Former private assistant testifies Diddy managed his ex Cassie Ventura

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Federal prosecutors pressed ahead in Diddy’s intercourse trafficking trial at this time by calling three witnesses who testified about how the music mogul appeared to regulate his longtime girlfriend, R&B singer and mannequin Casandra Ventura.

As the federal government’s key witness, Ventura testified in unsparing element final week about sexual encounters with paid male escorts that she stated Diddy compelled her to endure underneath bodily and psychological abuse.

With at this time’s witnesses, the federal government tried to bolster its allegations. The final witness of the day, David James, a private assistant who labored for Diddy from 2007 to 2009, sobbed on the stand as he recounted interviewing for his job: There was an image of Diddy on the wall, James stated, and he was advised, “That is Mr. Combs’ kingdom, and we’re all right here to serve in it.” 

• Daybreak Richard, a singer who labored with Diddy as a member of his woman group, Danity Kane, and the trio Diddy — Soiled Cash, returned to the stand at this time. “He would punch her, choke her, drag her, slap her within the mouth,” Richard stated of Diddy’s alleged violence towards Ventura. She stated that Ventura would put on make-up and sun shades to cowl bruises on her face and that she and one other member of Diddy — Soiled Cash wore sun shades alongside Ventura throughout a Central Park look to assist her.
• Ventura’s former finest good friend, Kerry Morgan, testified that she witnessed Diddy assault Ventura twice, as soon as in Jamaica and as soon as in Los Angeles. “I heard Cassie screaming, so I bumped into the hallway,” Morgan stated on the stand in regards to the Jamaica journey, including that she noticed him dragging her by the hair. She additionally testified that Diddy assaulted her in Ventura’s house, which led to her and Ventura’s falling-out.
• James additionally testified in regards to the first time he interacted with Ventura as Diddy’s private assistant. He stated that Ventura advised him, “This place is loopy,” and that when he requested her why she didn’t go away, she stated Diddy “controls my profession, pays my allowance and pays my lease.” He additionally stated he as soon as heard Diddy name Ventura his “queen” and “very moldable.”

The view from inside

By Adam Reiss and Chloe Melas

Diddy’s group introduced the warmth in at this time’s line of questioning of Richard, showing to poke holes in her testimony. It was the primary time we’ve seen a really aggressive cross-examination from the protection.

Protection lawyer Nicole Westmoreland had a number of mic-drop moments when she used Richard’s personal phrases towards her and instructed inconsistencies in what Richard recalled about an alleged incident in 2009, when, she stated, Diddy attacked Ventura with a skillet of eggs. On Friday, Richard testified that Diddy tried to hit Ventura with the skillet, differing from a earlier assertion wherein Richard stated he did hit her and one other time when she stated Diddy threw eggs earlier than he set the pan down. On redirect, Richard advised prosecutor Mitzi Steiner that she tried “to erase these issues from my reminiscence” however that “daily, I keep in mind sure issues.”

In different information: Earlier than the jury was introduced in for Richard’s testimony, U.S. District Choose Arun Subramanian questioned the worth of a few of what could also be shared on the stand. Testimony that depends on rumour, he warned, “strikes me as a case constructed on gossip.”

Marc Agnifilo, one in every of Diddy’s attorneys, responded that he’s fearful that the testimony is being prejudicial to his consumer. “I believe that is changing into type of a foul act free-for-all,” he stated.

Evaluation: Is it coercion?

By Danny Cevallos

James testified at this time that he instructed to Ventura that she go away the “social gathering life” with Diddy and that Ventura advised him she relied on Diddy for her profession, her house and her wage. That will sound like a “coercive” atmosphere. And “coercion” is a vital aspect for the intercourse trafficking cost. However is that this the form of “coercion” envisioned by the intercourse trafficking legislation?

Intercourse trafficking underneath the legislation with which Diddy is charged contains the use “of drive, threats of drive, fraud, coercion … or any mixture of such means” “to trigger [a] particular person to interact in a business intercourse act.” The act defines “coercion” as “threats of significant hurt to or bodily restraint towards any particular person” or “any scheme, plan, or sample meant to trigger an individual to imagine that failure to carry out an act would end in critical hurt to or bodily restraint towards any particular person.”

There’s no query Diddy bodily abused Ventura. We have now seen as a lot within the notorious resort beating video. Her testimony about being harmed and restrained would probably fulfill the “coercion” aspect. However would relying on Diddy for her profession, her house and her wage be “coercion” for intercourse trafficking functions? In all probability not.

The federal government will certainly make clear this in its closing argument: that jurors ought to give attention to the violent coercion and never be thrown by the protection’s seemingly argument that mere dependency isn’t sufficient — as a result of it isn’t.

What’s subsequent

James returns to the stand tomorrow. Different anticipated witnesses within the coming days embody Sharay Hayes, an unique dancer; Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura’s mom; and Jourdan Atkinson, a former private chef for Diddy.

PSA: Each evening throughout Diddy’s trial, NBC’s “Dateline” will drop particular episodes of the “True Crime Weekly” podcast to get you on top of things on the case. “Dateline” correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC Information’ Chloe Melas and particular friends — proper in entrance of the courthouse. Pay attention right here.