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By Jonathan Stempel
NEW YORK (Reuters) -Ye made a surprise appearance at Sean "Diddy" Combs’ criminal trial on Friday, expressing support for his fellow rapper as he defends against sex trafficking charges.
Dressed all in white, Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, arrived at the Manhattan federal courthouse in a Maybach, and entered through a public entrance.
Ye nodded when asked by a reporter whether he was there to support Combs. He left the courthouse about 35 minutes later.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution, and if convicted could face life in prison.
He has been held in a Brooklyn jail since his September arrest.
Ye has also faced controversy for antisemitic and pro-Nazi remarks, prompting businesses such as Adidas (OTC:ADDYY) to sever ties.
Friday’s testimony included an appearance by Jonathan Perez, who had been a personal assistant to Combs for three years, as a prosecution witness.
Perez said he helped set up sex sessions for Combs, referring to them as "king nights."
Other witnesses have called those sessions "Freak Offs" and "hotel nights."
He also said getting drugs for Combs was part of the job, and he ensured a Gucci pouch containing cocaine, Adderall and other drugs was in Combs’ backpack when the rapper traveled.
Under cross-examination from Combs’ lawyer Brian Steel, Perez said he never thought a former Combs girlfriend, who testified for six days under the pseudonym Jane and complained of abuse, resisted participating in the sex sessions.
Earlier on Friday, a Homeland Security special agent testified about firearms and other items that law enforcement found in a March 2024 raid of Combs’ Los Angeles home.
After jurors were dismissed for the day, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who oversees the trial, said he plans to dismiss one of the 12 jurors for making inconsistent statements about his residence, and replace him with an alternate.
Subramanian said the inconsistencies gave him "worry about deception and lying," and whether the juror might be unable to follow instructions.
Combs’ lawyers expressed concern about the dismissal, and the court is further discussing the matter.
During an earlier trial break outside the jury’s presence, prosecutor Maurene Comey renewed her complaint first made last week about Combs’ "nodding emphatically" at times about testimony he agreed with, on concern it might influence jurors.
Steel denied that Combs’ conduct was improper.
The judge said he would try to watch for inappropriate gestures, but that it was normal to react to testimony and "impossible to police" everyone.
Prosecutors are expected to continue their case next week, after which Combs’ legal team can begin his defense.
Also known in his career as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, Combs turned artists like Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars, elevated hip-hop in American culture, and became a billionaire.