Richard disclosed the alleged menace as she returned to the witness stand to kick off the second week of testimony in Combs’ intercourse trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan federal court docket.
Combs, 55, is accused of exploiting his leisure powerbroker standing to abuse girls, together with Cassie, by means of threats and violence for 20 years from 2004 till his arrest final September. He has pleaded not responsible. His legal professionals argue that prosecutors compiled proof of home violence, however not the federal crimes he is charged with.
Earlier than day’s finish, Cassie’s finest buddy of 17 years and a former private assistant to Combs testified that she felt trapped as prosecutors tried to uncover proof that Combs was working a felony racketeering organisation that relied on workers to assist him management Cassie and different girls in his life.
Testimony about Combs’ beatings of Cassie got here with hardly a point out of the drug-fuelled “freak-offs” that dominated testimony final week, when Cassie defined over 4 days how her want for a loving relationship with Combs led as a substitute to her weekly sexual performances with male intercourse staff that left her too exhausted to pursue her musical profession.
RICHARD RECALLS VIOLENT OUTBURSTS
Richard, who started her testimony Friday and concluded Monday, stated she witnessed Combs assault Cassie a number of occasions, together with throughout a go to to Combs’ residence recording studio in 2009, when Richard stated she and one other girl noticed Combs hit Cassie “on the pinnacle and beat her on the bottom” after Cassie deflected a swipe at her head by a skillet.
Richard stated she witnessed Combs beat his girlfriend incessantly when he “would punch her, choke her, drag her, slap her within the mouth. I noticed him kick her, punch her within the abdomen”.
Beatings got here when Cassie spoke up for herself, “if she had an opinion about one thing,” stated Richard, who additionally carried out within the group Danity Kane.
She stated Combs’ workers, together with his bodyguards, additionally witnessed violence, however they “wouldn’t react. They wouldn’t do something”.
Richard supported Cassie’s testimony that Combs had stifled Cassie’s fledgling singing profession, saying she heard Combs inform Cassie that he “owned her” and that any success she had can be on his phrases.
Richard stated Combs would get mad – typically violent – when she and different artistes provided to assist Cassie write songs.
Defence lawyer Nicole Westmoreland urged Richard was testifying as a result of she was offended at Combs for ending Danity Kane and Diddy – Soiled Cash, and since she has a pending lawsuit towards him.
“You felt that Mr Combs ruined your profession not as soon as, however twice?” Westmoreland requested.
“Sure,” Richard answered.
She contended, although, that she was unhappy, not offended, over the top of the teams, and is suing Combs as a result of he mistreated her and withheld her earnings.
Unhealthy Boy signed Cassie to a 10-album deal in 2006, however solely launched one – the self-titled Cassie, which got here out the identical 12 months. Cassie and Combs began courting in 2007 and broke up for good in 2018.
CASSIE’S FORMER BEST FRIEND RECALLS VIOLENT OUTBURSTS
After Richard got here testimony from Kerry Morgan. She stated she was Cassie’s longtime finest buddy till they’d a falling out after Morgan suffered a concussion when Combs’ choked Morgan and slung a picket hanger at her in 2018 when he got here to Cassie’s Los Angeles residence enraged that Cassie was courting another person.
