David James, a former private assistant of Sean “Diddy” Combs, continued his testimony on Day 7 of the Unhealthy Boy founder’s intercourse trafficking and racketeering trial.
Prosecutor Christy Slavik continued her questioning of James’ relationship with Combs and his conduct in direction of Cassie Ventura, his former girlfriend, who beforehand testified for 4 days. Though he heard them argue about her profession, James testified that he by no means noticed any bodily violence between Combs and Ventura. In accordance with James, when Ventura shared that she wished to pursue appearing and modeling, Combs instructed her to concentrate on her music.
James testified yesterday that Combs had a number of girlfriends and Kim Porter, who shared three youngsters with him, was the “essential girlfriend.” He then listed Ventura and three different girls as his “different girlfriends.”
James testified that whereas he was on the pc at Combs’ dwelling one evening, Combs checked what he was doing on the pc. “As quickly as he entered the door, he bee-lined straight for me and pulled up the pc’s search historical past,” James mentioned. Combs instructed him that somebody had posted lies in a weblog publish claiming he hit Ventura, and that “he wished to see if James had written it.”
Considered one of James’ obligations was to arrange resort rooms for Combs, and his favourite in New York was the Trump Worldwide. He would even put together “a toiletry bag, a medication bag, meals, and drinks.” In accordance with James, Comb’s medication bag held between 25 and 30 tablet bottles and contained substances corresponding to ecstasy and Percocet. Some bottles had been unmarked, he added. Combs’ Louis Vuitton bag, which was all the time carried by his safety, typically contained greater than $10,000 in money or private objects corresponding to child oil, lubricant and condoms.
When requested if Combs stayed within the room by himself, James replied, “I don’t assume Mr. Combs ever stayed alone.” Whereas working for Combs, James mentioned that Ventura usually stayed with him, however that different girls additionally stayed on the residence.
James additionally testified that he equipped Combs and his associates with medication on a number of events. Throughout a celebration in LA, James mentioned that Combs despatched him again to the home to get ecstasy for a buddy from his medication bag. Though he was not pressured, he felt prefer it was a part of his job.
Following the prosecution’s questioning, Marc Agnifilo, considered one of Combs’ attorneys, cross-examinined James.
Throughout cross-examination, James recalled an incident the place he felt his security was in danger. He and considered one of Combs’ safety guards had gone to a diner, the place the guard noticed Marion “Suge” Knight, a identified rival of Combs, and approached him. James testified that the 2 males spoke briefly earlier than he and the guard went inside to position their order. Later, again at Combs’ residence, James mentioned he was instructed to drive again to the diner to seek for Knight, whereas Combs sat within the again seat with three handguns resting in his lap. By the point they returned, Knight had already left. Following the incident, James gave his discover in Might 2009 and left Combs’ firm.
After James’ testimony, Regina Ventura, Cassie Ventura’s mom, took the stand. Following Cassie’s relocation to California with Combs, Regina Ventura mentioned she noticed her much less regularly, normally across the holidays. “It was tougher to get to her,” Regina mentioned.
Regina testified that Cassie emailed her saying Combs threatened to launch specific intercourse tapes of Cassie in December 2011. After studying the e-mail, Regina mentioned she felt “bodily sick.” Due to the e-mail, she and her husband took a house fairness mortgage to obtain $20,000 for Combs. “That’s the one approach we might get the cash,” she testified, including she was “scared about my daughter’s security.”
About 4 or 5 days later, the cash was returned to her account. After that, she did have communications with Combs in regards to the transaction.
Additionally in December 2011, Regina Ventura testified that she took images of Cassie after she was allegedly bodily assaulted by Combs. “She was bruised, and I wished to ensure that we memorialized it,” she mentioned. This was the primary time Cassie admitted to her mom that Combs was abusive to her.
Following Regina Ventura’s testimony, she was not cross-examined by the protection. “I don’t have any questions for you,” Agnifilo mentioned.
The subsequent witness the prosecution referred to as was Sharay Hayes, now 51, a male unique dancer who used the moniker “The Punisher.” He testified that he first met Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura within the fall of 2012. Ventura referred to as him and mentioned her title was Janet. She mentioned it “was her birthday and her husband mentioned she might rent an unique dancer for the event.”
Hayes said he believed the previous couple contacted him by his web site. He mentioned that Combs and Ventura had been on the Trump Worldwide Resort in New York Metropolis for his or her first encounter. Upon arriving, Hayes thought he would strip and dance for a small group for 30 or 45 minutes.
Ultimately, Ventura invited him into the suite, the place she mentioned she didn’t need him to bop however that “she and her husband favored to create a horny scene” utilizing child oil. Then, her husband would come and watch. “I used to be particularly instructed to not acknowledge her husband, attempt not to have a look at him, no communication or something,” he testified. Then Ventura handed him $800 in money, and he turned into a towel.
Throughout their encounters, Hayes mentioned he adopted Ventura’s lead and “mimicked” what she did as Combs gave delicate directions. Early on, he had no concept that the person within the room was Combs. Hayes did testify that one time he met up with Combs and Ventura at a resort and the TV within the room displayed a message: “The Essex Home wish to welcome Mr. Sean Combs.”
On one event, Combs threw cash on the mattress when he was having intercourse with Ventura. Hayes said that he could be paid for his providers with the identical cash. He testified that Ventura was all the time wanting in Combs’ course throughout their sexual episodes, and she or he all the time adopted his directions.
“My understanding was we had been making a scene, a horny scene, that was satisfying to her associate,” Hayes testified. “I did observe typically a sigh, a wince, that appeared to be frustration on the frequency of Combs’ instructions,” he mentioned.
Hayes additionally mentioned he took medicine to take care of the discomfort of a “sexual situation with a lady’s associate current.” He additionally mentioned that he by no means noticed Combs or Ventura take medication, nor had been they inebriated. They did provide him marijuana once they had their scheduled classes.
In 2016, Hayes testified that his final session with Ventura and Combs after he couldn’t carry out. Ventura paid Hayes and thanked him, “for being personal and respecting their privateness by way of our interactions,” as he left. Hayes mentioned the previous couple had “eight to 12” interactions with him, however after that he was by no means referred to as again.
Throughout cross-examination, led by protection legal professional Xavier Donaldson, he instructed that Hayes developed emotions for Ventura, which he denied. Donaldson referred to paperwork wherein he said that he had begun to develop emotions for Ventura.
“Which will have been taken out of context, as a result of that’s not the case,” Hayes mentioned. He mentioned that Ventura was not a private buddy and that he solely spoke to her briefly earlier than their classes.
When Hayes concluded his testimony, Gerard Gannon, a particular agent with Homeland Safety Investigations, was referred to as to the stand. He’s the tenth witness referred to as by the prosecution. Gannon led the operation that searched Combs’ dwelling in Miami on March 25, 2024. Gannon was assigned to his unit as a result of it “was tied to a human-trafficking investigation.”
Through the siege, Gannon mentioned brokers broke by the gate because the jury checked out pictures of Combs’ mansion. He famous that it was “commonplace apply when conducting a search warrant because the quickest and most secure possibility to have the ability to get onto the property.”
At Combs’ dwelling, Gannon testified that brokers found “platform excessive heels, intercourse toys, child oil, private lubricant and lingerie within the closet.” In addition they discovered “higher and decrease receivers of AR-15s,” that are components of the weapon. Moreover, two magazines loaded with bullets, together with two decrease receivers, had been within the closet. The firearm had no serial quantity.
Gannon will proceed his testimony on Wednesday, Might 21.