Moira Penza

a good decision on the part of the defense team to have a young woman who was a contemporary of the prosecution team standing up and showing that she was on the defendant's side and advocating for the defendant. So I think to Mark and Tenny's credit, I don't think they're necessarily following the same playbook that I saw in their defense of Keith Raniere.

And I think that reflects, you know, probably their own evolution in how to defend these cases. But also, I think likely, I think Mr. Combs is maybe more willing to allow them to take certain approaches like... accepting responsibility for being a bad boyfriend for domestic abuse.

And I think that reflects, you know, probably their own evolution in how to defend these cases. But also, I think likely, I think Mr. Combs is maybe more willing to allow them to take certain approaches like... accepting responsibility for being a bad boyfriend for domestic abuse.

So I think right now, where I think we're going to see closing arguments go is really a bookend of what we saw in opening. I think we're going to see the defense say, We've heard a lot of stuff you might not like, jury, but it's not the crimes that the government has charged.

So I think right now, where I think we're going to see closing arguments go is really a bookend of what we saw in opening. I think we're going to see the defense say, We've heard a lot of stuff you might not like, jury, but it's not the crimes that the government has charged.

And I think in that respect, it will be a little bit more matter of fact than we might have seen in the NXIVM case, where I think Mark...

And I think in that respect, it will be a little bit more matter of fact than we might have seen in the NXIVM case, where I think Mark...

made more of an effort to try and paint Keith Raniere as actually a good man with good intentions, as opposed to here where I think they realize it will be a more effective strategy to admit that Mr. Combs is a deeply flawed individual and just try and get the jury to stay focused on the narrow issue of, are these crimes actually proven?

made more of an effort to try and paint Keith Raniere as actually a good man with good intentions, as opposed to here where I think they realize it will be a more effective strategy to admit that Mr. Combs is a deeply flawed individual and just try and get the jury to stay focused on the narrow issue of, are these crimes actually proven?

So I think in both cases, Dr. Hughes's testimony is being used very similarly. I think the NXIVM case is actually the first case in which Dr. Hughes testified, and she's now testified quite a bit on behalf of the government and on behalf of victims of abuse and sex trafficking.

So I think in both cases, Dr. Hughes's testimony is being used very similarly. I think the NXIVM case is actually the first case in which Dr. Hughes testified, and she's now testified quite a bit on behalf of the government and on behalf of victims of abuse and sex trafficking.

The reality is that victims of sex crimes, victims of domestic abuse often behave in ways that may seem counterintuitive to a lay person, to a jury. We often see victims writing text messages talking about how much they love their abuser. We see them going back, having consensual sex after they've been raped.

The reality is that victims of sex crimes, victims of domestic abuse often behave in ways that may seem counterintuitive to a lay person, to a jury. We often see victims writing text messages talking about how much they love their abuser. We see them going back, having consensual sex after they've been raped.

And that sort of behavior can sometimes, for somebody who's not familiar with the psychology of it, seem like it goes against the credibility of the victim. In reality, those behaviors are very common. I've seen it in... every sex crimes case that I was involved in. And, you know, now as somebody who comments on these sorts of cases, it's something that you see in basically every case.

And that sort of behavior can sometimes, for somebody who's not familiar with the psychology of it, seem like it goes against the credibility of the victim. In reality, those behaviors are very common. I've seen it in... every sex crimes case that I was involved in. And, you know, now as somebody who comments on these sorts of cases, it's something that you see in basically every case.

And what Dr. Hughes does is not talking about the specifics of the case at all can explain why this sort of victim behavior and the psychology of it and why we can see that and put it into terms that are understandable for a jury. And then the jury can apply what they've heard from Dr. Hughes to what they've heard the victim say. And then it may be a lot more understandable.

And what Dr. Hughes does is not talking about the specifics of the case at all can explain why this sort of victim behavior and the psychology of it and why we can see that and put it into terms that are understandable for a jury. And then the jury can apply what they've heard from Dr. Hughes to what they've heard the victim say. And then it may be a lot more understandable.

So, for example, Dr. Hughes talks about the fact that there's often love in these long-term relationships where there's abuse. But there's these trauma bonds that keep people coming back, even in situations where a lay person who, you know, thankfully has not experienced this sort of behavior thinks, why didn't she just leave? The door was open. Yeah. She had family. She could have gotten help.

So, for example, Dr. Hughes talks about the fact that there's often love in these long-term relationships where there's abuse. But there's these trauma bonds that keep people coming back, even in situations where a lay person who, you know, thankfully has not experienced this sort of behavior thinks, why didn't she just leave? The door was open. Yeah. She had family. She could have gotten help.

And Dr. Cuse can explain how difficult that can be in a situation where you've been abused repeatedly, especially where you have an individual who is extremely famous, who has enormous power over your career. And that can be really helpful for the jury in answering some questions that they might have.