Pop singer testifies to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ abuse, faces sharp cross-examination

NEW YORK — Pop singer Dawn Richard told a jury on Monday that she saw Sean “Diddy” Combs beat his girlfriend repeatedly, but she faced sharp questioning from a defense lawyer over apparent inconsistencies in her account.

Ms. Richard, a former member of the pop group Danity Kane, testified during Mr. Combs’ sex trafficking trial that she feared for her life after Mr. Combs told her to keep quiet about the alleged beatings and that he comes from a place where people “go missing.”

Danity Kane was signed with Mr. Combs’ record label. She worked directly with the mogul and often saw him with his then-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, who last week testified to years of Mr. Combs’ alleged physical and emotional abuse.

“I was shocked but also scared,” Ms. Richard told jurors on Monday, saying she feared she and her band mates “could die” if they spoke up.

Ms. Richard was on the stand for the sixth day of the high-profile trial in Manhattan federal court.

Mr. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to five felony counts of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.

He has been held since September in a Brooklyn jail when not in court. If convicted on all counts, he could face 15 years to life in prison.

The trial in Manhattan federal court, which has drawn intense media coverage because of Mr. Combs’ wealth and towering influence in the music industry, could last two months.

During a pointed cross-examination that revealed many apparent inconsistencies in her account, Ms. Richard admitted to giving different versions of the events and not mentioning certain details during her interviews with prosecutors.

The apparent discrepancies included saying she saw Mr. Combs throw a pan at Ms. Ventura in 2009 versus only hearing it, not mentioning Mr. Combs’ alleged threats during interviews with prosecutors, and telling jurors she saw Mr. Combs do drugs despite previously telling prosecutors she hadn’t.

The questioning by defense lawyer Nicole Westmoreland was notably more pointed than other lawyers’ cross-examinations of prior witnesses.

“We can agree your testimony has changed on quite a few things?” Defense lawyer Nicole Westmoreland asked.

“I think as time progresses I get better at knowing what went on because it was quite a long time ago,” Ms. Richard replied.

The 38-year-old Ms. Ventura, a rhythm and blues singer known as Cassie, said over four days of testimony last week that Mr. Combs coerced and blackmailed her into days of drug-fueled sex parties he called “Freak Offs,” the heart of the prosecution’s case.

Ms. Ventura, the prosecution’s star witness, said she suffered years of physical and emotional abuse during their tumultuous 11-year relationship, and that Mr. Combs raped her in August 2018 at her home after they broke up.

A lawyer representing Mr. Combs sought to undercut the rape claim, showing jurors text messages indicating Ms. Ventura had consensual sex with Mr. Combs a month after the alleged rape.

Ms. Ventura did not testify about the alleged 2009 attack.

Following Ms. Richard’s testimony on Friday, Ms. Ventura’s onetime friend Kerry Morgan told jurors about other times when Mr. Combs allegedly attacked Ms. Ventura.

“I saw him hit her… pull her, kick her, push her,” Ms. Morgan said.

Ms. Ventura’s mother, Regina Ventura, is among witnesses to be called by prosecutors on Tuesday.

Mr. Combs, previously known as Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, founded Bad Boy Records, and is credited with helping turn artists like Mary J. Blige, Faith Evans, Notorious B.I.G. and Usher into stars in the 1990s and 2000s.

Part of the criminal case stems from Ms. Ventura’s November 2023 civil lawsuit against Mr. Combs. She testified that he agreed after 24 hours to settle for $20 million. — Reuters