'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. One witness, Michael Bergos, 34, owner of Club New York, told the court of his greeting Combs and his party on that fateful night, reports PEOPLE. 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." Bergos then continued: "There was talk of that, but no promises. It was just an overall feeling that when the mess was all cleaned up (Combs) would come back to the club and he would have a good time again." Another witness, security employee Trenton Stewart, 29, who was present at the shootout, testified that he is sure Combs never fired a gun. Stewart, who explained on the stand that he was standing in front of the rap mogul at the time of the gunfire, said that five or six shots rang out after a dispute started between Combs and Matthew "Scar" Allen. "No shots came from directly behind me," Stewart said. His testimony contradicted that of two other witnesses who said they saw Combs fire a handgun in the club, noted the Associated Press.

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