By Michael R. Sisak and Larry NeimeisterThe Related Press
NEW YORK (AP) — R&B singer Cassie completed testifying within the Sean “Diddy” Combs intercourse trafficking trial Might 16 after 4 emotional days on the witness stand throughout which she was questioned in regards to the deepest, most annoying secrets and techniques of her intercourse life and described being overwhelmed and raped by a person she as soon as liked.
When Decide Arun Subramanian advised her she might go away, saying, “You’ve been right here a very long time,” Cassie glanced as soon as towards the jury however by no means appeared in Combs’ route as she walked out of the courtroom for the ultimate time.
After departing, Cassie, who dated Combs for a decade, launched a press release by way of her lawyer saying she hoped her testimony helps others “heal from the abuse and worry.”
“For me, the extra I heal, the extra I can keep in mind,” she mentioned. “And the extra I can keep in mind, the extra I’ll always remember.”
Combs, 55, is on trial in New York on fees that he exploited his standing as an leisure government to drive girls, together with Cassie, into drug-fueled “freak-offs” with male intercourse staff and engaged in different abusive acts in opposition to individuals who relied on him for his or her careers.
Combs has pleaded not responsible to federal intercourse trafficking and racketeering fees. His legal professionals say that, though he may very well be violent, nothing he did amounted to a felony enterprise. And Combs insists all of the intercourse on the freak-offs was consensual.
Shortly after Cassie completed testifying, prosecutors known as one other witness who was as soon as near Combs: Daybreak Richard, a singer who appeared on his actuality present “Making the Band,” which launched her group act Danity Kane.
Richard testified that she witnessed Combs bodily assault Cassie on a number of events. Throughout a go to to Combs’ house recording studio in 2009, Richard mentioned she and one other girl noticed Combs hit Cassie “on the top and beat her on the bottom.”
Combs introduced them again the following day, she mentioned, giving Richard flowers and placing a spin on what occurred.
“He mentioned that what we noticed was ardour and what lovers in relationships do,” she testified.
However he additionally locked them in his recording studio and threatened them to remain silent or else, she mentioned.
Richard sued Combs final yr, accusing him of bodily abuse, groping and psychological abuse in the course of the years they labored collectively. Her testimony is to renew Might 19.
All through testimony on Might 16, Combs saved decreasing his head to put in writing a gradual stream of messages on small sheets of paper that he handed to his protection attorneys.
Cassie’s texts to Diddy are a key a part of cross-examination
Over her hours of testimony in the course of the week, Cassie mentioned she was ashamed and loathed participating in “tons of” of the freak-offs, which might go on for days. However she mentioned she felt compelled as a result of Combs threatened her with violence, and was bodily abusive “loads” in the course of the encounters. He additionally threatened to publicly launch intercourse movies of her if she made him indignant, she mentioned.
Combs’ legal professionals, nonetheless, have sought to painting her as an keen participant.
On Might 15 and Might 16, they’d Cassie learn texts and emails wherein she expressed willingness to have interaction within the encounters.
In a 2012 alternate, Combs advised Cassie he wished to “FO one final time tonight,” utilizing initials for freak-off. Cassie replied, “What?” Combs mentioned, “You possibly can’t learn?” Then Cassie replied, “I don’t need to freak off for the final time. I need it to be the primary time for the remainder of our lives.”
Combs’ lawyer, Anna Estevao, ended her questioning there, however prosecutor Emily Johnson had Cassie learn extra messages for context.
“I need to see you, however I’m emotional proper now,” Cassie wrote. “I don’t need to do one final time. I’d fairly not do it in any respect.”
Cassie testified she was initially open to the encounters as a result of she wished to make Combs glad and spend time with him, however grew weary because the years went on.
The Related Press doesn’t sometimes identify individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused until they arrive ahead publicly, as Cassie has.
Cassie filed a lawsuit in 2023 accusing Combs of bodily and sexual abuse, however they settled inside hours for $20 million — an quantity she disclosed publicly for the primary time in the course of the trial. Dozens of different individuals have since made comparable authorized claims.
Cassie’s testimony ended with one other disclosure: She mentioned she lately reached an estimated $10 million settlement with the Intercontinental Lodge in Los Angeles, the place a safety digital camera in 2016 recorded Combs hitting her, kicking her, and dragging her down in a hallway.
After that incident, Cassie texted Combs saying, “I’m not a rag doll. I’m any individual’s baby.”
Cassie, whose authorized identify is Casandra Ventura, additionally advised Combs in a textual content that he was uncontrolled from medication and alcohol that day.
But, days later, based on texts learn on the trial, she and Combs had been expressing love for one another. “We want a special vibe from Friday,” she wrote.
After resort safety video of the assault was launched final yr, Combs apologized and mentioned he was “disgusted” by his actions.
Scrutiny of rape declare in opposition to Combs
Estevao additionally questioned Cassie on Might 17 about her testimony that Combs raped her in 2018 after she ended their practically 11-year relationship, noting that she gave differing descriptions of his demeanor and the timing of the alleged assault in interviews with investigators and in her trial testimony.
Cassie contends the rape occurred at her Los Angeles house after she and Combs had dinner in Malibu, California, to debate their breakup, both in August or September 2018.
Whereas Cassie testified this week that Combs was “very nice” and “playful” on the dinner, Estevao identified that Cassie advised investigators in 2023 that Combs had been “performing very unusually” that night time. Cassie clarified, “Good, however unusually.”
Cassie additionally testified this week that Combs, in the course of the dinner, was attempting to get her to go to the Burning Man pageant in Nevada, however beforehand advised investigators that the dinner and rape occurred after Combs returned from Burning Man.
Cassie acknowledged she stayed in contact with Combs and had consensual intercourse with him a number of weeks after she says he raped her. She additionally exchanged heat messages with Combs after they broke up, even after she married Alex Effective in 2019.
The trial is predicted to final nicely into June.
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Related Press author Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report.
