Diddy trial live updates: Combs 'acted strangely' at dinner before alleged rape; as Cassie says she doesn't hate him

Cassie's music career under the microscope

Speaking about her career, Cassie admits it was affected by her relationship with Combs.

She says: "I put out music, but it wasn't the same, it was different because I had to give him all the attention because he was the person running everything."

During the earlier cross-examination, Cassie confirmed that in October 2023 she has moved with her husband and their children back to her parents' house in Connecticut.

When asked if it was for financial reasons, she says: "No, we were transitioning to the East Coast."

Cassie confirms she was planning a tour around that time. When asked if the reason she later cancelled the tour was due to the $20m settlement she received from Sean Combs, she said: "That wasn't the reason why."

'I was opened up to a world of chaos', says Cassie

Cassie's re-direction - as we outlined in the post below - now begins, led by prosecutor Emily Johnson.

She asks about the messages Cassie has been shown in court with her and Combs "showing love for each other". Cassie confirms Combs was indeed "kind and loving", but when asked if that lasted, she says "no".

Elaborating, she says: "When those periods didn't last there was a downswing, when he wasn't happy any more."

She explains how she was impacted by Combs's moods, saying: "I was affected in various ways, it affected my career, if he wanted to have a freak off my career would take a back seat. I had to get myself ready, the room ready, the entertainment, the escorts."

Cassie says during their relationship Combs would put her down, adding: "I was opened up to a world of chaos and his lifestyle and I wanted approval, it was a whole other world I didn't know or understand at the time. It was a lot."

Johnson refers to "an explicit text" she sent to Combs, and asks: "Throughout your entire time with him who did you want to have sex with?"

Cassie replies: "Just him."

Cross-examination over - but Cassie can't leave just yet

Cassie is nearly ready to leave the court, after four days of testimony.

Diddy's defence team has now finished their cross-examination, with the prosecution now questioning her.

Once they're done, the defence will have another chance to question Cassie.

But it's now fair to say her role in the trial is nearly over.

Cassie text to Diddy: I don't want to freak off for the last time

Defence lawyer Anna Estevao finishes her line of questioning by reading out a message from Combs sent in September 2012.

Referring to "freak offs", Combs writes: "Do you want to have our last FO tonight?"

Cassie is asked to read out her response: "I don't want to freak off for the last time, I want it to be the first time for the rest of our lives."

With that, cross-examination is over. 

'We went hard, we are lucky to be alive', Diddy told Cassie in texts

Focus now shifts to a series of messages between Diddy and Cassie on 22 March 2019. In them, Combs is congratulating Cassie, who says she was pregnant at the time.

Combs writes: "Congrats you will make a beautiful mother god bless."

In another message, he says "sending you love and light what a difference a year makes really happy for you have a blessed day".

He goes on to thank her for responding to his messages, saying "it means more than you know, please know I am always here if you need me".

In a longer message from Combs, he says: "I am trying, just had an operation, hope this is the last one, I pray for the way we can sit down, and I can let you know all the things I am reflecting on, I thank God for the time we had together. You are the greatest woman in the world don't ever forget that."

In her responses, Cassie says: "I don't hate you, I never have."

Combs says: "One day I hope you can forgive me, we went hard, we are lucky to be alive, you deserve the world, I'm glad you found someone to love you and respect you."

When asked to explain the message, Cassie says "we partied a lot", and also confirms that at that time she was still having addiction issues.

Hearing resumes - as defence tells Cassie 'we're almost finished'

After a slight delay in the courtroom, Cassie is now back on the witness stand.

Diddy's defence team tells her "we're almost finished". 

"Thank you," she responds.

Return to court slightly delayed

We reported proceedings should resume at 6.10pm (UK time).

We've now passed that, with prosecution and defence still discussing messages to be shown in the hearing, and any objections.

Once the hearing resumes - which should happen shortly - we'll start bringing you the latest.

Husband 'punched a wall' when he heard of rape

Cassie confirms she went on to see Combs on 27 September 2018, and that they had sex that night.

She says her now-husband, personal trainer Alex Fine, attempted to FaceTime her during the evening, and Combs saw who was calling.

When asked if this was "in the middle of intercourse", Cassie says she doesn't know.

This was consensual - though this came after the alleged rape (see our 17.12 post).

She does confirm she later said she "had a great night with [Combs]".

She says she didn't tell her now-husband she had been raped by Combs at the time, but that he "punched a wall" when she later told him.

Diddy passing notes to lawyer as she questions Cassie

Sean Combs has been paying close attention to today's cross-examination of Cassie, her ex-partner of more than a decade.

In court, he's been leaning in to read transcripts on the monitor in front of him.

He's been passing down notes for Anna Estevao, the lawyer questioning Cassie today.

The hip-hop mogul has also been whispering with Marc Agnifilo.

'I have love for the past', says Cassie

When asked if she "hates" Sean Combs, Cassie says she does not.

His lawyer Anna Estevao asks: "Do you still have love for him?"

Cassie answers: "I have love for the past, what it was."

Cassie describes alleged rape after Malibu dinner

In her lawsuit, Cassie alleges Sean 'Diddy' Combs raped her in 2018, after they had split up. She says she was dating her future husband Alex Fine by this time.

Describing the allegation, Cassie agrees that Combs had been attempting to convince her to go to Burning Man festival in Nevada and had taken her out for dinner at an Italian restaurant in Malibu in August 2018.

She says it was after this meal Combs took her home and raped her.

Cassie says Combs was "acting strangely" at dinner. She says she can't remember if he seemed anxious or not.

She is asked by his lawyer Estevao if she believes "that it was related to his bipolar disorder" - and Cassie answers "yes".

