Diddy's newest lawyer, Nicole Westmoreland, says that she is a survivor of sexual assault. According to a new report from TMZ, she says that she was allegedly raped back in 2001. At the time, she was just 19 years old and working for a company that helped people reinstate suspended driver's licenses.
One day, Cash Money Records Vice President Bryan Williams invited her to Patchwerk Recording Studio in Atlanta to make a sales pitch. While there, she was looking for a bathroom and a man named Alfred Cleveland offered to show her where it was. The man allegedly forced her inside and raped her once they got there.
Despite being threatened against doing so, she went to the police. Cleveland eventually pled guilty to aggravated assault with intent to rape.
Diddy's Opening Statements
Nicole Westmoreland joined Diddy's team on Tuesday morning, just a day after the trial began with jury selection. The process will continue throughout the week with both sides already building a pool of 35 potential jurors. It's been a challenge thus far considering how famous Diddy is as well as how much coverage the media have given to the case.
Jurors have already filled out a broad questionnaire with several questions pertaining to celebrity, sex, drug use, and much more. "There may be evidence in this case about people engaging in sexual relations with multiple sexual partners. Would hearing about that type of evidence be difficult for you?" one of the questions reads, as obtained by TMZ. Another questions brings up the idea of watching "videos of physical violence," seemingly referencing the infamous 2016 video of Diddy appearing to hit Cassie.
By the end of the week, the defense and the prosecution will have to narrow the pool down to 18 jurors, including 6 alternates. Following jury selection, the trial will continue with opening statements on Monday, May 12th.
