在明星证人凯茜·温图拉作证一周后，正在对肖恩“吹牛老爹”库姆斯进行审判的联邦检察官周一开始传唤他们认为可以证实他前女友威胁，虐待和暴力指控的证人。
流行乐队“丹尼蒂·凯恩”的前成员道恩·理查德告诉陪审员，她亲眼目睹库姆斯袭击文图拉。文图拉以前最好的朋友凯丽·摩根回忆说，她恳求文图拉离开摩根认为是虐待的关系。库姆斯的前助理大卫·詹姆斯向我们展示了为这位说唱大亨工作的情景。
“这是库姆斯先生的王国。詹姆斯回忆说，一名库姆斯的员工在他面试这份工作时告诉他。
在长达六个小时的证词中，就像一场法律拉锯战，库姆斯的律师试图对控方证人产生怀疑，并强调证词中的不一致之处，挽回他们可能在直接审查中与陪审团建立起来的一些可信度。
库姆斯不认罪，否认了性交易和敲诈勒索的指控，辩称尽管他可能犯下了其他罪行——如家庭暴力和非法吸毒——但他没有性侵犯或贩卖任何人。
证词将于周二恢复，届时詹姆斯将重新出庭，解释他将如何为库姆斯准备酒店房间——检察官计划利用这一证词来确立他们所谓的以库姆斯为中心的犯罪集团。这样一个犯罪集团是证明检察官对库姆斯的敲诈指控的关键。
检察官预计将在周二传唤一名被称为“惩罚者”的护卫，并传唤文图拉的母亲。
道恩·理查德在众星云集的晚宴上作证，据称库姆斯在晚宴上打了文图拉一拳
星期五，文图拉离开证人席后，道恩·理查德开始作证。周一早上，她继续出庭作证，讲述了她如何目睹库姆斯多次殴打文图拉。
理查德作证说，她目睹库姆斯在2009年中央公园的一个音乐节之前，用“握紧的拳头”打了他当时的女朋友文图拉的脸。在文图拉戴上墨镜和化妆来掩饰伤势后，理查德说她戴上墨镜是为了“声援”文图拉。评审团随后看到了理查德、文图拉和另一名丹尼蒂·凯恩成员在电影节上戴墨镜的照片。
理查德还作证说，暴力行为扩展到了其他公共场合，他声称，在亚瑟、尼欧和Interscope Records联合创始人吉米·艾奥文出席的一次集体晚宴上，库姆斯打了文图拉的肚子。理查德在对库姆斯的民事诉讼中提到了这一指控，但辩护律师强调，理查德之前对晚宴的讨论没有提到高调的客人。
理查德在2024年起诉库姆斯袭击，侵犯版权和非法监禁，指控-除其他外-他在许多场合摸她，并强迫她忍受不人道的工作条件。库姆斯否认了所有指控，他的律师上周提交了一份动议，驳回此案。
在反诘问中，辩护律师尼科尔·威斯特摩兰说，理查德对所谓的攻击的叙述已经改变了几次，促使陪审团的一些成员明显地摇头和乱写笔记。威斯特摩兰还暗示理查德同意指证库姆斯，因为他解散了她曾经加入的音乐团体，从而毁了她的音乐生涯。
“你觉得库姆斯先生毁了你的职业生涯不止一次，而是两次，”威斯特摩兰说。“是的，”理查德回答。
文图拉以前最好的朋友出庭作证
文图拉以前最好的朋友克里·摩根周一作证说，她亲眼看到库姆斯袭击了文图拉。
她作证说，她看到库姆斯在库姆斯在好莱坞山租的房子里打了文图拉，她还作证说，第二次库姆斯在去牙买加的途中袭击了文图拉，据称当时库姆斯就在她面前。
“我听到她尖叫，我走到走廊。走廊非常长。他们从主卧室出来，他拽着她的头发在地板上拖着她，”摩根就牙买加之行作证说。
检察官还向摩根询问了2016年库姆斯被指控袭击文图拉事件的后果。文图拉证实，当她试图离开洛杉矶洲际酒店的“怪胎”时，发生了这种情况。该事件的一部分被酒店的闭路监控摄像头拍了下来。
摩根的叙述与文图拉上周告诉陪审员的相符，他说警方在事件发生后赶到，但文图拉拒绝合作。
摩根说，她与文图拉的关系在2018年结束，此前她说库姆斯试图掐住摩根的脖子，并用木制衣架打她。摩根作证说，库姆斯要求她告诉他“凯西和谁在一起”，而文图拉把自己锁在浴室里。
摩根说，在她威胁要起诉后，她后来接受了库姆斯支付的3万美元。她作证说，作为金钱的回报，她同意了一项保密协议。
在反诘问中，辩护律师质疑摩根为何没有与文图拉重修旧好。他们试图强化这样一种观点，即库姆斯的暴力行为仅仅是出于嫉妒和他正在服用的药物——而不是他使用暴力来胁迫文图拉并把她控制在自己的控制之下。
“我不允许身体虐待，”摩根说。"我不再和她说话的原因是那次事件后她不再支持我了。"
库姆斯的前助理作证关于'库姆斯先生的王国'
库姆斯的前私人助理大卫·詹姆斯周一开始作证，他告诉陪审员他曾与库姆斯一起面试的工作。
詹姆斯说，当他走进坏男孩娱乐公司在纽约的总部时，一名员工提到了挂在墙上的一张库姆斯的照片。“这是库姆斯先生的王国。我们都是来为它服务的，”詹姆斯说，女人告诉他。
詹姆斯证实了库姆斯的工作时间、他的安保人员携带的武器以及文图拉警告他库姆斯的时间。
“她对我说，‘伙计，这种生活方式太疯狂了，’”詹姆斯在作证时说。“她说，‘我出不去。你知道康姆斯先生监督了我的生活。他控制着我的音乐事业，他给我零花钱。"
詹姆斯的证词将于周二上午恢复，预计他将继续描述涉嫌为库姆斯准备酒店房间的过程。
这一系列证词可以确定支持和促成他的活动的人的更广泛的事业。
检察官公布了文图拉证词中的证据
在文图拉上周进行了四天残酷而深入的证词后，联邦检察官周一公布了他们向陪审团展示的许多照片，这些照片是为了给库姆斯在性交易和敲诈勒索案中定罪。
通过证据，陪审员能够看到一些瘀伤，伤口和伤痕，文图拉说她在库姆斯殴打她后遭受了痛苦。他们还看到了一把刀，文图拉说她用这把刀堵住了门，保护自己免受梳子的伤害。
她作证说:“我收到了很多肖恩的暗访，他在那里很生气，并试图一箭双雕，锁住它并拥有一件武器。”
