The second week of the federal sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs resumed Monday with harrowing testimony from three key witnesses, each painting an increasingly disturbing portrait of a man they claim used his immense wealth and influence to control, abuse, and silence people in his life.
Testifying in a Manhattan federal courtroom, former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard, Cassie Ventura’s former best friend Kerry Morgan, and ex-personal assistant David James took the stand, deepening the prosecution’s case that Sean Combs orchestrated a decades-long pattern of abuse under the guise of luxury, power, and celebrity.
Dawn Richard Concludes Testimony
Dawn Richard returned to the witness stand Monday morning to complete her direct and cross-examinations. Richard, who was part of the girl group Danity Kane formed by Combs, previously testified that she witnessed Sean Combs physically assault Ventura on multiple occasions. Her testimony included an incident where Combs allegedly attacked Ventura with a frying pan in 2009, followed by a warning to Richard and another woman: “People go missing.”
Under cross-examination, defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland challenged Richard’s credibility, questioning discrepancies in her retelling of the skillet incident and pointing out that Richard had previously asked to work with Combs again as recently as 2020. Richard acknowledged that trauma had caused her to suppress memories, but reaffirmed the abuse she witnessed.
“I tried to erase those things,” she said. “But with time and help, they started coming back.”
Kerry Morgan Takes the Stand
Next, prosecutors called Kerry Morgan, a former close friend of Cassie Ventura, whose testimony took the courtroom deeper into Sean Combs’ alleged pattern of coercion and violence. Morgan, subpoenaed to testify, recounted two occasions where she directly witnessed Combs physically assault Ventura—once in Los Angeles and again in Jamaica.
In one of the most chilling revelations of the day, Morgan described hearing “guttural, terrifying” screams before seeing Combs drag Ventura by her hair and slam her head onto a brick surface in Jamaica. “I thought she was knocked out,” she recalled.
Morgan’s own account of abuse came from a 2018 incident in Ventura’s apartment. According to her testimony, Combs entered unannounced, choked her from behind, and hurled a wooden hanger at her head, leaving her with a concussion. Morgan said the attack was triggered by Combs’ suspicions that Ventura was cheating. “He wanted to know who it was. She had locked herself in the bathroom,” Morgan testified.
Morgan said she considered filing a lawsuit but instead accepted $30,000 and signed a nondisclosure agreement (NDA)—a decision, she told the court, brokered by Ventura herself. “She offered me the money. She said it was from him. She was just the go-between,” Morgan said.
Under cross-examination, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo attempted to discredit Morgan’s motives and highlight tensions between her and Ventura. Morgan confirmed she stopped speaking to Ventura after the incident, saying, “I draw the line at physical abuse. She didn’t support me after what happened.”
David James Details Control and Culture of Fear
The final witness of the day, David James, served as Sean Combs’ personal assistant from 2007 to 2009. He described an environment of total control and unquestioned loyalty.
“This is Mr. Combs’s kingdom. We’re all here to serve in it,” James recalled being told during his job interview at Bad Boy Records.
James testified that his duties included everything from booking travel to preparing hotel rooms to fit Combs’ demands. He said Ventura once told him during a Miami trip, “I can’t get out… Mr. Combs oversees so much of my life.”
James described being warned by security personnel to “stay in my lane,” and recalled working for weeks without a single day off. “I knew not to mess with them,” he said of Combs’ security team, some of whom allegedly carried weapons.
Defense Strategy Focuses on Jealousy, Not Coercion
Throughout the day, Sean Combs’ defense team tried to undermine the prosecution’s narrative by suggesting the violence stemmed from jealousy and not a coordinated criminal enterprise. Defense attorneys pointed to tensions between Ventura and Kim Porter, Combs’ former partner, and Combs’ reported jealousy of actor Michael B. Jordan.
Agnifilo also cited a text Morgan sent to Combs, allegedly containing affirmations from a self-love author. “Did you believe Mr. Combs did not love himself?” he asked. “Sometimes it seemed like he did not,” Morgan responded.
Prosecutors swiftly redirected, asking Morgan if jealousy had any role in the two assaults she described witnessing. “None,” she replied.
Looking Ahead
Court adjourned just after 3 p.m., with Judge Arun Subramanian maintaining his timeline of early adjournments and noon lunch breaks. The prosecution announced that Tuesday’s witnesses include Cassie Ventura’s mother and an exotic dancer known as “The Punisher.”
Combs, who is being held without bail, faces multiple federal charges, including sex trafficking by force, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he could face life in prison.
As the second week of testimony unfolds, a clearer picture is emerging of a world cloaked in fame and wealth, powered by fear, control, and silence.
SEE ALSO:
Sean Combs Trial Week 1 Recap: Cassie, Dawn Richard Testify
Day 6 Recap: Explosive Testimony Continues in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Federal Trial
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