Sean 'Diddy' Combs Is Not Testifying at His Sex-Trafficking Trial (Exclusive)

With Sean Combs’ bombshell federal trial now in its sixth week, much of what was once sealed from public view is now part of the official record.

Prosecutors have outlined what they describe as a years-long criminal enterprise that could put the music mogul behind bars for life, alleging Combs used his power and influence to traffic women, silence accusers and shield himself from accountability.

While the government’s case has included graphic testimony and a detailed timeline of alleged events, the defense has yet to present its full argument. One key question — whether Combs himself would testify — has now been answered.

Multiple sources confirm to PEOPLE that Combs will not take the stand in his own defense, despite the high-profile nature of the proceedings and the serious charges he faces. The decision comes as both legal teams prepare for what will be the final phase of the trial that has gripped the music industry and the public alike.

For weeks, Combs, 55, has maintained an attentive and easygoing presence inside a Manhattan federal courtroom — occasionally shaking his head, fidgeting in his seat or passing notes to his attorneys. But on June 5, U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to kick Combs out of court for allegedly flashing facial expressions at jurors. Between breaks in the tense proceedings, Combs has also exchanged blown kisses and heart signs with his mother, Janice, seated just feet away in the gallery.

Combs is facing serious federal charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. But legal experts have questioned whether prosecutors are proving the charges in court.

On Monday, June 16, a juror was dismissed over conflicting answers about where he lives. Judge Subramanian determined that the juror would be dismissed and replaced with an alternate. That alternate is a 57-year-old White male architect from Westchester County.

Despite four days of gripping testimony from ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura — who painted a harrowing picture of 11 years of alleged abuse and drug-fueled “freak off” parties during four days on the stand beginning on Tuesday, May 13 — former prosecutor Jennifer Biedel told PEOPLE that the case may be losing momentum.

“If the jury had to decide today, I don’t think they would convict,” Biedel, now a criminal defense attorney, said on May 28. “This is also because they don’t have the benefit of all the rest of the evidence at this point. But to obtain a conviction, the prosecution has to identify the co-conspirators and probably call them as witnesses — at least some of them, and I would have put them earlier — and get some understanding of the scope of what this was, how it started and why.”

Two women have testified under pseudonyms “Mia” and “Jane” alleging Combs abused them, and Biedel believes the prosecution still has time to turn the tide. “A prosecutor won’t indict a case unless they think they have proof beyond a reasonable doubt of all the necessary elements,” Biedel said, adding,” So I certainly would go into this with the assumption that they believe that they have the necessary proof.”

Combs, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his lawyers have strongly denied the central allegations of the case: that he coerced at least two women into drug-fueled sex marathons with male prostitutes and used bodyguards and other employees as part of a criminal enterprise to orchestrate and conceal the abuse.

A woman identified in prosecutors’ court filings as “Victim 3” — the pseudonym used to protect her identity — is no longer expected to take the stand. Questions about her availability arose last month, when prosecutors told the court they had been unable to reach her attorney.

Still, Victim 3, who has been referred to in testimony by only the name Gina, has hovered over the case as Ventura and others have described Combs’s overlapping romantic and sexual relationships. A woman identified by prosecutors as Victim 5, who was supposed to be testifying using her real name, is not expected to take the stand.

Although Combs’ defense Marc Agnifilo previously suggested Diddy might testify — a claim he made in the Hulu documentary The Downfall of Diddy — his legal team ultimately decided to keep him off. “I don’t know that I could keep him off the stand. He is very eager to tell his story,” Agnifilo said at the time.

Even Suge Knight — whose name was mentioned dozens of times during trial — exclusively weighed in from prison on June 13, telling PEOPLE: “The only way [Combs] can even begin to take some of that pain away is if they have Puff Daddy on the stand,” Knight says. “And the truth come out,” he added. “Puffy should get on the stand and look these people in the eye and say, ‘This what I did.’”

Legal experts say that choice may be strategic. Testifying could open Combs up to a high-stakes cross-examination, and any statements he makes under oath could be used against him in the more than 60 civil cases still pending. “It’s risky,” legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told PEOPLE in May.

Instead, Rahmani expects Combs’ defense will continue to focus on discrediting his accusers— arguing they are driven by “fame, money, or revenge” — and casting doubt and challenging their credibility during closing arguments.

Still, Combs’ fate rests in the hands of the twelve jurors — eight men and four women — tasked with delivering a verdict. Combs has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.