Where the sex trafficking trial stands
- Cassie Ventura faced cross-examination from Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyers today. She testified about the start of her relationship with Combs and responded to graphic texts and emails about "freak offs" — the drug-fueled orgies allegedly orchestrated by Combs.
- Defense attorneys tried to portray Ventura as a loving partner to Combs who willingly participated in the "freak offs," and attempted to link the volatility of the relationship to drug use and jealousy. Ventura testified Combs was extremely upset over her affair with rapper Kid Cudi and admitted she was jealous of Combs' ex-girlfriend, Kim Porter.
- Ventura had previously testified that she was frequently physically abused by the rap mogul, suffered multiple medical issues as a result of constant "freak offs" and that she was blackmailed with sex videos.
- Combs faces five criminal counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has vociferously denied the allegations against him.
- This live briefing may include graphic descriptions of sexual violence. For resources on sexual assault, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline.
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Dawn Richard expected to be next witness for government
Dawn Richard, a former member of the girl group Danity Kane, is expected to take the witness stand on Friday once lawyers finish questioning Ventura, prosecutor Maurene Comey said.
Richard last year filed a lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of groping, assaulting and imprisoning her.
The court is in recess until 9 a.m. EDT tomorrow.
Court done for day as Cassie is asked about taking bad batch of MDMA for hotel 'freak off'
Cassie Ventura was asked by the defense if she took a bad batch of MDMA at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles before Combs was caught on security cameras assaulting her in 2016.
Ventura responded that she didn't recall exactly what she took or how the "freak off" began at the hotel.
That testimony bought an end to a grueling day of cross-examination that'll continue on Friday morning.
U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian is urging Combs' lawyers to wrap up their questions for the eight-months-pregnant witness.
"We will try to narrow it down," defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo said. "This is a critical critical witness and I will come back in the morning and give you an estimate. It is an important witness and a very important case."
Combs didn't want to get caught in 'the matrix' during 'freak off,' Cassie says
Cassie Ventura told the court that Combs expressed concern about getting caught in "the matrix," their code for getting too high, during "freak offs."
Ventura proposed a shorter "freak off" session at the InterContinental hotel to avoid getting too high before her film premiere.
“A matrix is like the high and we would be getting too high for anything sexual to happen. There would be no performance,” Ventura said during court.
Cassie relented to Combs' repeated requests for a 'freak off' before 2016 hotel assault
Combs' videotaped assault on Ventura at a Los Angeles hotel was preceded by his repeated requests for a "freak off" that she expressed reservations about, the witness said.
Ventura said she wanted to devote her attention to the premiere of "The Perfect Match," a romantic comedy that included herself, Terrence Jenkins and Paula Patton.
Despite her concerns about performing a "freak off" during her promotional duties for the film, she agreed after he kept asking "over and over again."
Cassie confirms baby oil used in 'freak offs' contained no drugs
Cassie Ventura confirmed to the court that there were never any drugs contained in the baby oil used during the freak offs with Combs.
Combs was accused in a lawsuit last year of spiking the lubricant with GHB, commonly referred to as a "date rape drug."
Combs once overdosed on painkillers, according to Cassie
Combs once overdosed on painkillers and that drug dependence fueled some of the rapper's mood swings, Cassie Ventura said.
During this cross-examination by defense lawyer Anna Estevao, Ventura was asked if Combs ever overdosed and if she was ever addicted. Ventura answered "yes" to both.
And when the defense asked if Combs' mood swings were tied to pills, Ventura affirmatively replied, "It was a part (of it)."
Cassie reached out to Combs' inner circle over balcony dangling incident
Cassie Ventura testified that she sent a text message to Combs’ chief of staff about an incident in which he allegedly dangled someone over a balcony.
Ventura acknowledged hearing about Combs supposedly dangling Bryana “Bana” Bongolan over a balcony after the fact, but still reached out to a person in Combs’ inner circle.
“I did text that … there were other crazy things that happened,” Ventura told the court, adding she couldn’t remember the name of the person she sent the text to. "I saw what I saw, so I don't know."
Cassie says Combs got 'explosive' when she did drugs without him
Cassie Ventura described Combs' reaction to her taking illicit drugs without him as "explosive."
Ventura added that he told his drug dealers in Los Angeles to stop giving her drugs.
Combs suspected Cassie of dating Michael B. Jordan
Cassie Ventura told the jury Combs suspected her of being in a relationship with actor Michael B. Jordan.
Asked what Combs’ reaction was to the alleged relationship, Ventura said, “I wasn’t there to see it."
Ventura said she couldn’t remember if Combs tried to text her about him but “he did try to make contact.”
Cassie says Combs became 'crazy' and kicked her when he found out about Kid Cudi
Cassie Ventura says that Combs kicked her in the back at his house after finding out that she was cheating on him with rapper Kid Cudi in 2011.
When asked by Combs' attorney if her relationship with Cudi "drove Mr. Combs crazy?" Ventura replied: "To my knowledge it wasn't good."
She confirmed that Combs was especially offended by the affair with Cudi because of his status within the music industry.
She added that suspicions and grievances over infidelity came up repeatedly throughout their relationship.
