Sean “Diddy” Combs has added a Black lady legal professional to his crew of high-powered legal professionals — who in 2008 sued a well known member of the hip-hop neighborhood after surviving a sexual assault — because the rap mogul braces for his New York trial on intercourse trafficking and racketeering fees to start in earnest subsequent week.
Nicole Westmoreland, who runs her personal agency, joined the rap mogul’s protection crew this week with a discover of legal professional’s look touchdown on the case docket Monday as jury choice was underway on the Southern District of New York courtroom. Westmoreland is the second current addition of a Black legal professional after final week noticed Xavier R. Donaldson becoming a member of the protection.
It’s notable since Combs’ case includes accusations and video proof of the defendant abusing girls; with Westmoreland, the embattled rap and trend mogul has additionally added an outspoken survivor of a sexual assault that concerned a member of the rap world. In 2001, Westmoreland went with some buddies to a celebration at Atlanta’s Patchwerk Recording Studio after being invited by Bryan Christopher Williams, aka Birdman, the rapper and recording government.
The studio social gathering was additionally attended by Birdman’s brother, Alfred Cleveland, then-president of Money Cash Information. At one level, Westmoreland says, Cleveland accompanied her as she walked to a rest room; as soon as there, she says, he pressured her inside and raped her as one other man stored a lookout. Westmoreland says he deliberate to go her off to his lookout man, however she begged him to not and was let go. Westmoreland was threatened to not report the rape, she says, however did anyhow, and Cleveland was arrested for rape; he later pled responsible. In 2008, Westmoreland additionally filed a swimsuit towards the brothers and their label for negligence and failure to maintain the area secure.
On Wednesday morning, Westmoreland was seen strolling into the downtown Manhattan courtroom with Brian Metal, one other late addition to Combs’ protection crew. The 2 attorneys have greater than their work on Combs’ case in widespread, as each represented totally different defendants in rapper within the prolonged YLS racketeering trial in Atlanta. Metal defended the rapper on the heart of the case, and Westmoreland represented co-defendant Quamarvious Nichols, who took a plea deal to keep away from fees of homicide, participation in gang exercise and unlawful firearms possession fees; he was sentenced to seven years in jail for conspiracy to violate Georgia’s RICO statute.
Hypothesis a few Black lady being added to his authorized crew because the months turned weeks, till Combs’ authorized combat towards 5 counts present in a federal indictment got here, after a report from TMZ indicated the rapper needed an legal professional of that demographic. Taking part in to Combs’ race is a card the prosecution appears able to play, as they’ve already publicly accused federal investigators of making an attempt to take down a wealthy, profitable Black man. In the meantime, Mark Gereagos, the movie star legal professional hovering across the trial as his daughter helps lead the protection, mentioned on his 2 Offended Males podcast that race is more likely to be an “undercurrent” all through the trial.
Jury choice continued on Wednesday, and in accordance with USA At this time, by the tip of proceedings the potential jury pool narrowed to the predetermined variety of 45 views. This was after 22 handed by questioning Wednesday. Attorneys will return Could 9 to pick the ultimate jury forward of opening statements subsequent week.