Cassie faces skeptical cross-examination from Diddy's defense team

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Casandra Ventura, the R&B singer and mannequin who has accused Diddy of bodily and sexual abuse, confronted cross-examination in the present day from Anna Estevao, one of many rapper’s attorneys. Estevao got down to painting Ventura as a keen participant in Diddy’s “freak offs,” difficult the singer’s insistence that she was coerced into the drug-fueled, voyeuristic sexual encounters.

Ventura, who's visibly pregnant, acknowledged that the early years of her off-and-on relationship with Diddy have been “loving,” although typically riven by jealousy. She remembered him as a “charismatic” and “larger-than-life” persona who might be “candy” and “attentive.”Estevao confirmed jurors textual content messages the protection workforce believes rebut Ventura’s claims. “I’m all the time able to freak off,” Ventura wrote in 2009. “I can’t wait,” she wrote earlier than one such occasion that very same 12 months. Ventura testified yesterday that she by no means needed to take part within the marathon intercourse classes however felt she wanted to maintain Diddy blissful.Diddy and Ventura argued about infidelity, and “it was somewhat scary” when he accused her of dishonest, she advised jurors. Ventura stated she had “some jealousy” towards the late Kim Porter, one among Diddy’s ex-partners and the mom of three of his youngsters; Diddy was “irate” about Ventura’s temporary relationship with rapper Child Cudi, she stated.Estevao tried to attach Diddy’s drug use to his alleged sample of violent conduct. Ventura stated the hip-hop mogul was as soon as hooked on opiates and overdosed in 2012. The painkillers he took have been “an element” of his temper swings, she stated. Ventura testified that she was depending on medication throughout the relationship, too. The view from inside By Adam Reiss and Doha Madani When cross-examination began, Ventura spoke with trepidation and warning. However she appeared to realize confidence because the day went on, answering questions calmly and politely. She often expressed confusion about sure queries. Estevao initially appeared to battle to discover a rhythm, repeatedly beginning and stopping, however she settled into a gradual groove after lunch.

Diddy’s three sons in addition to his mom, Janice Combs, sat within the gallery in the present day. The rapper’s mother has been within the federal courtroom in downtown Manhattan daily this week, listening to terribly graphic testimony about her son’s alleged historical past of violent abuse and sexual proclivities.

Decide Arun Subramanian appears decided to maintain the trial transferring at a brisk clip. He promised jurors they'd be achieved with their service earlier than July 4 — and he seems conscious of the truth that Ventura is doubtlessly days away from giving delivery. He sternly reminded the protection it was given a day and a half to query her, and scolded Diddy’s lead legal professional after he pushed again.

“In what universe did you not perceive that this was necessary,” Subramanian requested the legal professional, Marc Agnifilo.

In different information: The prosecutors and protection attorneys appeared to have a cordial rapport throughout pretrial hearings. However it has rapidly evaporated this week. The strain within the courtroom ramps up dramatically each time the jury isn’t seated. This morning, for instance, the attorneys on opposing sides bought right into a heated dispute over which textual content messages the protection can introduce as proof.

Diddy, in the meantime, took notes on a pad whereas these arguments unfolded.

Evaluation: Consent or coercion? By Danny Cevallos Ventura’s testimony on cross-examination will learn properly for the prosecution on the transcript. It may not have sounded nearly as good to the jury. That’s as a result of a transcript doesn’t seize the cadence, inflection and temper of the solutions. For jurors, who're listening to her testimony stay and watching her physique language, Ventura’s testimony may go both manner.

On the one hand, she is answering the questions — and she or he is usually saying what the prosecution wants for its case. However then again, some questions haven't any good solutions. When the protection confronts her with textual content messages that recommend she was a keen participant within the “freak off” life-style, there actually is not any excellent response for Ventura.

It’s totally potential jurors will see her as a sufferer who was unable to extricate herself from Diddy’s clutches. They could see her as somebody coerced into the life-style. However it’s additionally potential that a number of jurors may conclude that Ventura repeatedly selected to be with Diddy and take part “freak offs,” typically with enthusiastic messages to him. It takes just one juror to impasse.

What’s subsequent Tomorrow: Ventura will return to the witness stand for extra cross-examination by Diddy’s workforce. The choose and prosecutors have made clear they’d like questioning to wrap by the top of the day.