Pop sensation Britney Spears has been mentioned in court today during P Diddy’s trial as his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura took to the stand
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs returned to court for another day today as he faces a number of charges, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The disgraced rapper, 55, was arrested in September and strongly denies all allegations made against him. He has been in prison since his arrest, with a number of bail requests rejected.
Combs’ former partner of 10-years Cassie Ventura took to the stand, with the music mogul’s defence team starting their cross-examination.
Subramanian said that the prosecution and defence teams will need to resolve issues surrounding the cross-examination before the questioning gets underway. Meanwhile, defence attorney Anna Estevao believes the cross-examination could stretch into Friday.
On Wednesday, the jury were shown text messages between Combs and Cassie over the years. These included messages about Freak Offs and threats allegedly made by Combs.
Cassie testified that Diddy brought pop star Britney Spears to her 21st birthday party in Las Vegas. He also allegedly invited singer-songwriter Dallas Austin to the celebration.
At the time, Cassie was already signed to Diddy’s record label, and she told the jury that their relationship had been strictly professional—until that night. During the party, she said, Diddy kissed her, leaving her confused.
“Britney, Diddy, and Cassie are pictured together in Las Vegas in 2007,” the entry notes. Cassie’s then-boyfriend, Ryan Leslie, was also present at the event.
Combs’ legal team indicated that they don’t anticipate finishing their questioning of Cassie until the end of the day on Friday. If that timeline holds, she may need to return to court on Monday so prosecutors can continue with a round of questioning known as re-direct.
Subramanian pointed out that both parties had previously agreed Cassie’s testimony would conclude by the end of the week, noting that she is currently pregnant and expecting her third child soon.
In response to the shifting schedule, the judge remarked, “That is the exact opposite of what I was told.”
Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged the miscommunication. “That is why there is a sword that I must fall on,” he said, adding that the revised timing was partly due to prosecutors choosing to call two other witnesses before bringing Cassie to the stand.
During court today, Combs’ lawyers asked Cassie if it’s “fair to say” that his career was ruined after she sued him in November 2023, making public for the first time the concept of “freak-offs.”
“I could understand that,” Cassie responded. Cassie testified earlier this week that when she tied to end their relationship, Combs threatened to end her career by releasing degrading sexual videos of her.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999.