'Puffy' Trial: The PEOPLE Report

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday May 13, 1998 12:00 AM EDT

The defense took over the weapons possession and bribery trial of rap mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs, 31, in New York State Superior Court on Thursday morning, calling its first witness, private investigator Michael Ciravolo, 50, whose role it was to examine the Lincoln Navigator that allegedly sped Combs and his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez, away from Club New York after a Dec. 1999 shootout there, reports PEOPLE. Ciravolo, who'd been hired by the defense team to look at the vehicle, said on the stand that it was impossible to pass a 9mm gun from the backseat to the front underneath the seat. "There was too much stuff blocking it." Second witness Michael Bergos, 34, owner of Club New York, told the court of his greeting Combs and his party on that fateful night. On cross-examination by prosecutor Matthew Bogdanos, Bergos was asked if any deals had been made between himself and Combs's attorney, Johnnie Cochran, at a pre-trial lunch Bergos said he had with Cochran. "Did Mr. Cochran assure you Mr. Combs would do something with the club?" asked Bogdanos. Bergos said, "Yes." Bogdanos then inquired, "When did Mr. Cochran assure you?" Bergos said, "I believe during the lunch, maybe." Bergos then continued: "There was talk of that, but no promises. It was just an over-all feeling that when the mess was all cleaned up (Combs) would come back to the club and he would have a good time again."