Hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs allegedly attempted to break into singer Cassie Ventura’s apartment with a hammer following a violent incident at a hotel in 2016, a New York court heard on Monday, May 19.

The revelation came during Combs’ ongoing sex-trafficking trial, where surveillance footage of the alleged assault at the Intercontinental Hotel was shown multiple times to the jury. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges including racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces a possible life sentence if convicted.

Testifying under oath, Kerry Morgan, a former close friend of Cassie Ventura, recounted the terrifying moment when Combs allegedly showed up at Ventura’s Los Angeles apartment with a hammer, banging on her door after the hotel assault.

“He was banging on the door with a hammer,” Morgan told the court, adding that at the time, it appeared Ventura was in such distress that she “didn’t care if he came in and killed her.”

Morgan also testified about other violent incidents involving Combs. She described a trip to Jamaica where she witnessed him dragging Ventura by her hair down a hallway because she was “taking too long in the bathroom.” She further claimed that Combs physically assaulted her in 2018 by choking her and throwing a wooden hanger at her head while demanding to know who Ventura was allegedly cheating with. Morgan said she suffered a concussion and sought urgent medical care after the incident.

Despite being best friends with Ventura for 17 years, Morgan said their relationship ended after the assault. She told the court that Ventura later met her at a pizza shop in West Hollywood and offered $30,000 in exchange for signing a non-disclosure agreement. The two have not spoken since.

“I draw my line at physical abuse,” Morgan said.

Following her testimony, former Combs personal assistant David James took the witness stand. He described working long hours—up to 20 hours a day—and recalled a photo of Combs in the Bad Boy Entertainment office where a senior staff member allegedly remarked, “This is Mr. Combs’ kingdom. We’re all here to serve it.”

James also recounted a conversation he overheard in a Manhattan SUV involving Combs and associates. When someone asked about Ventura, Combs reportedly replied, “Cassie’s good. I got her right where I want her—she’s young.” He allegedly added that she was “very moldable.”

The trial continues, with David James set to resume his testimony on Tuesday.

Source: BBC.com