Witness Says She Saw Puffy With Gun
February 2 -- For the first time in the trial of Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, a witness testified that the rap star was carrying a gun on the night of the December 1999 shooting at Club New York in Manhattan.
College student Tarnisha Smith said that after hearing gun shots, she saw both Combs — who faces weapons and bribery charges — and rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow — who is charged with attempted murder — carrying weapons, according to ABC News.
Under cross-examination from Combs' lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, Smith said she did not remember many other details from that night. She said she thought it was a gun in Combs' hand, but that it was a long time ago, according to ABC.
Earlier witnesses have testified that they never saw Combs with a gun that night, though several others have said Barrow was carrying one.
Hassan Mahamah, a security guard at the club where the shootings took place, testified yesterday that he saw Barrow run from the back of the club and "saw him shoot three times," according to The Associated Press. He said at that time, he saw Combs holding his girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez.
Robert Thompson, one of the three shooting victims, also took the stand Thursday, where he said that after getting hit by a bullet in the shoulder, he looked up and saw Barrow holding a gun
Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam Records and a friend of Combs, defended his fellow rap entrepreneur in an impromptu news conference on the courthouse steps, ABC reported.
"It is ridiculous that they are saying Puffy was there with Jennifer in one hand and a gun in the other," said Simmons, who has known Combs for more than a decade. "I have never seen him with a gun in my life."
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