Diddy trial recap: Kerry Morgan testified she ended friendship with Cassie after Combs ‘assaulted’ her with a hanger
Sean Combs’ former personal assistant David James also delivered testimony at Manhattan federal court
Kerry Morgan testified in the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial today following dramatic testimony last week from his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
Morgan was Ventura’s best friend from 2001 to 2018. Morgan said she was assaulted by Combs in 2018. Afterward, Morgan said Ventura wasn’t supportive and ended her friendship with the singer.
“He came up behind me and choked me and left finger marks on my neck and hit me in the head with a wooden hanger," Morgan testified. "Cassie was in the bathroom, it hit me behind my right ear."
Morgan previously testified she witnessed Combs assaulting Ventura multiple times, adding that the music mogul controlled his then-girlfriend’s livelihood. Earlier today, singer Dawn Richard similarly told the jury that Combs once said he “owned” Ventura, and that she could “see” that Ventura was afraid of him.
The day ended with a few minutes of testimony from Combs’s former assistant, David James. He will return to the witness stand on Tuesday morning.
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Cassie's ex-friend takes the stand
Kerry Morgan, Cassie Ventura’s ex-best friend, has taken the stand.
Morgan was friends with Ventura from 2001 to 2018. Morgan told the court that Combs assaulted her in 2018, which led her to stop talking to Ventura.
“Her boyfriend assaulted me,” Morgan said, later clarifying she meant Combs.
Cassie's ex-friend says she witnessed Combs's physical abuse twice
Cassie Ventura’s former close friend Kerry Morgan told jurors she witnessed Sean “Diddy” Combs hitting his ex-girlfriend twice.
Morgan said she witnessed Combs hit and kick Ventura, as well as pull her hair. He was sober during both incidents, she added.
One of the alleged incidents took place at his Los Angeles home.
“I saw him push her, I’m pretty sure he hit her,” Morgan testified, according to CNN. “They were on the other side of a bed, so I’m not sure if he kicked her or something.”
The other incident took place in Jamaica, she said.
Morgan added that Combs was sometimes generous, but also "could be very aggressive” and had strong mood swings.
Combs would sometimes call Ventura “50 times in a row” when she wasn’t answering, Morgan added. Last week, Ventura testified that Combs and his staff would incessantly call her when she wasn’t responding to him.
Kerry Morgan recalls alleged assault in Jamaica
Kerry Morgan testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulted his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in Jamaica in 2013.
Morgan and Ventura were on vacation together, and Combs arrived halfway through, she testified.
"Cassie had gone to the bathroom and after a few minutes Sean said she was taking too long, and he left me and then I heard her screaming," Morgan told the jury, according to NBC News.
"It was guttural, terrifying. I heard her screaming so I went to the long hallway, they were coming out of the master bedroom and he was dragging her by her hair,” she continued.
Combs dragged Ventura outside and threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head on a brick, Morgan testified.
“I thought she was knocked out,” she added.
Kerry Morgan recounts alleged assault by Combs
Kerry Morgan testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs assaulted her with a wooden hanger in 2018.
Morgan said she was at Cassie Ventura’s apartment when Combs came in and attacked.
"He came up behind me and choked me and left finger marks on my neck and hit me in the head with a wooden hanger," Morgan said. "Cassie was in the bathroom, it hit me behind me right ear."
"We haven't spoken since," Morgan said. "The last time I spoke to Sean was the night of the assault and the last time I saw Cassie was when I signed the NDA."
Morgan said Combs paid her $30,000 after she signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Ventura said she went to urgent care for a concussion after experiencing dizziness and vomiting.
Court on lunch break
Court is on a short break for lunch.
Kerry Morgan is expected to continue testifying afterward.
Kerry Morgan says Diddy controlled Cassie's livelihood
Kerry Morgan testified that Sean “Diddy” Combs controlled the livelihood of his then-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.
"I wanted her to do what she wanted to do, but I told her she should leave him," Morgan testified, according to NBC News. "And she said she could not, because of her job, her car, her apartment."
Morgan said she and Ventura spoke often about whether she should stay with Combs.
Kerry Morgan describes jealousy between Cassie and Diddy
Kerry Morgan told the jury her former best friend, Cassie Ventura, was jealous of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s relationship with Kim Porter.
“Yes, she was jealous because she could never go to New Year's Eve parties,” Morgan testified.
Combs and Porter have two twin daughters who were born in 2006. Porter died in 2018 from pneumonia.
But Combs was also jealous of Ventura’s time with actor Michael B. Jordan, Morgan testified.
"What I remember was that she was speaking to Michael B. Jordan and they hung out together," Morgan said. "And he was jealous of it."
Last week, Ventura testified that Combs was jealous of her relationships with other men, including rapper Kid Cudi.
Courtroom sketch: Kerry Morgan testifies
From the courtroom: Dawn Richard and Kerry Morgan testify
Dawn Richard spent this morning testifying about times she witnessed Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly assaulting Cassie Ventura.
The defense used their cross-examination to poke holes in her testimony, asking why some of the details she testified about today weren’t mentioned in prior interviews with prosecutors.
Richard apologized frequently but stood by her testimony, saying she was recalling the details “to the best of her ability.”
Meanwhile, Kerry Morgan has been answering questions directly. Morgan previously said she doesn’t want to be testifying, noting she’s only there because she received a subpoena.
Kerry Morgan says Cassie wasn't 'supportive' after Combs allegedly assaulted her
Kerry Morgan said Cassie Ventura wasn’t “supportive” after Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly assaulted her.
"The reason I stopped speaking to her was because she was not supportive of me after that incident,” Morgan told Combs’s attorneys during cross-examination. “I draw my line at physical abuse.”
Morgan described the 2018 incident to prosecutors earlier today.
“He came up behind me and choked me and left finger marks on my neck and hit me in the head with a wooden hanger," Morgan testified. "Cassie was in the bathroom, it hit me behind my right ear."