went over some pending issues before testimony restarts.
The jury last heard from David James, who worked as Combs’ personal assistant from 2007 until 2009. He claimed Diddy had multiple girlfriends at the time. When he first started working for the now-disgraced music mogul, James said Kim Porter was Diddy’s main girlfriend and others included Cassie plus women named Tara and Sarah.
James took the stand after Cassie’s former friend testified Monday in the sex-trafficking trial. Kerry Morgan claimed Diddy physically assaulted her in 2018, leading to the end of her friendship with the “Me & U” singer.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich contributed to this report.
Former member of Sean “Diddy” Comb’s girl group Danity Kane, Dawn Richard, wrapped up her testimony in his federal trial for sex crimes on Monday.
Los Angeles litigator John J. Perlstein exclusively told Fox News Digital that Richard’s testimony could possibly support the government’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charge.
“Corroborating Cassie Ventura’s testimony, Dawn Richard provided eyewitness accounts of multiple occasions where the defendant struck or attempted to strike Ventura, and also testified to Combs’ controlling behavior in stating that Combs allegedly said that he ‘owned’ Ventura and that her success would be on his terms,” Perlstein said.
Richard testified to witnessing Diddy attack Cassie
, describing one instance in which the rapper grabbed a skillet of eggs and tried to hit Cassie with it, claiming, “She went into a fetal position … literally trying to hide her face.”
“Richard’s testimony is highly impactful because it corroborates Ventura’s account,” former federal prosecutor Neama Ramani told Fox News Digital. “Her witnessing Combs attempt to hit Ventura with a skillet, kick her when she was in the fetal position and drag her by the hair was one of the most graphic of the trial so far. Richard also [allegedly] suffered her own abuse. She [claimed she] was groped and threatened not to speak out.”
She claimed Combs told her and Cassie that if she didn’t stay in line there would be consequences.
Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
The federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs entered its second week on Monday, with testimony from the disgraced rapper’s former assistant.
David James worked for Diddy from 2007 to 2009 and testified that during that time the rapper had many relationships, with Kim Porter being his main girlfriend in addition to Cassie and two other women.
James testified
that he told Cassie to leave the relationship, but that she told him she couldn’t because Diddy controlled too much of her life. He also claimed to have heard Diddy tell a business associate, “Cassie is good…I’ve got her right where I want her…”
In addition, James testified to hearing Cassie and Diddy argue about her professional career, including her aspirations to pursue modeling and acting.
Prior to James taking the stand, the jury heard testimony from Cassie’s former friend, Kerry Morgan, who testified Diddy physically assaulted her in 2018. They also heard from former Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard, who testified to seeing Diddy assault Cassie and also accused him of ruining her career.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich and Fox News Digital’s Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.
Photo evidence of Cassie Ventura’s injuries can “speak volumes” about the alleged abuse she faced at the hands of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office included new evidence of injuries Cassie allegedly sustained while she was in a relationship with Diddy. One image submitted by the government showed the singer with a gash across her eyebrow.
“Photographs and videos are powerful pieces of evidence as they are factual and tangible,” Los Angeles litigator John J. Perlstein told Fox News Digital. “Jurors may have difficulty believing witnesses or other individuals on the stand because their testimonies can be subjective and contradictory.”
“However, photographs are objective and can speak volumes about the abuse that are hard to refute or dismiss,” he explained.
Cassie finished testifying last week as “Victim 1” after four days on the stand. She recalled the Intercontinental Hotel incident in March 2016, and alleged Diddy was often abusive.
She defined “physical” punishment as beatings, kicking, etc.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich and Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in September 2024 in New York and was indicted on federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
He is accused of running a criminal enterprise through his many businesses including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, among others.
He used “firearms, threats of violence, coercion, and verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse” to fulfill his sexual desires, according to the unsealed indictment obtained by Fox News Digital.
During the first week of the trial, the prosecution called the rapper’s ex-girlfriend of over a decade, Cassie Ventura, to the stand. She testified to the alleged abuse she endured over the course of their relationship.
