Zürcher Nachrichten - Sean Combs's ex Cassie alleges pattern of abuse ahead of defense grilling

Singer and model Ventura, better known as Cassie, is also likely to face questions about allegations that Combs raped her in 2018, as well as her graphic accounts of elaborate sex parties organized by the hip-hop icon.

Combs, charged with five counts including racketeering and sex trafficking, would "push me down, hit me in the side of the head, kick me" during the highly orchestrated sex parties, Ventura testified Wednesday.

In an emotional first day of testimony, Ventura, who is heavily pregnant with her husband Alex Fine, whom she married in 2019, also detailed extensive, sustained abuse at the hands of Combs.

She painted him as controlling and willing to wield his wealth and influence to get his way.

Ventura gave vivid accounts that will underpin much of the prosecution's case against the music industry figure who is alleged to have used violence and blackmail to manipulate women over many years.

Ventura recounted so-called "freak-off" sex parties saying she participated because she was "just in love and wanted to make (Combs) happy -- to a point I didn't feel like I had much of a choice."

Ventura, who is 17 years younger than Combs and first met him when she was 19, described how the mogul would sometimes urinate on her, or he would instruct one of the numerous sex workers he engaged to do so.

- 'It was disgusting' -

The escorts, almost always men, were paid thousands of dollars in cash after encounters.

"It was disgusting. It was too much. It was overwhelming," she said, adding that the hotel rooms used for the marathon sex sessions were often trashed, with establishments charging sizable cleaning and repair bills including for sheets stained with blood and urine.

Combs's defense team indicated that during cross-examination, which is expected as early as Wednesday afternoon, they would seek to emphasize that Ventura took drugs of her own free will, and behaved erratically.

Ventura said that during the encounters she took drugs including ecstasy, ketamine and cocaine, and that the "drugs honestly helped" her meet Combs's demands to stay awake for days on end.

The drugs also had a "dissociative and numbing" effect, she said, "a way to not feel it for what it really was."

In a hotel surveillance clip from March 2016 shown to jurors Monday and again Tuesday, Combs is seen brutally beating and dragging Ventura down a hallway.

The prosecution played portions of the footage while Ventura was on the stand.

When asked why she didn't fight back or get up, Ventura answered simply that curled up on the ground "felt like the safest place to be."

"I don't remember exactly his words," she said Wednesday, describing Combs losing control. "I'm sure he was calling me something other than my name."

Following the alleged hotel assault, Ventura was forced to attend the premiere of her movie "The Perfect Match" covered in bruises to her body and face, the jury heard as they were shown photographs of the actress at the event.

Ventura said she was forced to wear sunglasses to conceal a black eye.

Combs's defense team insists while some of his behavior was questionable it did not constitute racketeering and sex trafficking. He denies all counts and proceedings are expected to last eight to 10 weeks.

U.Ammann--NZN