NEWSSean 'Diddy' Combs Had 3 Guns in His Lap During Incident Involving Rapper's Rival Suge Knight, Ex-Assistant Testifies
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is being tried for s-- trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution charges.
Sean "Diddy" Combs' former personal assistant David James has testified about an armed incident involving Suge Knight.
The "I'll Be Missing You" rapper's ex-staffer was questioned in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Slavikon on Tuesday, May 20, about a time he encountered Combs' rival — who is currently also in prison for an unrelated crime — at Mel's Diner in Los Angeles in 2008.
Diddy Trial Discusses Armed Suge Knight Incident at Mel's Diner
Sean 'Didd'y Combs allegedly tried pulling up on Suge Knight with guns.
James said it had been a late night at the studio when Combs sent him and the music mogul's security guard D-Roc to the restaurant to get cheeseburgers for the crew.
The Bad Boy Records founder's former assistant was behind the wheel of a Lincoln Navigator SUV when they pulled into the Mel's Diner parking lot and D-Roc noticed Knight.
Suge Knight Allegedly Stood in Parking Lot With Gun
Suge Knight was accused of standing in the parking lot of Mel's Diner with a gun.
D-Roc allegedly approached Knight, but wasn't recognized, before describing himself as "Biggie's Boy" in reference to Notorious B.I.G. — who was infamously murdered in L.A. in 1997. (No charges were ever filed in the unsolved death case.)
While D-Roc and James ordered food, they saw four black SUVs pull into the parking lot as Knight stood in the middle with a gun, Combs' former employee alleged during his testimony.
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Sean 'Diddy' Combs Tries Pulling Up on Suge Knight
Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Suge Knight were rap rivals at the height of their fame.
At that point D-Roc instructed the duo to leave and the pair allegedly went back to Combs' home — where he was with his then-girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura.
According to James, Combs and Ventura appeared to have been in the middle of fighting as the "Me & U" singer looked upset and was crying.
After informing Combs about their encounter with Knight, the "I Need a Girl" rapper allegedly made James drive him and D-Roc back to the diner.
James said Combs positioned himself in the back seat with three handguns in his lap, however, Knight was no longer at the diner upon arrival and didn't appear to be nearby after the men drove around the block in search of the former Death Row Records CEO.
The former personal assistant admitted under oath that he was "really shook up by" the situation, noting it was the first time while working for Combs that he felt his life was in danger. James claimed he had never seen guns before this instance and was unaware the weapons had been in Combs' possession.
After returning to New York, James put in his six month notice.
Diddy's Defense Team Questions Witness
Sean 'Diddy' Combs former personal assistant is testifying in the trial.
While on the stand, Combs' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked what role James had in the ordeal, to which he replied: "I was there to drive the car."
Agnifilo then pointed out how James was in a car with two other men and three guns to confront someone else before asking why he agreed to go.
"I don’t think I had an option," James declared
Questioned why he didn't speak up against Combs, James responded: "Respectfully Sir, you have someone with three guns in this close proximity, I didn’t think I had the option to say something."
