“Diddy Brings the Freaks Out”: Scenes from Outside the Verdict

WEDNESDAY 11:15 AM JULY 2, 2025 MANHATTAN

This morning, news broke that the jury had reached a decision for P. Diddy’s trial, a verdict that acquitted him of most serious charges—including counts of racketeering and sex trafficking involving his former girlfriend, Cassie. Shocking, but perhaps not surprising, given the music mogul’s intimidating power. We ran down the street to investigate the chaos of reporters and supporters crowding the courthouse, and got caught between screaming matches and baby oil crossfires on the way. As one spectator described it, “Diddy brings all the freaks out.”

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INTERVIEW: What brings you out here?

PATRICK LAM: I’m a celebrity. I was on Broadway years ago. I work on music videos with rappers, like Kodak Black. And this is a really good outcome. If they had found him guilty, the entire music industry would go down. The reason they’re bringing him on trial is because he’s a Black man, and he earns a lot of money—like other celebrities, like Oprah—and they’re trying to bring down a person of color. Donald J. Trump was on Epstein’s island, so he should be sent to prison. 

INTERVIEW: Do you think that Donald J. Trump was at any of the Diddy parties?

LAM: No, he was not. Diddy only invited very good looking people. You can quote me, Patrick Lam from Screen Actor’s Guild. I was supposed to go to them, but I didn’t go.

INTERVIEW: When was this?

LAM: That was like six to eight years ago. A long time ago.

INTERVIEW: What’s your message to Diddy?

LAM: I just hope his family is safe and healthy. I’m here to support Christian Combs and his family. Unfortunately, people will paint Black men as a scapegoat in this country, just like George Floyd and Trayvon Martin. It’s very, very bad. 

INTERVIEW: You don’t think it’s a little different than George Floyd? 

LAM: Oh, totally. George Floyd is totally different.

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INTERVIEW: Why are you here today?

AURORA BELL: I came down to the courthouse because I heard it was verdict day. I was here earlier in the week with my pillow and my sleeping bag and stuff, because I slept out here to be up early in the morning to catch the reporters. I feel that as a whole, the music industry has to be addressed. There’ve been rumors of drugs and inappropriate sexual activity long before Puff, and it’s never addressed. We want complete justice. It can’t just be Puff. But I feel for his children that are going to be missing him. I am running for president in 2028. Please check my TikTok.

INTERVIEW: Do you think justice was served?

BELL: I think that, in a way, it was shortcutted. This is so much bigger than Sean Combs, and if we want to be fair, we’ve got to address the entire industry. It’s a huge elephant in the room.

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INTERVIEW: How do you feel about all of this?

SEAN: I am shocked that they’re actually defending this horrible man that we’ve been hearing about for years and years, with all of these accusations. Simply because he’s a man, he’s being excused for this behavior. It’s horrible. Regardless of whether he was guilty of all five counts, he clearly is guilty of many, many, many things. We all saw him drag that poor girl through the hotel. And people are defending him thinking that he should go scot-free. I think it’s absurd. It shows the corruption in our criminal justice system, that a man of this level of power is able to get away with atrocities. 

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INTERVIEW:  How do you feel about the verdict?

OOTA ONGO: I feel good about the verdict. I mean, I wanted him to be clean slate on everything, personally.

INTERVIEW: Why’s that?

ONGO: Why’s that? Because the government didn’t give him a real case. They said they were gonna show us 20 years of crimes. And what did they show us? The man’s one girlfriend and the man’s “ex-slide” cause that was his “freak of the week.” That’s what he called her. She didn’t argue him. So why should he get ten years for a freak? What are you supposed to do with a freak? You’re supposed to freak ‘em.

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INTERVIEW: Why are you here today?

THEMIDNIGHT123: I’m here because I am a warrior of women that are in domestic violence relationships. This was not about Sean “Puffy” Combs, this is about how we can be a voice for women who are in domestic violence relationships, and how we can be a beacon of hope and strength to remind them that they are enough. If you are getting beat down, if you are getting picked on, if you are getting abused, kicked, spit on, hair pulled, we tell you that you can walk into your room, pack your shit, and walk out that door, and you never look back. That’s why we are here. 

INTERVIEW: So how do you feel about the verdict?

