By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER, Related Press
NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, took the witness stand in his intercourse trafficking trial on Tuesday, a day after prosecutors confirmed jurors video of the music mogul beating her in a lodge in 2016.
Testimony from Cassie, whose authorized identify is Casandra Ventura, is central to prosecutors’ makes an attempt to painting Combs as used his standing as a strong govt to orchestrate a deviant empire of exploitation, coercing girls into abusive intercourse events he known as “freak-offs” and changing into violent in the event that they refused.
Sean Diddy Combs listens throughout opening statements on the primary day of trial in Manhattan federal court docket, Monday, Might 12, 2025, in New York. (Elizabeth Williams by way of AP)
Attorneys for three-time Grammy winner argue that though he may very well be violent, Combs by no means veered into intercourse trafficking and racketeering, telling jurors the sexual acts had been consensual. Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible. Testimony within the trial started Monday.
Cassie advised the jury Tuesday that her relationship with Combs ran the gamut from good occasions to arguments and bodily altercations.
“If they were violent arguments, it would usually result in some sort of physical abuse and dragging, just different things,” Cassie stated. Requested how steadily Combs grew to become violent along with her, Cassie softly responded: “Too frequently.”
Cassie sued Combs in 2023 alleging years of abuse. They met in 2005 when she was 19 and he was 37. He signed her to his Dangerous Boy Data label and, inside a number of years, they began courting.
A surveillance video made public final 12 months confirmed Combs beating her at a Los Angeles lodge in 2016. CNN aired the video final 12 months, main Combs to apologize. The video, which was performed for jurors Monday, exhibits Combs carrying solely a white towel, punching, kicking and dragging Cassie in a lodge hallway.
Israel Florez, a former safety officer on the lodge, testified Monday that he got here throughout Combs whereas responding to a name a couple of girl in misery, and located Combs sitting in a chair with “a devilish stare.” Florez stated Combs provided him a stack of cash and stated “Don’t tell nobody.”
Florez stated he refused the money and advised Combs, “I don’t want your money. Just go back into your room.”
Earlier Tuesday, the trial resumed with Combs’ lawyer questioning Daniel Phillip, a male stripper who says he was paid to have intercourse with Cassie whereas Combs watched. Phillip testified on Monday that he stopped seeing the couple after Combs assaulted Cassie.
Protection lawyer Xavier Donaldson pointed to Phillip’s previous statements to federal prosecutors as he tried to point out inconsistencies in his recollection of occasions. Donaldson completed his cross-examination after suggesting that Phillip had developed a crush on Cassie and wished to isolate her from Combs so he may very well be along with her romantically. Phillip denied that, however admitted: “I was attracted to her. If she ever gave me the chance to date her, I absolutely would have.”
In opening statements Monday, Assistant U.S. Lawyer Emily Johnson stated Combs beat Cassie usually and with little provocation and threatened to destroy her music profession by releasing movies of her participating in sexual acts with male escorts throughout encounters he organized.
Johnson stated Combs sexually exploited and beat different girls, together with a lady recognized solely as Jane, who Combs is accused of attacking after she confronted him concerning the “freak-offs.”
Cassie’s lawsuit in opposition to Combs was settled inside hours nevertheless it was adopted by dozens of comparable authorized claims and touched off a felony investigation.
An legal professional for Combs, Teny Geragos, advised the jury Combs’ accusers had been after his cash, including that jurors may suppose he’s a “jerk” and won’t condone his “kinky sex,” however that “he’s not charged with being a jerk.”
The Related Press doesn’t typically establish individuals who say they’re victims of sexual abuse except they arrive ahead publicly, as Cassie has accomplished.
Choose Arun Subramanian says he’s inclined to grant a request by media organizations to view what a protection lawyer described as pornographic movies that might be proven to the jury as proof within the case. However he’s giving the events one other day to make submissions on the matter.
Combs has been jailed in Brooklyn since his arrest in September. If convicted, he may get at the least 15 years and as much as life in jail.
Related Press author Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
Initially Revealed: Might 13, 2025 at 10:17 AM EDT
