Cassie details UTIs during testimony at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial
On May 14th in a New York City court, Cassie Ventura continued to testify during the trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, including revealing harrowing details of physical injuries such as urinary tract infections.
Ventura, who is eight and a half months pregnant, was in a relationship with Combs for over a decade. She began her testimony on May 13th and is expected to be at the stand for several more days.
Ventura discussed at length the different physical injuries she sustained from the alleged abuse by her ex-partner. She described mouth sores that were a result of the ‘freak-offs’.
In a series of examined texts, Ventura mentioned the sores on her tongue to Combs. Ventura testified that the sores are attributable to activities during the ‘freak-offs’, including drug-taking and oral sex. He expressed sympathy in the message to her, writing, “I’m sorry.”
She further testified that she sometimes had persistent urinary tract infections when she and Combs were having frequent ‘freak-offs’. She called the pain of enduring the activities during this illness “horrible.”
Ventura also testified about an instance of abuse in 2013. She was with two friends in her apartment before travelling to a music festival. Combs arrived to yell at her; when he moved to attack her, her friends “jumped on his back.” During the altercation, Combs threw her down, which led her to sustain an eyebrow cut from the corner of her bed.
Combs had security take her to a plastic surgeon’s office in to suture the gash. She says she later texted him a photo of the injury and wrote, “so you can remember.” She says this scar is permanent.
Physical abuse was also prevalent during the freak-offs. As per The New York Times, Ventura reported that Sean Combs would “put his hands on me. He would grab me up, push me down. Hit me in the side of the head. Kick me. You name it.” Sometimes, an escort was close by and was aware of the physical abuse, she revealed.
Combs is charged with five counts of sex trafficking, racketeering, and sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
The trial remains ongoing.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.