THEMIDNIGHT123: I am not happy about the verdict. I think this sends a clear message that if Sean “Puffy” Combs gets away with this, then so many other people can. This sends a clear message to other abusers out there that they can get a slap on the wrist and continue their abuse. I denounce domestic violence. It’s all about humanity first.

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INTERVIEW: How do you feel about the verdict? 

ADELE: I heard he wasn’t convicted of the RICO. I think that’s fair. I think he’ll do some time in jail. It won’t be prison. Diddy a menace, but we got bigger problems in our federal courts right now, for real. I’m sort of fascinated by the culture more than the verdict. That’s why I found myself down here. I had to see this mashup between traditional news, Interview magazine, and streamers.

RACHEL: Diddy has repented, he got on his knees and prayed. Just because you have money, don’t lose yourself. He was losing himself. They found him not guilty on two charges. They’re not warranted to keep him in there any longer because he’s facing life anymore. 

INTERVIEW: What about the violence against women? 

RACHEL: He learned his lesson, that’s why he got on his knees and prayed. We all watched it today.

ADELE: Violence against women? I was walking down Fulton Street and I saw a woman with two black eyes and no one did anything. A man lit a woman on fire in the subway. Let’s get real about violence against women. Let’s get real about single moms. Let’s get real about what’s really sick about this country.

RACHEL: When you snort cocaine, you might take a punch or two. But then when the drugs come down, you’re like, “Why did you do that to me?”

ADELE: Everybody knew and everybody let Diddy ride. So what the fuck are we doing here right now? We regular people. Not that these women weren’t abused, or that it was right. He should have changed his ways a long fucking time ago. 

INTERVIEW: What do you say to Diddy? 

ADELE: Have a talk with god.

RACHEL: I do have something to say to Diddy. [Sings] Do you wanna be free or live in captivity? Do you wanna be with me or do you wanna rock with he? If you wanna get fast, put yourself to the test. Prove to yourself you’re the best and give them haters mouths a rest!

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INTERVIEW: What’s your take on the verdict?

VIVIANNA: I believe he should be home with his family. There are too many people out here doing the same thing who are enabled and employed by New York State. They’re paying, housing, employing and feeding sex traffickers four blocks from this courthouse. They should let Puffy go. Look what they did to me.

INTERVIEW: How did that happen?

VIVIANNA: At the shelter on 78 Catherine Street. They cut off my hair because they wanted me to engage in prostitution and I didn’t want to. So if they can employ and house and feed and shelter sex traffickers four blocks from this building, they can let him go. 

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INTERVIEW: How do you feel about the verdict?

AVA: It’s horrible, and what’s even more embarrassing is the people out here screaming his name and chanting that he’s free. It’s really horrible. It makes your stomach turn. I’m 17 and my dad had some charges with abuse and stuff, so hearing people out here saying these type of things about the verdict is horrible. 

INTERVIEW: Did you expect better from the justice system?

AVA: Yeah. I thought he was going to get time. I didn’t think it would be a lot of time, but to hear he’s getting released today is actually insane. It felt really quick, too. I was here when the whole family went in, and I was here when they walked out. 

INTERVIEW: How long have you been out here?

AVA: Since 7 or 7:30, because I saw the twins and everything. I didn’t see the mom though. 

INTERVIEW: What would you say to Diddy right now?

AVA: What the fuck? I don’t have words. There are no words to even express the anger. You’re a horrible person. Die. Excuse my language.

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INTERVIEW: Why are you here?

JERMAINE: Man, I just came to see what it is. You know Marc Agnifilo? I’ve been having small little communications with him since before the trial. I just wanted to come down and see what was going on, and I’m actually surprised. I thought that for the first four charges, they were going to say guilty. When I heard that it was a unanimous decision… I thought maybe he’d be acquitted of racketeering, but he got a much lighter verdict than I thought.

INTERVIEW: Do you think that it was the right decision?

JERMAINE: No. I don’t like that the Mann Act can be applied for a man who pays for a woman to go on a date. If a man buys you a plane ticket or Uber to come across state lines, and you guys go on a date and have relations later, that’s considered sex trafficking [under the] Mann Act. And they only apply it to certain people, like Jack Johnson, and now Sean P. Diddy Combs. Donald Trump got 34 felony convictions, and he didn’t do an hour in jail; he got bail. This guy only had 3 charges and his bail was denied 3 times.