检察官还公布了库姆斯去年被捕当晚的照片，包括9000美元的现金，他们说氯胺酮和摇头丸测试呈阳性的物质，以及据称库姆斯储存的婴儿油瓶，供证人在法庭证词中描述的性派对期间使用。
Inner circle members give testimony as 2nd week of Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial gets underway
After a week of testimony from star witness Cassie Ventura, federal prosecutors in the ongoing trial for Sean "Diddy" Combs on Monday started calling witnesses they believe could corroborate his ex-girlfriend's allegations of threats, abuse and violence.
Dawn Richard, a former member of the pop group Danity Kane, told jurors that she personally witnessed Combs assaulting Ventura. Ventura's former best friend Kerry Morgan recounted pleading with Ventura to leave what Morgan viewed as an abusive relationship. And Combs' former assistant, David James, offered a glimpse of what it was like working for the rap mogul.
"This is Mr. Combs' kingdom. We're all here to serve in it," James recounted one of Combs' employees telling him when he interviewed for the job.
Across six hours of testimony that played out like a legal tug-of-war, lawyers for Combs tried to cast doubt on prosecution witnesses and highlighted inconsistencies in the testimony, clawing back some of the credibility they might have built up with the jury during direct examination.
Combs has pleaded not guilty and denies allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering, arguing that while he might have committed other crimes – like domestic abuse and illegal drug use – he has not sexually assaulted or trafficked anyone.
Testimony is set to resume Tuesday, when James retakes the stand to explain how he would prepare hotel rooms for Combs – a piece of testimony that prosecutors plan to use to establish what, they allege, is a criminal enterprise with Combs at its center. Such a criminal enterprise is a key to proving the racketeering charges prosecutors have filed against Combs.
Prosecutors are expected to call an escort known as "The Punisher" and to call Ventura's mother on Tuesday.
Dawn Richard testified about star-studded dinner where Combs allegedly punched Ventura
Dawn Richard began her testimony after Ventura left the witness stand Friday. She resumed her appearance in court Monday morning by testifying about how she witnessed Combs beat Ventura multiple times.
