Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura, from former girlfriend to disgraced mogul rapper and producer Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, became his nemesis: her civil lawsuit against him, though settled for $20 million in 24 hours, opened the flood of hundreds of similar suits – and eventually led to his prison and prosecution for sex-trafficking.
And now, she has become the most important witness in his trial where he is fighting a potential life sentence.
Today, the 8-month pregnant Cassie is facing grueling cross-examination from Diddy’s Combs’ lawyers.
She talked about the start of their relationship and had to address graphic texts and emails about the never-ending, drug-fueled ‘freak offs’.
Just before lunch break, a visibly irritated Judge Arun Subramanian reprimanded Diddy’s defense for proceeding too slow in their cross-examination of Cassie.
New York Post reported:
“Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo justified the length of time their side would be keeping Ventura on the witness stand since she is the ‘most important witness of the case’.
Prosecutor Emily Johnson expressed concern over the R&B singer — who is eight months pregnant — testifying for so many days, which would be up to five by Monday.”
Judge Subramanian went on to warn the defense that they would get a day-and-a-half to question Ventura, since she ‘was not the kind of witness who is fighting [them]’.
“Combs lawyer Marc Agnifilo said he was surprised to hear there was a hard deadline: ‘This is a critical witness in a case that involves a life sentence’.
Subramanian didn’t budge, noting everyone agreed ahead of time that Ventura’s testimony would be completed by the end of the week.
He told the defense team they would need to finish up with her by Friday morning, but he said he might give them a little more time after lunch.”
As an aside, Marc Agnifilo is famous for his ‘no-holds-barred’ cross-examinations. During the trial of sex cult NXIVM’s guru Keith Raniere, Agnifilo cross-examined a female witness so hard and for so long that it led judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to take the unprecedented step of stopping the cross on its tracks. Raniere ended up convicted with a 120-year prison sentence.
Read more:
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial: the Cassie Ventura Testimony (Part 3)
Read the full article here