She testified to being forced by the rapper to participate in “freak offs,” which were described in the indictment as “elaborate produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded.”
Cassie explained she would often disassociate during the “freak offs” and would take various drugs to get through them. She described the “freak offs” as a job, saying they would last anywhere from 24 to 72 hours, with the longest “freak off” she can remember lasting four days.
Combs and his staff allegedly transported commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally for the “freak offs,” which regularly occurred and sometimes lasted multiple days, often including multiple sex workers.
Fox News’ Maria Paronich and Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.
Karen Read defense highlights timestamp conflict between SUV data and O’Keefe’s iPhone
Following a morning recess, defense attorney Robert Alessi questioned Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess on his decision to label his data investigation into Karen Read’s SUV and John O’Keefe’s iPhone timestamps as a “collision.”
Alessi pointed to data from Read’s SUV indicating a “trigger event” does not always point to a collision, with the SUV recording 30 trigger events within the eight months Read owned the vehicle.
“As you sit here today, none of the information in that black box that you referred to on direct testimony indicates that there was a collision on Jan. 29,” Alessi said. “Does it?”
“Not by itself,” Burgess replied.
Burgess’ credibility has repeatedly been questioned throughout the defense team’s cross-examination, with Alessi pointing out Burgess’ mistakenly using the wrong dates on his report presentation.
“This is a murder trial,” Grace Edwards, a Massachusetts defense attorney, told Fox News Digital. “And the fact that he got the beginning and the end date on the slide wrong just screams his work is sloppy, and he does not fact-check his work.”
Edwards pointed to Burgess’ apparent mixup of bits and bytes when referring to data obtained from Read’s SUV.
“Attorney Alessi set up a trap that he walked into, which destroyed Burgess on the stand,” Edwards said. “Precision matters when you are a tech expert.”
Following two days of cross-examination, Alessi concluded his questioning of Burgess.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Robert Alessi continued to grill Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess on discrepancies between Burgess’ initial and updated reports.
“Did you keep your Jan. 30, 2025 report purposefully vague by merely noting a clock skew without engaging in any further analysis?” Alessi asked. “Such as tethering that clock skew or otherwise connecting it to the Tech Stream event in Dr. [Judson] Welcher’s slide presentation.”
“No,” Burgess replied. “I did not.”
Alessi pointed out that Burgess’ May 8, 2025 report concluded Karen Read’s SUV was reversed after John O’Keefe’s iPhone recorded its last human interaction, while his Jan. 30, 2025 did not come to the same determination.
Alessi then took aim at Burgess’ May 8, 2025 report omitting Read’s SUV having a three-second delay in its data recording, despite the Jan. 30, 2025 report including the information.
“You testified about this same three-second discrepancy yesterday during your direct examination in connection with your Jan. 30, 2025 report,” Alessi said. “Correct?”
“Correct,” Burgess confirmed.
“However, you did not mention this offset of three seconds in your May 8, 2025 report,” Alessi said. “Did you?”
“No,” Burgess said. “I did not.”
Defense attorney Robert Alessi looked to poke holes in Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess’ testimony surrounding the timeline recorded by Karen Read’s SUV and John O’Keefe’s iPhone on Jan. 29, 2022.
Alessi pointed to data showing O’Keefe’s iPhone was unlocked after Read’s SUV recorded the vehicle shifting into reverse.
“Do you see the column ‘biometric device unlock with Face ID’ event at 12:32:04 a.m.?” Alessi asked.
“Yes,” Burgess said.
“Now that’s after the 12:31:38 a.m. Tech Stream event that’s in Dr. [Judson] Welcher’s slide,” Alessi said. “Correct?”
“Correct,” Burgess said.
But Burgess said the timestamps have not factored in the variance of 21 to 29 seconds between Read’s Lexus and O’Keefe’s iPhone that he says exists.
Judge Beverly Cannone called Court into session Tuesday morning with Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess returning to the witness stand for a second day of cross-examination.
