R&B singer Cassie was pressed to learn aloud her personal specific messages to ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs in federal courtroom Thursday (Could 15), together with texts that confirmed her expressing want for the drug-fuelled group sex she beforehand testified left her traumatised.
Attorneys for Combs sought to painting Cassie to the jury as a prepared and keen participant within the music mogul’s sexual life-style. Combs has pleaded not responsible to federal intercourse trafficking and racketeering costs. His defence says that, whereas he might be violent, nothing he did amounted to a felony enterprise.
Prosecutors say he exploited his standing as a robust music government to violently drive Cassie and different ladies into these marathon encounters with intercourse employees, referred to as “freak-offs”, which typically lasted days. Combs insists all of the intercourse was consensual. He is additionally accused of utilizing his entourage and staff to facilitate unlawful actions, together with prostitution-related transportation and coercion, which is a key component of the federal costs.
Messages between Combs and Cassie – each romantic and lurid – have been the main focus of the fourth day of testimony in a Manhattan courtroom. Defence legal professional Anna Estevao learn what Combs wrote, whereas Cassie recited her personal messages about what she wished to do in the course of the freak-offs. Cassie’s testimony will resume Friday.
Combs, 55, has been jailed since September. He faces not less than 15 years in jail if convicted.
DEFENCE HIGHLIGHTS CASSIE’S MESSAGES TO COMBS
Whereas Cassie, whose authorized identify is Casandra Ventura, has mentioned she felt compelled to take part in freak-offs to maintain Combs completely satisfied, Estevao pointed to message exchanges the place Cassie appeared excited concerning the sexual encounters and raised the concept of getting one on her personal.
In August 2009, Combs requested when she wished the following encounter to be, and he or she replied: “I’m at all times able to freak off.” Two days later, Cassie despatched an specific message and he replied in keen anticipation. She responded: “Me Too, I simply need it to be uncontrollable.”
Later that 12 months, nonetheless, she additionally despatched Combs messages that she was pissed off with the state of their relationship and wanted one thing extra from him than intercourse.
Estevao additionally famous a July 2013 textual content message alternate the place Cassie wrote to Combs, “Want we may’ve FO’d earlier than you left”, utilizing the initials of freak-off.
In a 2017 textual content message, Cassie advised Combs: “I like our FOs once we each need it.” On the stand Thursday, Cassie defined: “I might say loving FOs have been simply phrases at that time.”
Cassie complained at one level that jurors weren’t listening to the complete context of the messages the defence was highlighting, saying, “There’s lots we ignored.”
Combs’ legal professional introduced Cassie with sexual texts she despatched earlier than a 2016 encounter at a Los Angeles lodge, the place Combs was caught on surveillance video kicking and dragging her in a hallway. Cassie mentioned she wished to get the encounter over with, with a purpose to maintain Combs completely satisfied and keep away from a scene forward of a film premier she was attending days later.
Estevao raised situations of Cassie’s anger with Combs and her admitted jealousy over consideration he gave different ladies. Cassie mentioned Combs did not need her seeing anybody else, however the identical guidelines did not apply to him.
Cassie testified that after a couple of years with Combs she longed to be an even bigger a part of his life however he wouldn’t let her in. Their relationship lasted from 2007 to 2018.
A PACKED COURTROOM WATCHES CASSIE’S TESTIMONY
The cross-examination didn’t have the combative tone of a stereotypical defence grilling. Estevao spoke gently, and he or she and Cassie appeared like two mates chatting at instances.
The 38-year-old Cassie – who’s within the third trimester of being pregnant along with her third youngster – has held up properly on the witness stand. She cried a number of instances in the course of the earlier two days of questions by the prosecution, however for essentially the most half has remained composed and matter-of-fact as she spoke about essentially the most delicate topics.
The Related Press doesn’t sometimes identify individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused until they arrive ahead publicly, as Cassie has.
As the express messages have been learn, Combs appeared relaxed on the defence desk, sitting again along with his fingers folded and legs crossed. The courtroom was full of household and mates of Combs, journalists, and a row of spectator seats occupied by Cassie’s supporters together with her husband.
Throughout a break, Combs stood on the desk, huddling along with his legal professionals, holding a pack of Publish-It notes in a single hand and a pen within the different. At one level, he turned to the gallery and acknowledged a couple of reporters who have been learning his demeanor. “The way you doing?” he requested. Combs’ daughters weren’t within the courtroom Thursday.
Jurors leaned ahead of their seats to comply with alongside because the messages have been displayed on displays in entrance of them within the jury field. One lady shook her head as a very specific message was proven. A person stared intently on the display, urgent his thumb to his chin. Different jurors appeared curious and quizzical, some taking a look at Cassie or jotting notes.
DEFENCE DRAWS A COMPARISON TO THE ‘SWINGERS LIFESTYLE’, BUT CASSIE PUSHES BACK
Whereas prosecutors have targeted on Combs’ want to see Cassie having intercourse with different males, she testified that she typically watched Combs have intercourse with different ladies. She mentioned Combs described it as a part of a “swingers life-style”.
Estevao requested Cassie immediately whether or not she thought freak-offs have been associated to that life-style.
“In a sexual method,” Cassie responded, earlier than including: “They’re very completely different.”
Cassie mentioned Tuesday that Combs was obsessive about a type of voyeurism the place “he was controlling the entire scenario”. The freak-offs befell in non-public, usually in darkish lodge rooms, not like Combs’ very public events that attracted A-list celebrities.
She testified she typically took IV fluids to get well from the encounters, and finally developed an opioid dependancy as a result of it made her “really feel numb” afterward.
Cassie’s testimony on cross-examination was in distinction to earlier days, when she described the violence and shame that accompanied her “a whole bunch” of freak-offs throughout her relationship with Combs.
CASSIE’S LAWSUIT SPARKED CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST COMBS
Cassie testified Wednesday that Combs raped her when she broke up with him in 2018, and had her locked in a lifetime of abuse by threatening to launch movies of her in the course of the freak-offs.
She sued Combs in 2023, accusing him of years of bodily and sexual abuse. Inside hours, the swimsuit was settled for US$20 million (S$25.9 million) – a determine Cassie disclosed for the primary time Wednesday – however dozens of comparable authorized claims adopted from different ladies. It additionally touched off a regulation enforcement investigation into Combs that has culminated on this month’s trial.
