For the first time, the most important witness testified in the trial against US rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs: his ex-girlfriend Cassandra “Cassie” Ventura. Combs had repeatedly become violent during her relationship, said the heavily pregnant singer in front of the juries in New York on Tuesday. He also forced her to participate in “disgusting” parties, in which she was forced to degrading sexual acts.
The 38-year-old reported in tears that the Combs 17 years older threw her to the ground in one of his outbreaks of violence, beaten her, dragged behind her and even kicked her on her head. Such an incident can be seen on video recordings from a hotel from 2016 that were shown in court. According to the public prosecutor’s office, Combs freaked out for one of his drug and sex parties, which he himself described as “freak-offs”.
Tagae “parties”
Ventura said these evenings were “disgusting” and had completely overwhelmed them. To get excited, the rapper urinated her or paid prostitutes to do so. She took Ecstasy or cocaine to stay awake during the days of torment and to fulfill Combs’ wishes.
She wanted to make her friend happy. “And at some point I had the impression that I had no choice anymore,” she emphasized. Combs also “had many ways” to make them compliant with compromising videos. The singer and dancer Ventura had sued the well -known musician and producer in 2023 for years of ill -treatment and rape. Shortly afterwards, both agreed on an out -of -court settlement, but since then numerous other women and men also complain against the rapper.
Combs denies allegations
The public prosecutor accuses Combs of sexually abusing women and men and forced to participate in his supposed parties with threats and violence. Combs’ defender Teny Geragos denied the allegations on Monday in her opening speech. The relationship of the rapper to Ventura was “toxic” and violence came to violence, but not forced sexual acts. Ventura’s statements said the defense that she voluntarily took the drugs, so there was no question of coercion.
The trial in New York is scheduled for eight to ten weeks. In the event of a guilty verdict, the rapper threatens lifelong imprisonment.
With material from dpa.
