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Casandra VenturaR&B singer and model, whose explosive civil lawsuit sets the stage for this federal trial, begins the stance today. Ventura is obviously pregnant and soft in spoken language, testifying about the abuse and graphic terms he suffered in his 10-year relationship with Diddy, who pleaded not guilty to sexual trafficking and extortion.
Ventura, who is expected to testify for a few days, told jurors that the "violent debate" escalated to a ferocious attack. “He would smash my head, knock me down, drag me, kick me,” Ventura told the group of eight men and four women. She describes Diddy as a "person who controls my life."
She describes Diddy's constant demand for drug-driven marathon encounters is called "freak." She said her "stomach is stirring" when he first asked her to watch another man having sex. In the years that followed, "The freak discount became a job, and there was no other space to do anything else. … They would be 36, 48, 72 hours. The longest time was four days."
She said the "freak" made her feel "disgusting" and "humiliated". She said she took drugs like ecstasy to create a "buffer" for "disassembly." During the carefully choreographed sex, Didi seems to be another person altogether. "His eyes will turn darker," she said. "I know his version is no longer there."
Here's what you need to know:
From the moment she walked in, the court was attracted by the appearance of the court, wearing a fitted long-sleeved brown dress that showed off her pregnancy. Didi leaned against her seat, watching her intently narrate years of suspected abuse in vivid language. She often takes a deep breath or wipes her eyes with a tissue while answering questions. She cried as she talked about the emotional loss of trying to make Diddy happy and avoid one of his anger.
Diddy arrived this morning the same outfit he wore yesterday: a cream sweater, a white button-up shirt and casual pants. Didi's family - including his mother Janice Combs - Showed again in court today. Once, Didi looked back at his relatives and used his hands to make a heart symbol.
Ventura’s testimony about “freak discounts,” Diddy’s alleged sexual abuse is both dramatic and scandalous—but her testimony on other topics may be more important to the government’s case.
Ventura also testified to hire escorts and "shows" in Diddy's direction. Escort testimony is key to government sex trafficking and interstate prostitution allegations, which are also important for extortion. In fact, many of the testimony of Ventura are just devastating to Didi, but this is not as important to the alleged elements of crime as other testimony of other witnesses.
For example, to prove Didi violated the Mann Act, the government could prove that he had obtained a sex life and was involved in an interstate trip by calling an escort who wanted to be named. The Mann Act requires interstate travel and prostitution - that's all. In this sense, Ventura may be a star witness to the prosecution, but she may not be the most important situation.
Tomorrow: Ventura is expected to return to the stands. She might attack her in 2016 Diddy, who attacked her in the corridor of a hotel in Los Angeles.
PSA: Every night, at the trial of DIDDY, NBC’s “Dateline” will abandon the special episodes of the “True Crime Weekly” podcast to enable you to speed up the case. "Dateline" correspondent Andrea Canned Will talk to NBC News Chloe Melas and special guests - right in front of the court. Listen here.