Diddy's trial: Nicole Westmoreland joins the rapper's legal team, says she is a s*xual assault survivor

Sean Diddy Combs' trial began on May 5, 2025, and the embattled music mogul has put together an impressive legal team. According to USA TODAY, on March 6, 2025, popular criminal defence attorney in Georgia, Nicole Westmoreland, filed a notice of legal appearance for Combs as the latest addition to his defence team.

TMZ reported on May 6, 2025, that Westmoreland is an alleged survivor of s*xual assault. The news outlet stated that Diddy’s new attorney worked for a company that reinstated suspended driver’s licenses when she was 19 years old.

Westmoreland claimed that the then-Vice President of Cash Money Records, Bryan Williams, and a man called Stone invited her to make a sales pitch at a Patchwerk Recording Studio in Atlanta in 2001. The 19-year-old Westmoreland and three female friends allegedly went to the recording studio where they met a large gathering.

Westmoreland further claimed that she met a man named Alfred Cleveland, who was friends with the then-president of CMR, Ronald Williams. As the evening progressed, Westmoreland alleged that she wanted to use the restroom, and Cleveland offered to show it to her.

The attorney reported that once they got to the bathroom, Cleveland forced her inside and raped her. She added that he even tried to get another man to assault her, but let her go after she begged.

The lawyer stated that she was threatened with going to the police, but ended up reporting. Cleveland was arrested and charged with rape. He later pled guilty for aggravated assault with intent to rape.

The multiple charges against Sean Diddy Combs include racketeering conspiracy and s*x trafficking.

Sean Diddy Combs' case begins with jury selection as music mogul tells judge “he’s a little nervous”

Jury selection for Sean Diddy Combs' s*x trafficking case on May 5, 2025. According to NBC News, more than thirty New York residents were questioned about their knowledge of the highly publicised case against the music mogul.

The prospective jurors were given a list that included celebrities like Kanye West and Michael B. Jordan. They were asked if they knew the celebrities there and if it would affect their impartiality.

Twelve jurors will be selected after the process to determine if Combs is guilty of the five-count indictment brought against him. According to court observers, the music executive sported a goatee and wore a black crewneck sweater and dark pants on the first day of his trial.

During the process of jury selection, the defence team had requested a bathroom break from the sitting judge, Subramanian. The judge suggested they be done with questioning jurors, and Combs responded with:

“I’m sorry, your honour, I’m a little nervous today.”

Judge Subramaniam granted the break.

Attorneys Marc Agnifilio and Teny Geragos, founding partners at Agnifilio Intrater, lead Sean Diddy Combs's legal defence team. Other lawyers on the team include Brian Steel, Alexandra Shapiro, Xavier R. Donaldson, and Anna Maria Estevao. The jury selection process is the first stage in the trial, which is expected to last eight weeks. Opening statements from the prosecution and defence begin on May 12, 2025.

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