A text message sent by Cassie to Combs the following day shows her using a heart emoji.

Estevao asks if it's correct she went on to see Combs again "because you were together for so many years, because you can't just turn your feelings off, and you still had feelings for him at that point". Cassie agrees.

There is discussion over dates, as the lawsuit Cassie filed says the rape happened in September. But she told prosecutors in April that the rape happened in August.

It was in August, around the time of the meal, Combs sent a text saying: "I know I look bad to you, I could tell I didn't turn you on yesterday, I fell off."

Text from Cassie suggests 'freak off with a girl'

The court returns to text messages between Cassie and Combs, which have previously been mentioned in court during her cross-examination.

In the April 2010 exchange, Cassie tells Diddy: "I want to talk to you about something, tomorrow… going to sleep, love you."

She confirms to his lawyer Estavao she was going to tell him she no longer wanted to be part of the "freak offs" and was concerned he'd react badly.

She moves on to a text in which she suggested a "freak off with a girl", to which Combs answered: "What makes you wanna do that?"

The court hears that Combs was dating another woman called Gina during at least half of Cassie's relationship with him.

Hearing resumes

Members of the jury are now back in their seats and Cassie is back on the witness stand.

We're now hearing more messages between her and Diddy, with the singer saying she wanted no more part in those "freak offs".

Stay tuned.

Cassie opens up on treatment for trauma and drug addiction

The line of questioning moves on to Cassie's use of drugs, and she tells the court she has been taking Suboxone for an opioid addiction since 2022.

The prescription medication is a combination drug containing Buprenorphine and Naloxone.

Cassie says she sought further help as an inpatient at Willow House, a rehabilitation centre in Arizona, in 2023.

She describes receiving EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) treatment once a week during her 45-day stay.

Cassie says it helps "recount memories" and "process them", adding: "They hook you up to a machine, and it regulates your brain waves… it lets you complete a trauma that [you] cut off."

The rehabilitation centre describes itself as offering "inpatient treatment for women experiencing a wide range of sex and intimacy issues including love addiction, sexual compulsivity, unhealthy relationship patterns, sexual trauma, toxic relationships, and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse issues".

Cassie says she wasn't treated for sex or love addiction.

Diddy's sons arrive at court

As today's hearing continues - and we will keep bringing you the latest - pictures have recently come in of Diddy's family arriving at court.

His sons, Christian and Justin Dior, are there now, with his family showing up again as they have on every other day of the trial.

Concern over use of escorts from TV show called Gigolos

An escort service used by Sean Combs for his parties - Cowboys 4 Angels - is  discussed, and the fact it appeared in a TV show called Gigolos.

Cassie agrees she had been concerned that escorts involved in the Showtime programme had also been invited to freak offs, and that there was the risk of details of the parties becoming more widely known.

When asked about one escort who was featured, and if they had been invited to a freak off, Cassie says: "I have never seen the show, so I don't know".

Cassie heard saying in audio recording: 'I will f*** you up and it won't be my hand'

Estevao asks about Cassie learning of a recording of her out in the public, and her concern "it might have been a freak off".

Estevao says one of Combs's security staff was with her in Sedona, Arizona at the time, which was a trip "to take a break from drugs and partying".

Cassie agrees Combs was encouraging her "to get to the bottom of it".

A conversation is then played to the court of Cassie appearing to threaten a man she believes may have the video. Cassie asks him if he has it on his phone, and then threatens him when he doesn't show her.

She is heard saying: "Where is it? You are telling me nothing right now, you have it, or you don't have it? I want to f***ing see that, it is my f***ing life and I will kill you… if you have it, pull it up, or I will kill you and he will kill you again, I am tired of you talking s***."

She goes on to accuse the man of "playing games", adding "I will kill you, I have never killed someone in my life, but you are f***ing with me and my life now, I would show you the video, you are playing games because you said you saw the video, I will f*** you up and it won't be my hand".

Estevao goes on to say Combs "spent time and money" to make the problem of the recording "go away". Cassie says she doesn't know the details.

Cassie denies dance with Chris Brown - as Diddy 'ran off' with her phone

Estevao movies on to an incident in which Combs is said to have believed Cassie was cheating on him in August 2018, and Cassie answers "the relationship was over by then".

When asked how Combs learned of the relationship, Cassie says she's not sure, and says: "We were not in a great place. I was dating someone else. I am not sure how he found out, he grabbed my phone, and ran out of the car."

Cassie says Combs then ran off with her phone and was gone "for a couple of hours", later speaking with the man she was dating, who is described as "a professional NFL player".

Estevao uses the word "cheating" in her description of the relationship, which Cassie says is incorrect as it was "a boyfriend girlfriend relationship" between her and her new partner.

Cassie is then asked about a time she was "dancing with Chris Brown", answering "I don't remember it", adding she wasn't dancing with the singer.

At this point the prosecution objects, and the line of questioning moves on, with Cassie confirming there were other occasions when Combs "took my phone, my car, my watch" when he was angry with her.

Cassie told Diddy: 'I'm not a ragdoll'

Cassie Ventura is back on the stand, and the defence's cross-examination continues.

Defence attorney Anna Estevao picks up her line of questioning, asking about the period around the incident at the InterContinental in March 2016.

This is when the hip-hop mogul allegedly attacked Ventura as she tried to leave during a "freak off" sex session.

Estevao asks about Sean "Diddy" Combs's drug use at that time, and Cassie says she believes he was "intoxicated" while at the hotel.

The court is shown a text Cassie sent to Combs on 10 March, 2016, in which she says: "When you get f***ed up the wrong way, you always want to show me you have the power to knock me around, I am not a rag doll, I am someone's child."

-SKY NEWS