Defense attorney Robert Alessi immediately began grilling Burgess on his education credentials and the reliability of his report regarding the timeline recorded by Karen Read’s SUV and John O’Keefe’s iPhone in the moments leading up to O’Keefe’s death.
“On your direct examination yesterday, your experience was brought up in questions,” Alessi said. “Correct?”
“Correct,” Burgess answered.
“On your direct examination, your certifications were brought up in questions,” Alessi said. “Correct?”
“Correct,” Burgess said.
“However, on your direct examination, no questions were asked of you at all about your supposed education,” Alessi said. “Correct?”
“Correct,” Burgess confirmed.
Burgess came under fire yesterday as Alessi confronted him on multiple resume “errors” surrounding his completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Alessi continued to point out inconsistencies in the data expert’s testimony by noting the dates in the slides presented by Burgess yesterday were off by one day.
“Are you aware that all of the relevant events in the timeline you described in your presentation in these slides actually occurred on Jan. 29, 2022?” Alessi asked. “Not Jan. 30, 2022, did you know that?”
“That’s Jan. 29, 2022,” Burgess said. “Correct.”
Alessi doubled down on Burgess’ apparent mistake.
“So in actuality, these five timelines – as you testified to them yesterday – are not accurate down to the second,” Alessi said.
“Correct,” Burgess conceded.
“Because you got the wrong date,” Alessi replied.
Karen Read arrived at Norfolk Superior Courthouse on Tuesday flanked by her defense team to face Day 19 of her murder trial.
Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess is expected to return to the witness stand to face continued cross-examination following yesterday’s heated testimony.
Read is facing a possible sentence of life in prison for the alleged murder of Boston police officer John O’Keefe on Jan. 29, 2022.
Massachusetts murder suspect Karen Read returned to court Monday for her trial in the death of her former boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, as DNA experts and a digital forensic scientist testified for the prosecution, linking the victim to a lone hair sample found on Read’s SUV and tightening up a timeline surrounding the final moments of his life.
But under cross-examination, a witness with key new evidence for the state revealed what appears to be an exaggerated resume.
The case took an unexpected turn when Shanon Burgess, a Texas-based expert on digital forensics for smartphones and vehicles, admitted that his credentials don’t line up with those on his resume.
He was on the stand to explain the process and analysis of “black box” data extracted from Read’s car. Key information had been missed during the first case, he said, and he found it on a micro SD card and was able to extract it, answering questions left unanswered by an earlier analysis from another expert.
On cross-examination, however, defense attorney Robert Alessi questioned Burgess’ “mendacity,” or untrustworthiness, after revealing inconsistencies in the expert’s resume.
Several versions of it and his official Aperture bio pages describe him as having obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama, Birmingham, in various years. None of them were correct, he admitted. He does not have a bachelor’s degree.
“I have represented I do not have a bachelor’s degree,” Burgess told Alessi.
“But in here,” Alessi said, pointing to one of at least three resumes with conflicting dates he introduced as evidence, “you represented that you do, correct?”
“Yes,” Burgess said. “It is in there.”
Read the full story here.
Karen Read’s trial is resuming Tuesday with continued testimony from Aperture digital forensics analyst Shanon Burgess following an afternoon of tense cross-examination from Read’s defense team.
Yesterday, jurors heard from Burgess regarding his findings surrounding digital data pointing to the timeline of John O’Keefe’s death on Jan. 29, 2022. Burgess testified Read’s “black box” data from her SUV lines up with the timing of O’Keefe’s last interaction with his cell phone, further cementing the prosecution’s timeline.
However, the trial took a turn when defense attorney Robert Alessi confronted Burgess on multiple resume “errors” surrounding his college education, pointing out inconsistencies suggesting Burgess misrepresented his academic credentials.
Read is facing the possibility of life in prison for the alleged murder of O’Keefe, with the prosecution aiming to prove she struck O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV in a drunken argument before leaving him to freeze to death in the front yard of 34 Fairview Road. Read’s defense team insists she never struck O’Keefe and is not responsible for his death.