A witness testified Monday that several A-list celebrities, including singers Usher and Ne-Yo, were present during a physical altercation between Sean “Diddy” Combs and Cassie Ventura at a restaurant in 2010.
Former Danity Kane member Dawn Richard continued her testimony in the embattled music mogul’s trial Monday, where she recalled witnessing Combs allegedly beating Ventura on several occasions. Danity Kane is a girl group that operated under Combs’ label Bad Boy Records during the early aughts.
“He would punch her, choke her, drag her, slap her in the mouth,” Richard told the jury Monday, according to Deadline. “I saw him kick her, punch her in the stomach.”
The singer recalled one 2010 incident in which she claimed to have seen Combs punch Venture in the stomach at a restaurant. The two were allegedly arguing in a room at the eatery when Combs hit his ex-girlfriend.
“She immediately bent over, he told her to leave,” Richard testified, according to People. “No one intervened,” she continued, alleging that Usher, Ne-Yo, and Interscope Records co-founder Jimmy Iovine were present at the dinner where the abuse happened. She did not make clear if they explicitly witnessed the alleged abuse occur.
Representatives for Usher and Ne-Yo did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment.
After departing from the restaurant, Richard alleged that she was in the car with the former couple, where Combs grabbed Ventura “by the neck and popped her, slapped her in the mouth.”
His reaction was allegedly prompted by the “Me & U” singer telling him she was “embarrassed” by his actions at the restaurant.
“He would tell her he owned her,” Richard said. “I told her he should leave. Cass looked torn. She would listen, but I could see the fear.”
In her previous testimony last week, Richard claimed that she witnessed Combs assault Ventura with a skillet of eggs in 2009. She alleged that Combs threatened her after the incident, telling her she could go missing or die if she crossed him.
“He said you could go missing, that we could die,” Richard told the jury Friday. “I was shocked but also scared, I couldn’t believe this would be the beginning of a journey for us.”
On Monday, she added that she “made a decision that it would be best for the safety of myself to not interfere” when it came to Ventura’s alleged abuse because she didn’t think the singer was “really ready to do anything.”
Richard filed her own, ongoing civil lawsuit against Combs last year where she alleged that he abused her and threatened to destroy her music career if she did not comply with his demands.
Combs’ trial for racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution, entered its second week of testimony Monday.
Ventura took the stand last week, where she testified for four days and recalled the many harrowing experiences she allegedly endured throughout her relationship with the music producer and during his supposed “freak-offs.”
Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges and has denied all accusations.
The post Usher Was Present at Dinner Where Diddy Punched Cassie: Trial Witness appeared first on The Daily Beast.
