Maurene R. Comey

Maurene R. Comey conducted prosecution examinations that developed testimony about paid sexual encounters, employee duties, alleged violence and threats, and records concerning Jane. On Day 5 and Day 6, she questioned Daniel Phillip about encounters involving Casandra Ventura and Sean Combs, alleged directions and recording by Combs, and alleged violence. Her redirect returned to Phillip's recollection and prior statements; the court struck part of one answer.

With George Kaplan, Comey developed testimony about hotel preparation, cleanup, drug pickups, cash duties, alleged violence, reports to Kristina Khorram, and his decision to leave Combs Enterprises. She questioned Mylah Morales about yelling she heard and injuries she later observed, while cross-examination established that Morales did not see inside the hotel bedroom. Her examination of Deonte Nash addressed alleged threats and control involving Ventura, and redirect revisited alleged violence and Ventura's stated reluctance to go to a hotel.

Across Day 21 through Day 23, Comey led Jane through testimony about recurring hotel nights, drug use, travel, payments, housing and financial support, messages, Notes entries, recordings, alleged tape threats, and alleged violence in June 2024. After cross-examination tested Jane's account of pressure, affection, and financial dependence, Comey's redirect returned to Jane's stated sense of obligation and the June 2024 encounter. Comey also argued that selected Notes entries had probative value as contemporaneous statements made while Jane remained in the relationship; the court reserved its ruling.

Comey's late-case examination of HSI Agent Joseph Cerciello used charts and underlying communications, travel, hotel, payment, and media records to present a chronology involving Jane and Combs. On redirect, she asked about sexual, loving, or affectionate messages, and Cerciello said he found none in the records he reviewed. In a separate chart dispute, Comey defended the criteria used to include messages, but the court limited Agent Penland's testimony to factual record descriptions and chart construction, leaving inferences for closing argument.

During disputes over Rule 412 and sensitive exhibits, Comey argued for limits on sexual-history questioning and against unnecessary display of explicit recordings. The court excluded challenged message content under Rule 412 while allowing other relationship questioning, and it provisionally restricted press access to video exhibits. Comey later delivered the government's rebuttal closing, answering defense arguments about coercion, commercial sex, racketeering, and witness credibility challenges.