Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Dawn Richard claims rapper abused Cassie for “having an opinion”
During the latest testimony in the trial against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs for sex trafficking and racketeering, Dawn Richard has claimed the former hip-hop mogul abused Cassie Ventura simply for “having an opinion.”
Richard, a former member of pop group Danity Kane, began testifying on May 16th, and has continued to be cross-examined on May 19th. She is giving evidence in an attempt to corroborate claims made by Ventura, who allegedly suffered “brutal” abuse at the hands of Combs during their relationship between 2007 and 2018.
On May 19th, being cross-examined by Combs’ defence lawyer Nicole Westmoreland, Richard claimed the reasons for the rapper’s violence towards Ventura were “varied”.
Richard alleged that sometimes the abuse “could be Cass speaking up for herself”. She added, “It could be random. … It could be … her having an opinion,” the singer told the court.
The former Danity Kane member also previously gave details on the fact that she saw Combs assault Ventura “multiple times” between 2009 and 2011, when she performed with Combs as part of the Diddy-Dirty Money trio.
Richard described one occasion where Combs allegedly punched Ventura so hard in the stomach that she “immediately bent over,” while in a separate incident, Richards also claims to have witnessed him grab Ventura by the neck, slap her in the mouth, and tell her to “shut the fuck up.”
Ventura, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, gave evidence in the first week of the trial, during which she was made to read text messages between herself and Combs detailing the “freak offs” at the epicentre of the case.
In the New York criminal trial, Combs faces five counts of sexual abuse, trafficking and racketeering, to which he has pleaded not guilty and denies. He is also facing more than 70 civil lawsuits for similar charges, including one from Richard, which he again denies.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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