Lawyers for Combs sought to portray Cassie to the jury as a willing and eager participant in the music mogul’s sexual lifestyle. Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. His defense says that, while he could be violent, nothing he did amounted to a criminal enterprise.
Messages between Combs and Cassie — both romantic and lurid — were the focus of the fourth day of testimony in a Manhattan courtroom. Defense attorney Anna Estevao read what Combs wrote, while Cassie recited her own messages about what she wanted to do during the freak-offs. Cassie’s testimony will resume Friday.
Combs, 55, has been jailed since September. He faces at least 15 years in prison if convicted.
Defense highlights Cassie’s messages to Combs
While Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, has said she felt compelled to participate in freak-offs to keep Combs happy, Estevao pointed to message exchanges where Cassie appeared excited about the sexual encounters and raised the idea of having one on her own.
In August 2009, Combs asked when she wanted the next encounter to be, and she replied “I’m always ready to freak off.” Two days later, Cassie sent an explicit message and he replied in eager anticipation. She responded: “Me Too, I just want it to be uncontrollable.”
Later that year, however, she also sent Combs messages that she was frustrated with the state of their relationship and needed something more from him than sex.
Estevao also noted a July 2013 text message exchange where Cassie wrote to Combs, “Wish we could’ve FO’d before you left,” using the initials of freak-off.
In a 2017 text message, Cassie told Combs: “I love our FOs when we both want it.” On the stand Thursday, Cassie explained: “I would say loving FOs were just words at that point.”
Cassie complained at one point that jurors weren’t hearing the full context of the messages the defense was highlighting, saying, “There’s a lot we skipped over.”
Combs’ attorney presented Cassie with sexual texts she sent before a 2016 encounter at a Los Angeles hotel, where Combs was caught on surveillance video kicking and dragging her in a hallway. Cassie said she wanted to get the encounter over with, in order to keep Combs happy and avoid a scene ahead of movie premier she was attending days later.
Estevao raised instances of Cassie’s anger with Combs and her admitted jealousy over attention he gave other women. Cassie said Combs didn’t want her seeing anyone else, but the same rules didn’t apply to him.
Cassie testified that after a few years with Combs she longed to be a bigger part of his life but 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 defense grilling. Estevao spoke gently, and she and Cassie seemed like two friends chatting at times.
The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly, as Cassie has.
As the explicit messages were read, Combs appeared relaxed at the defense table, sitting back with his hands folded and legs crossed. The courtroom was packed with family and friends of Combs, journalists, and a row of spectator seats occupied by Cassie’s supporters including her husband.
During a break, Combs stood at the table, huddling with his lawyers, holding a pack of Post-It notes in one hand and a pen in the other. At one point, he turned to the gallery and acknowledged a few reporters who were studying his demeanor. “How you doing?” he asked. Combs’ daughters were not in the courtroom Thursday.
Jurors leaned forward in their seats to follow along as the messages were displayed on monitors in front of them in the jury box. One woman shook her head as a particularly explicit message was shown. A man stared intently at the screen, pressing his thumb to his chin. Other jurors appeared curious and quizzical, some looking at Cassie or jotting notes.
Defense draws a comparison to the ‘swingers lifestyle,’ but Cassie pushes back
While prosecutors have focused on Combs’ desire to see Cassie having sex with other men, she testified that she sometimes watched Combs have sex with other women. She said Combs described it as part of a “swingers lifestyle.”
“In a sexual way,” Cassie responded, before adding: “They’re very different.”
Cassie said Tuesday that Combs was obsessed with a form of voyeurism where “he was controlling the whole situation.” The freak-offs took place in private, often in dark hotel rooms, unlike Combs’ very public parties that attracted A-list celebrities.
She testified she sometimes took IV fluids to recover from the encounters, and eventually developed an opioid addiction because it made her “feel numb” afterward.
Cassie’s lawsuit sparked the criminal case against Combs
Cassie testified Wednesday that Combs raped her when she broke up with him in 2018, and had locked in a life of abuse by threatening to release videos of her during the freak-offs.
She sued Combs in 2023, accusing him of years of physical and sexual abuse. Within hours, the suit was settled for $20 million — a figure Cassie disclosed for the first time Wednesday — but dozens of similar legal claims followed from other women. It also touched off a law enforcement investigation into Combs that has culminated in this month’s trial.
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Michael R. Sisak And Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press
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Le procès de diddy : Ce qu’il faut retenir des témoignages de Cassie
Voici un résumé des éléments clés du procès de Sean “Diddy” Combs, basé sur les témoignages de Cassie.
Questions fréquemment posées (FAQ)
Qui est Cassie ?
Cassandra Ventura, la plaignante dans le procès contre Diddy.
quelles sont les accusations contre Diddy ?
Trafic sexuel et racket.
Quel est le point de vue de la défense ?
La défense tente de présenter Cassie comme une participante consentante.
Qu’est-ce que les “freak-offs” ?
Des rencontres sexuelles, souvent explicites, impliquant Combs et Cassie.
Cassie a-t-elle été forcée de participer ?
Elle a déclaré qu’elle se sentait obligée afin de satisfaire Combs.
Qu’est-ce que Cassie a dit à propos des messages ?
Qu’elle a demandé à des messages de ce genre sans montrer le contexte complet.
Combien de temps a duré la relation entre Cassie et Diddy ?
De 2007 à 2018.
Quelle est la peine encourue par Diddy ?
Au moins 15 ans de prison s’il est reconnu coupable.
Quel était l’objectif de la défense lors de l’interrogatoire de Cassie ?
De démontrer que Cassie était excitée par les rencontres sexuelles et a parfois proposé d’en avoir davantage.
Comment Cassie décrit-elle les “freak-offs” ?
Elle dit qu’elle prenait parfois des intraveineuses pour se remettre de ces rencontres et qu’elle a développé une dépendance aux opioïdes.
Résumé des points clés du procès
| Éléments Clés | Description |
| :————————————————- | :———————————————————————————————————————————————- |
| Nature de la Relation | Relation complexe marquée par l’abus,le contrôle et la dépendance. |
| Témoignages Explicites | Lecture en audience publique de messages explicites par la défense et par cassie elle-même. |
| Position de la Défense | Cherche à minimiser les accusations en présentant Cassie comme une participante volontaire. |
| “Freak-offs” | Accusations révélant des pratiques sexuelles troublantes et des pressions exercées sur Cassie. |
| Conséquences pour Cassie | Traumatisme émotionnel et physique,consommation de drogues. |
| La Réponse de la défense. | La défense met l’accent sur les messages de Cassie impliquant un désir de relations sexuelles. |
| Contexte des messages | Cassie affirme que les avocats de Combs mettent l’accent sur seulement certains de ses messages sans en considérer le contexte dans sa globalité. |
| L’impact sur la salle d’audience | Réactions variées des jurés et de l’entourage de Combs face aux détails accablants révélés. |
| Réactions de Combs | Apparait détendu et désintéressé, mais surveillant néanmoins l’attitude des jurés. |
| Accusations de Cassie | Répète les accusations de viol suite à leur rupture en 2018, et accuse Combs d’avoir menacé de publier des vidéos explicites d’elle. |
| conséquences juridiques | Cette affaire est le résultat d’un procès que Cassie a intenté contre Combs, qui a ensuite débouché sur une enquête judiciaire fédérale et sur le procès actuel. |