Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking and racketeering trial had an unexpected star briefly steal the spotlight on Wednesday: a 40-ounce bottle of Olde English 800 malt liquor.
The malt liquor brand has been a longtime staple among rappers like the late N.W.A member Eazy-E, who celebrated it in the group’s 1987 song “8 Ball” (“O.E. 800 ’cause that’s my brand/Take it in a bottle, 40, quart or can.”) But in federal court, the drink momentarily shifted from beverage to alleged weapon.
Earlier in the day, Lance Jimenez, an arson investigator with the Los Angeles Fire Department, testified. He spoke about his investigation conducted in early January 2012 regarding fire damage to Kid Cudi’s Porsche.
Previous witnesses in the trial have claimed the car was deliberately set ablaze, and that Diddy — while not directly carrying out the act — orchestrated it.
“[Diddy] mentioned that…Scott [Mescudi, a.k.a. Kid Cudi]’s car would be blown up,” Cassie Ventura testified. “He wanted his friends to be there to see it.”
Cudi stated that when Diddy denied involvement, the “Man on the Moon” rapper felt “that he was lying.”
Jimenez discussed his investigation and his conclusion that the fire was deliberately started. His assessment, he explained, was that someone cut a hole in the car’s roof and dropped a Molotov cocktail inside.
Jimenez reached this conclusion based on evidence discovered at the scene. This included a lighter found near the vehicle, a partially burned handkerchief located inside it, and a glass bottle discovered on the driver’s seat containing liquid that tested positive for gasoline.
Things got interesting when Jimenez was questioned about the bottle.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik presented a photo of the bottle and asked Jimenez to identify the type of glassware.
“It’s a 40-ounce malt liquor bottle,” the investigator responded. “Olde English, it looks like.”
You can see the bottle for yourself (with gasoline still inside) below.