Richard testified that she witnessed Combs punch his then-girlfriend Ventura in the face with a "closed fist" in 2009 before a music festival in Central Park. After Ventura put on sunglasses and makeup to hide the injury, Richard said she put on sunglasses "in solidarity" with Ventura. The jury then saw a photo of Richard, Ventura and another member of Danity Kane wearing sunglasses at the festival.
Richard also testified that the violence extended to other public settings, alleging that Combs punched Ventura in the stomach during a group dinner attended by Usher, Ne-Yo and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine. Richard mentioned that allegation in her civil lawsuit against Combs, but defense lawyers highlighted that Richard's prior discussion of the dinner did not mention the high-profile guests.
Richard in 2024 sued Combs for assault, copyright infringement and false imprisonment, alleging -- among other things -- that he groped her on numerous occasions and forced her to endure inhumane work conditions. Combs denied all of the allegations and his attorneys last week filed a motion to dismiss the case.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland said Richard's account of an alleged assault has changed several times, prompting some members of the jury to visibly shake their heads and scribble notes. Westmoreland also suggested Richard agreed to testify against Combs because he ruined her music career by dismantling the music groups she had once been a part of.
"You felt like Mr. Combs ruined your career not once but twice," Westmoreland said. "Yes," Richard answered.
Ventura's former best friend takes the stand
Ventura's former best friend Kerry Morgan testified on Monday about two instances when, she said, she personally saw Combs assault Ventura.
She testified she saw Combs hit Ventura in a home Combs rented in Hollywood Hills, and she testified about a second instance when Combs -- allegedly in her presence -- assaulted Ventura during a trip to Jamaica.
"I heard her screaming and I went to the hallway. The hallway was extremely long. They were coming out of the master bedroom, and he was dragging her on the floor by her hair," Morgan testified about the Jamaica trip.
Prosecutors also asked Morgan about the aftermath of a 2016 incident when Combs is accused of assaulting Ventura. Ventura has testified this occurred when she tried to leave a "freak-off" at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. Part of that incident was captured on hotel closed-circuit security cameras.
Morgan's account matched what Ventura told jurors last week, saying the police arrived after the incident but Ventura refused to cooperate.
Morgan said her relationship with Ventura ended in 2018 after she says Combs tried to choke Morgan and hit her with a wooden coat hanger. Morgan testified that Combs demanded she tell him "who Cassie was cheating on him with" while Ventura locked herself in a bathroom.
Morgan said she later accepted a $30,000 payment from Combs after she threatened to sue. She agreed to a confidentiality deal in return for the money, she testified.
On cross examination, defense lawyers questioned why Morgan has not rekindled her relationship with Ventura. They tried to reinforce the idea that Combs was violent simply out of jealousy and because of the drugs he was taking – not that he was using violence to coerce Ventura and keep her under his control.
"I draw the line at physical abuse," Morgan said. "The reason I stopped speaking to her was she was not supportive of me after that incident."
Combs' former assistant testifies about 'Mr. Combs' kingdom'
David James, Combs' former personal assistant, began his testimony on Monday by telling jurors about interviewing for the job he had with Combs.
As he entered the headquarters of Bad Boy Entertainment in New York, James said an employee remarked about a photo of Combs hanging on the wall. "This is Mr. Combs' kingdom. We're all here to serve in it," James said the woman told him.
James testified about the demanding hours, the weapons Combs' security staff carried and the time Ventura warned him about Combs.
"She said to me, 'Man this lifestyle is crazy,'" James testified Ventura saying. "She said, 'I can't get out. You know Mr. Combs oversees so much of my life. He controls my music career, he gives me an allowance.'"
James' testimony is set to resume on Tuesday morning, when he is expected to continue describing the alleged process of preparing hotel rooms for Combs.
That line of testimony could establish the broader enterprise of people who supported and enabled his activities.
Prosecutors release evidence from Ventura's testimony
After four days of Ventura's brutal and deeply intimate testimony last week, federal prosecutors Monday released many of the photos they have shown the jury in their effort to convict Combs in their sex trafficking and racketeering case.
Through the evidence, jurors were able to see some of the bruises, gashes and welts that Ventura said she suffered after Combs beat her. They also saw a knife that Ventura said she used to block a door and protect herself from Combs.
"I was getting a lot of unannounced visits from Sean where he was angry, and trying to kill two birds with one stone, to lock it and have a weapon," she testified.
Prosecutors also released photos from the night Combs was arrested last year, including $9,000 in cash, substances that they said tested positive for ketamine and MDMA, and bottles of baby oil that were allegedly stocked by Combs for use during the sex parties that witnesses have described in court testimony.
