In a trial threatening to demolish the legacy of one of the strongest 2000s music businessmen, the first week of procedures did not focus on the Sean “Diddy” Combsbut to his former partner.

The singer of R&B Cassandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura He deposited for 4 days, describing with intense emotional charge years of beatings and sexual intercourse under the influence of drugs and prostitutes, who – as he claims – suffered by the famous rapper, with whom he had a relationship for more than ten years.

Although her testimony caused obvious emotion in the room, a attendant talked about a “aura of sadness”, it is just a piece of the puzzle that prosecutors are called upon to compose to prove that Combs was not only abusive, but the brain of a criminal.

On Tuesday, he was surprised at the Manhattan hall when prosecutors called Cassie in the step – their main witness. All eyes turned to the eight -month -old pregnant singer as she passed in front of her ex -partner, who had not seen for six years.

Cassie testified in the trial of federal people trafficking offenses for sexual purposes, setting up a criminal organization and prostitution against COMBS, accusing him of abusing and forcing her into unwanted sexual acts – the so -called “so -called”freak-offs» – During their 11.5 years of relationship.

The rapper is accused of blackmail conspiracy, sexual exploitation and transportation of persons for prostitution – accusations that categorically denies.

Surrounded by his children and relatives, Combs watched Ventura just a few meters in front of him. At the same time, the federal judge Arun subramanian She was pushing the lawyers to adhere to the timetable, as prosecutors expressed concern that their main witness may give birth to her third child over the weekend.

From the studio to ‘Freak-Off’ gatherings: a relationship of power and dependency

On the first day of her deposition, Cassie described how her hectic relationship with Combs began, which she met when she was 19 years old and an aspiring singer. He, for 17 years older, signed her on his label record label.

Their romantic relationship began shortly afterwards, when she, as she said, fell in love with the “biggest of life” musician and businessman. Soon, however, he saw a “different” side of his, as he testified with tears in his eyes.

Combs, according to her, wanted to control every aspect of her life. She was paying her rent, her car and her cellphone – but she took them back as a punishment when she was angry.

Over time, the relationship became violent. She testified for once she was attacked because she was sleeping, cutting her eyebrow when she threw her into the corner of the bed in front of two girlfriends trying to hold her. The room was shown a photo of the wound, which – as he said – Combs made sure to cover secrets through a plastic surgeon. In another case, at a party, he said that she kicked her in the head while hiding behind a toilet.

Although the jurors did not show strong emotions, some attendees wiped their eyes or turned their eyes to the hard photographic and video documents – such as the famous 2016 video, where Combs hits and drags Cassie in the corridor of the Intercontinental Hotel.

This video, published last year by CNN, has been seen by millions – including many of today’s jurors. Cassie was forced to see it many times this week.

Cassie testified that the incident at the hotel happened after trying to leave a “freak-off”-a sexual meeting in which the couple hired male companions to meet Cassie, while Combs was watching and filming.

She said she met the “freak-offs” about a year after the start of their relationship and initially accepted them to thank him.

Over time, these encounters humiliated it, he added. They lasted for up to four days and forced her to take huge quantities of drugs to stay awake. He suffered from injuries, such as painful urinary tract infections, and once fainted, waking up in the shower.

“It made me feel useless,” he told the court. “Freak-offs became a job, there was no room for nothing but rehabilitation and attempt to feel normal again.”

She estimated that she was involved in “hundreds” freak-offs.

The relationship ended in 2018, the same year that, he claims, Combs raped her in her home while she was crying.

She continued her life by marrying her personal trainer, Alex Finewith whom he has two children, but the mental trauma remains. In tears, she described to the court that two years ago she was thinking of ending her life due to repeated flashback from the period with Combs. Her husband helped her look for treatment.

Consensus or compliance? The “key” for prosecutors

Throughout Cassie’s shocking narrative, prosecutors tried to link the testimonies to the wider case of sexual exploitation and criminal organization.

COMBS lawyers acknowledged that it was abusive – but argued that “domestic violence is not a trafficking of people”, as Teny Geragos’s lawyer typically said.

The government blames Combs of sexual exploitation through coercion or fraud, as well as a criminal organization under the Rico Law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act), A law initially targeted by mobsters but also used in cases such as that of R. Kelly.

Prosecutor Emily Johnson used excerpts from Cassie’s deposition to reinforce the accusation, asking the arms available to Combs and the ways he allegedly blackmailed her.

Cassie described once that the rapper showed her a video of freak-offs in front of others, on a commercial flight, telling her that she would make public them if she did not “comply”.

“I felt trapped,” he said.

The lawyer Arick Fudalirepresenting an anonymous victim in the case, noted that “the fear of what would happen if they did not obey” is a critical factor in the category.

“One can consent to an act of course, of course,” he told Bbc. “But it can also be forced into compliance – and that’s something different.”

Cassie testified that the bodyguards were staying in the way as the Combs hit her, while his workers organized the freak-offs, closing flights for attendants and bringing lubricants or baby oil.

When it was time for the anti -review, rapper’s lawyers tried to show that it was a toxic and complex relationship, but not a trafficking case or a criminal organization.

COMBS lawyer Anna Estevao presented hundreds of Cassie’s messages to Combs where he said he was “always ready” for freak-offs or expressing his desire to do so again. She recognized the messages, saying that “they were just words at that time.”

The defense also focused on infidelities, drug use and addictions they both faced.

Finally, according to Fudali, the case will be judged by the following question: “Was Cassie willing or forced to comply? This seems to be the question for jury. “