It's week five of the Diddy trial.
An accuser, "Jane," is testifying about the alleged violence underlying what prosecutors say were her three years as Combs' sex-trafficking victim.
An accuser, "Jane," is testifying about the alleged violence underlying what prosecutors say were her three years as Combs' sex-trafficking victim.
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00:00Here's a recap of week five from the Sean Combs trial in Manhattan.
00:03R&B singer Cassie Ventura is still haunting the Diddy trial, even though she stepped off the witness stand a month ago.
00:10A second sex trafficking accuser is testifying under the name of Jane. It's a pseudonym for Jane Doe.
00:16She dated Combs from 2021 until 2024, years after Combs split with Ventura.
00:22But Jane has done a good deal of talking about her predecessor and especially about Ventura's explosive November 2023 lawsuit against Combs.
00:31This is the lawsuit that introduced the public to the term freak offs, which is what Combs and Ventura called these days long drug fueled marathons of sex with hired men.
00:42Now, when the lawsuit came out, Jane was dating Combs, who she said was pressuring her to do the same thing.
00:48She told the jury this week that when she read Ventura's lawsuit, she thought, quote, I can't believe I'm reading my own story.
00:55Jurors saw texts where Jane wrote to Combs, quote, I've been crying for three days from reading all of this.
01:02She texted him, quote, I feel like I'm reading my own sexual trauma.
01:06Jane told the jury that between 2021 and 2024, Combs forced her to to perform in these marathon sex sessions with a steady supply of hired men.
01:17Both Jane and Ventura say Combs used violence, drugs and false promises to keep them returning to these hotels.
01:24Both women said he kept them emotionally and financially dependent on him and would threaten to take it all away if they said no.
01:30Now, you may remember last May, Combs went on Instagram and apologized for having beaten Cassie Ventura.
01:37I take full responsibility for my ashes in that video.
01:40That horrible video showing him kicking and dragging her in the hallway of the Los Angeles hotel had surfaced on CNN.
01:48Not a month after this public apology for having beaten Cassie Ventura, Combs, according to Jane, beat her.
01:55In this beating, she said Combs gave her a black eye, covered her face with big golf ball sized welts.
02:01He told her, quote, you're not going to ruin my effing night. Put on some makeup and get ready for the hired man.
02:07Jane said that Combs tried pleading with her. I need your friendship, she said he told her.
02:12She said he tried spinning her, telling her that, oh, those nights with those escorts, that was just some kinky fun that we all enjoyed.
02:19Jane said that Combs also tried throwing money at her.
02:22And this may help the prosecution's racketeering case.
02:25They may try to portray this as bribery and witness stampering.
02:28Four months after the apology and three months after the last time she said he beat her, Combs was under arrest.
02:35Jane is expected to be on the stand through most of this week on cross-examination.
02:39And next week, the defense case will likely start.
02:42We don't know yet if Sean Combs will take the stand.
02:45And that's a big question that's hanging over the trial right now.
02:48For all of our coverage on the Combs trial, head to businessinsider.com.