SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
By Jack Queen
Warning: This story contains graphic content.
New York: Pop singer Dawn Richard has told a jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial that she often saw the hip-hop mogul beat his then-girlfriend Casandra Ventura, who earlier testified that Combs physically and emotionally abused her throughout their 11-year relationship.
Dawn Richard (pictured in 2024) is due to give further evidence at the trial next week. Credit: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
Richard recounted an incident at Combs’ Los Angeles home in 2009 when Combs beat Ventura and dragged her upstairs by the hair. Richard then said she heard breaking glass and screaming.
“He came down the stairs screaming, belligerent, asking where his food was and proceeded to hit her over the head and beat her on the ground in front of us,” Richard told the jury in Manhattan federal court during a fifth day of testimony on Friday (New York time).
Richard said Combs called her and others who witnessed the assault into the studio the next day, gave them flowers and said their careers would be harmed if they reported the incident.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Combs has been held since September in a Brooklyn jail when not in court.
If convicted on all counts, he could face a minimum of 15 years in prison and up to life behind bars.
The 38-year-old Ventura, a R&B singer known as Cassie, told jurors earlier that Combs coerced and blackmailed her into taking part in days of drug-fuelled sex parties he called “Freak Offs” at the heart of the prosecution’s case.
She said she suffered years of physical and emotional abuse during their tumultuous relationship.
Richard is expected to resume her testimony on Monday. The trial, which has drawn intense media coverage because of Combs’ wealth and towering influence in the music industry, could last two months.
Cassie Ventura alleges she suffered years of abuse at the hands of Sean “Diddy” Combs (right).Credit: Charles Sykes/Invision/AP
Richard has a pending civil lawsuit against Combs, accusing him of subjecting her to inhumane working conditions, including groping and assaulting her. The lawsuit says Richard saw Combs brutally beat Ventura on many occasions.
Before Richard’s testimony, jurors saw photos of items found during a search of Combs’ hotel room on the day of his arrest last September. The items include bottles of baby oil, lubricant, bags of cocaine and other drugs, some prescribed to people other than Combs.
Combs placed his hand on his forehead and spoke to his lawyers while jurors were shown bags of pink powder that a law enforcement witness said tested positive for MDMA and ketamine.
A prosecutor handed jurors bags of drugs and cash.
Defence challenges rape accusation
For much of Friday’s testimony, a lawyer representing Combs sought to undercut Ventura’s claim that he raped her in 2018, showing jurors text messages indicating Ventura had consensual sex with Combs a month after the alleged rape.
The lawyer, Anna Estevao, showed Ventura texts from September 2018 when she and Combs wrote of potentially meeting up and hugging after having not seen each other in a while.
“You don’t say anything to the effect of, ‘Last time we saw each other you raped me?’” Estevao asked.
“Right,” Ventura responded.
Ventura previously told jurors Combs raped her in her home after they broke up.
“I just remember crying and saying no, but it was very fast,” she said, as her voice trailed off.
During follow-up questioning by a prosecutor on Friday, Ventura said she had no doubt that Combs raped her. She also acknowledged having consensual sex with him a few weeks later.
Combs, previously known as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, founded Bad Boy Records and is credited with helping turn artists such as Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.
Meanwhile, singer Justin Bieber’s representative issued a statement saying Bieber was not a victim of Combs but supports others who were victims and are seeking justice from the hip-hop mogul, TMZ and People reported on Friday.
Videos of Combs and Bieber spending time together prompted online speculation that Combs may have abused Bieber.
Reuters
