Diddy’s Trial: Recapping Dawn Richards’ testimony as the new week in the trial begins

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As a new week begins in the federal trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs,  a key testimony took place on Friday that is certain to set the stage for what’s to come.  That testimony per the case came from none other than Dawn Richard.

The Lowdown

On Friday,  singer Dawn Richard took the stand in the federal trafficking trial of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs.  Richard took the stand following four days of shocking testimony by Casandra Ventura, Diddy ‘s former girlfriend who is a centerpiece in the case against the disgraced rapper.

Richard is associated with Diddy through the previous show Making The Band, in which she worked alongside Diddy for several years.  She also worked with Diddy in groups like Danity Kane and Diddy – Dirty Money.   Her testimony was a testament to what she appeared to know, as off the top, she confirmed the worst.

In the first parts of her testimony, Richard told the court that she had witnessed in the past Diddy assault Cassie on numerous occasions.   One of those instances dates as far back as 2009 and took place at Diddy’s residence at the time.     According to Richards, she was recording a song with Dirty Money singer Kalenna Harper at the residence when Richard witnessed Combs ‘attempt to strike Ventura with a skillet with eggs inside.’ Cassie, according to the testimony, managed to blunt the effort.

Following that first part, he then “beat her on the ground in front of us,” and put his arm around her neck and dragged her upstairs. “I was scared that if I intervened, I might get [it] worse,” Richard said, admitting that was why she didn’t call the police.  “I had never seen anything like that before.”

Richards says the next day, things got scary.  The next day, she and Kalenna were called ‘into a meeting’ at the time where they were threatened over what they saw. 

Why this testimony matters

Last year, Richards, in a lawsuit, alleged a host of serious allegations against Diddy. Among them: He alleged ‘groped’ her on numerous occasions without consent,  she also alleged assault and battery, on numerous occasions he tried to punch her, and in one instance which he locked her in a car for two hours.  In case it couldn’t get any worse, it does.

Elsewhere in the suit,  she claimed that working with Diddy on Making The Band was anything but a fun experience.  In that part of the suit, she said she felt ‘threatened and intimidated by Mr. Combs’ blatant ‘disdain’ for the young women,” often describing misogynistic and cruel insults and comments. She also alleged in the suit that she and other members of Danity Kane at the time were deprived of adequate food and sleep.

Richards is expected to take the stand again later this afternoon on 19 May.