Sean Combs' attorneys seek to block psychologist from testifying at May trial
Lawyers for Sean Combs have asked a judge to prevent a clinical psychologist from testifying as an expert witness for the prosecution at his upcoming trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, arguing that her “testimony is advocacy masquerading as expertise” and “should be excluded in its entirety.”
Lawyers for Sean Combs have asked a judge to prevent a clinical psychologist from testifying as an expert witness for the prosecution at his upcoming trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, arguing that her “testimony is advocacy masquerading as expertise” and “should be excluded in its entirety.”
In a 35-page motion filed Wednesday, Alexandra A.E. Shapiro, who is among Combs’ attorneys, wrote that Dawn Hughes, a clinical and forensic psychologist in New York City whose specialties include sexual abuse, interpersonal violence and traumatic stress, relies on generalizations about abuse and responses to abuse, as opposed to individual assessments, making her opinions of limited value.
Hughes, who has not examined the accusers or Combs nor evaluated the evidence in the Combs case, was a prosecution witness in two other major sexual abuse cases brought by federal prosecutors — the trials of R&B singer R. Kelly and Keith Raniere, the NXIVM sex cult leader.
Kelly, born Robert Sylvester Kelly, was found guilty in 2021 of multiple charges, including racketeering and sex trafficking. Raniere was convicted in 2019 of racketeering and sex trafficking, among other charges. One of Combs’ attorneys, Marc Agnifilo, also represented Raniere. Kelly, a multiplatinum-selling R&B songwriter, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Raniere was sentenced to 120 years in prison.
The motion says if Hughes is allowed to testify in Combs’ trial, she would likely offer her opinions about such topics as sexual abuse and victims’ responses to it, coercive control, coping strategies during and in relation to sexual abuse and delayed disclosure of sexual abuse. She testified at Kelly’s and Raniere’s trials about coercive control and sexual abuse.
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