INTERVIEW: Do you have a message to Diddy?

JERMAINE: You’ve done a lot for the culture. And sometimes being in jail isn’t a bad thing for a short period of time if you have a drug addiction or an alcohol addiction. Jail can help people to detox. Use that time and come out a better person. But I don’t think prison is necessary for this.

INTERVIEW: What do you think is necessary?

JERMAINE: An ass whooping. Someone’s brother, cousin, or father. There’s no reason that Homeland Security should be called to somebody’s home to confiscate baby oil.

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INTERVIEW: Tell me what this case has to do with Britney.

MATTHEW PARKER: Lou Taylor and Robin Greenhill of Tri Star Sports and Entertainment have been cooking the books for Diddy, allegedly, since the ‘90s. These individuals have Britney Spears trapped in a court-sealed care plan. Britney was never free. She was freed on paper and placed in a plan similar to Wendy Williams. We got to tell the world Britney is not free. They’re holding her against her will, they’re drugging her, and she has no autonomy. This is a crime against humanity. We have a petition going and we need the world to sign it and speak up. We’re sick of it. 

INTERVIEW: Are you surprised by the acquittals?

PARKER: He was acquitted? Well, let’s call Lou Taylor and Robin Greenhill and they should be on trial.

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CRACKHEAD BARNEY: I just wanna know when the first freak off is gonna be. I got the baby, oil, I got lube, I got Astroglide. Where the fuck is the freak off?

INTERVIEW: So you think they’re going to let him go on bail?

BARNEY: I think they’re gonna let him go on house arrest in either Miami or New York City, but I think he’s going to walk today.

INTERVIEW: Is that what you’re waiting for?

BARNEY: I’m not saying he should, because I have too many white followers to agree with him, but I’m just saying I think he will. Speculation. They said he has a freak off scheduled for July 4th. Stay home! He’s an idiot. And I want the first interview, if I can get it.

INTERVIEW: An exclusive. 

BARNEY: I want an exclusive interview with Diddy. What are you trying to say? Don’t put me on TikTok.

AKADEMIKS: You got three of my videos taken down. 

BARNEY: I don’t give a fuck about you. Shut the fuck up. He’s always here starting trouble.

INTERVIEW: Anyways.

BARNEY: Anyways. Which baby oil do you like, Diddy? Johnson and Johnson or the generic one? That’s what I want to know. 

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INTERVIEW: You look great. Are you surprised by the verdict today?

ANGELA STAR: I’m not surprised. I knew he was going to go down for prostitution. You can’t pay prostitutes and not go down for prostitution. The RICO, I think everybody was on the fence about that, even though they did prove the RICO. I’m still not surprised.

ETSY ROE: I’m actually surprised by the human trafficking with Cassie. After that video and her being drugged up, and her testimony being so intense and deep, I thought they were gonna get him on that. 

INTERVIEW: How do you think he got acquitted on the trafficking?

ROE: I think they focused too much on sex.

STAR: Yeah. Sex! Baby oil! Freak offs! Astroglide! Prostitutes! Ahhh! 

ROE: Yeah! And it’s also the fact that they had these texts of them consenting, so they showed the screenshots as the exhibits in court. 

INTERVIEW: Have you been here multiple days?

STAR: We’ve been here actually in court on a weekly basis since the beginning, so it’s been a full-blown journey for us. We’re content creators.

INTERVIEW: What was it like in the courtroom?

ROE: Intense. The courtroom is not very big, it’s intimate. The very first day, we were actually sitting behind the family. His mom, six children—

STAR: I was sitting right behind Mama Combs’ wig.

ROE: The blonde one. Y’all know which one.

STAR: The beauty supply one. [Laughs] It’s been a rollercoaster.

ROE: I’m actually sad that it’s ending.

STAR: Me too. What am I supposed to do now? Whose business am I gonna be in? Who’s doing freak offs? Call me.

ROE: Yo, please don’t. I will fight you. [Laughs]

INTERVIEW: Since you’ve been here since the beginning, have you run into a lot of crazy people?

STAR: Oh, yeah. It’s crackheads galore out here. Look at this, it’s crack city.

ROE: We in New York City, we got Puff out here, the freaks are out.

STAR: Diddy brings all the freaks out. Stay safe out here.