R&B singer Cassie was pressed to learn aloud her personal express messages to ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs in federal courtroom Thursday (Might 15), together with texts that confirmed her expressing need for the drug-fuelled group intercourse 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 prices. His defence says that, whereas he may very well be violent, nothing he did amounted to a legal enterprise.
Prosecutors say he exploited his standing as a strong music government to violently power Cassie and different girls into these marathon encounters with intercourse staff, referred to as “freak-offs”, which generally 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 prices.
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 needed to do throughout the freak-offs. Cassie’s testimony will resume Friday.
Combs, 55, has been jailed since September. He faces no less than 15 years in jail if convicted.
DEFENCE HIGHLIGHTS CASSIE’S MESSAGES TO COMBS
Whereas Cassie, whose authorized title is Casandra Ventura, has stated she felt compelled to take part in freak-offs to maintain Combs joyful, 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 needed 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 express message and he replied in keen anticipation. She responded: “Me Too, I simply need it to be uncontrollable.”
Later that yr, nevertheless, 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 trade 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 really like our FOs once we each need it.” On the stand Thursday, Cassie defined: “I’d 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 loads we omitted.”
Combs’ legal professional introduced Cassie with sexual texts she despatched earlier than a 2016 encounter at a Los Angeles resort, the place Combs was caught on surveillance video kicking and dragging her in a hallway. Cassie stated she needed to get the encounter over with, with a purpose to hold Combs joyful 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 girls. Cassie stated Combs did not need her seeing anybody else, however the identical guidelines did not apply to him.
Cassie testified that after a number of years with Combs she longed to be a much 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 associates chatting at occasions.
The 38-year-old Cassie – who’s within the third trimester of being pregnant along with her third little one – has held up properly on the witness stand. She cried a number of occasions throughout the earlier two days of questions by the prosecution, however for probably the most half has remained composed and matter-of-fact as she spoke about probably the most delicate topics.
The Related Press doesn’t sometimes title individuals who say they’ve been sexually abused except they arrive ahead publicly, as Cassie has.
As the express messages have been learn, Combs appeared relaxed on the defence desk, sitting again together with his fingers folded and legs crossed. The courtroom was filled with household and associates 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 together with his attorneys, holding a pack of Submit-It notes in a single hand and a pen within the different. At one level, he turned to the gallery and acknowledged a number 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 observe alongside because the messages have been displayed on screens in entrance of them within the jury field. One girl shook her head as a very express message was proven. A person stared intently on the display screen, urgent his thumb to his chin. Different jurors appeared curious and quizzical, some Cassie or jotting notes.
DEFENCE DRAWS A COMPARISON TO THE ‘SWINGERS LIFESTYLE’, BUT CASSIE PUSHES BACK
Whereas prosecutors have centered on Combs’ need to see Cassie having intercourse with different males, she testified that she generally watched Combs have intercourse with different girls. She stated 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 manner,” Cassie responded, earlier than including: “They’re very completely different.”
Cassie stated Tuesday that Combs was obsessive about a type of voyeurism the place “he was controlling the entire state of affairs”. The freak-offs occurred in non-public, typically in darkish resort rooms, not like Combs’ very public events that attracted A-list celebrities.
She testified she generally took IV fluids to recuperate from the encounters, and finally developed an opioid habit 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 disgrace that accompanied her “tons of” 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 throughout 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 girls. It additionally touched off a legislation enforcement investigation into Combs that has culminated on this month’s trial.
