The primary day of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile intercourse trafficking trial on March 12 revealed disturbing new particulars in regards to the 2016 resort assault involving the rapper’s ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura. One particular person’s testimony centered on the alleged assault and subsequent makes an attempt to cowl it up, providing a deeper look into Combs’ conduct and the lengths he allegedly went to hide it. Jurors additionally heard from a male stripper who claimed he was paid “just a few thousand” {dollars} to have intercourse with Ventura as Combs watched.
Former resort safety guard claimed he was bribed by Combs to cowl up the assault video.
Based on NBC Information, one of many key witnesses was Israel Florez, a former resort safety guard who now serves as a Los Angeles police officer. Florez recounted responding to a disturbance on the InterContinental Lodge in March 2016, the place he found a visibly shaken lady—later recognized as Ventura—curled in a hallway nook close to a smashed flower vase. Surveillance footage reportedly captured Combs dragging and kicking her moments earlier.
Based on Florez, Combs, who was carrying solely a towel, tried to bribe him with a sack of money, urging him to remain quiet after he responded to the incident. Combs allegedly instructed him they have been arguing and tried to cease a visibly “scared” Cassie from strolling away and getting her cellphone. Florez stated he blocked the Grammy-award-winning artist from following her, placing his physique within the doorway and standing for a couple of minutes, permitting the singer to go away the room.
“I began to go away and (Combs) referred to as for me,” Florez stated. “He had a sack of cash and he threw it at me and stated, ‘Don’t inform anybody.’”
After providing the alleged “bribe” cash, Florez stated the mogul allegedly tried to grab the safety guards’ telephones, fearing he was being recorded.
“We stated we aren’t recording you and de-escalated the scenario,” he added.
Male stripper testifies, claims he witnessed Combs assault Ventura.
Later, one other witness—a male stripper named Daniel Phillip—testified that he was paid hundreds of {dollars} to interact in intercourse acts with Ventura whereas Combs noticed, describing an incident from round 2012 or 2013.
The stripper claimed he was paid just a few thousand {dollars} to have intercourse with Ventura as they rubbed child oil on each other, in accordance with NBC Information. Combs allegedly sat in a nook watching as he masturbated.
Phillips continued to have intercourse with Ventura after that encounter. Based on his testimony, Combs would usually instruct him on the best way to have intercourse with the singer, guiding them on the best way to roleplay and when to orgasm, amongst different intercourse acts. Phillip stated the New York-bred artist provided him medicine on one event, however he declined. He famous one incident the place Ventura gave the impression to be closely below the affect of medication.
“She seemed like she was utterly handed out, half on the sofa and half off the sofa,” Phillip alleged.
In a single account, he recalled Combs turning into enraged when Cassie didn’t reply to him instantly, allegedly throwing a liquor bottle at her, then dragging her by the hair right into a bed room the place he appeared to bodily assault her. Phillip stated he was too frightened to intervene, noting that a number of bodyguards have been current.
In a separate incident on the Essex Lodge, Phillip testified that he heard sounds of Cassie crying and what he believed was a violent altercation behind closed doorways.
He later noticed Combs go away the room carrying solely a towel, and Cassie, visibly shaken, ran to Phillip for consolation. Regardless of her reassurance that she can be nice, Phillip stated he urged her to hunt assist, expressing concern over the abuse he had witnessed.
“She principally tried to persuade me that ‘it’s OK’ and ‘I’ll be OK,’” Phillip instructed the decide. “And I stated, ‘It’s not OK and it’s essential to get assist.’”
Combs’ protection crew insisted that each one victims willingly participated in his wild intercourse fantasies.
Prosecutors said earlier within the day that for years Ventura tried to interrupt free from Combs’ abusive conduct, however was threatened by the discharge of “movies of intercourse acts Combs pressured her to take part in.”
Of their opening remarks, Combs’ protection crew acknowledged that the music mogul had a historical past of anger points and admitted to situations of home violence and weird sexual conduct. Nonetheless, they argued that his actions, whereas regrettable, don’t represent federal crimes. Legal professional Teny Geragos said that Combs was not happy with sure previous behaviors however maintained that the entire sexual encounters in query concerned consenting adults and claimed the entire accusers have been motivated to lie for a “cash seize.”
“We is not going to draw back from the issues he did, however we is not going to personal the issues he didn’t do,” Geragos instructed jurors. “He’s bodily, he’s a drug person, chances are you’ll know of his love of child oil. Is {that a} federal crime? No!”