DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Good morning, Ms. Ventura.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Good morning.
MS. JOHNSON: Just so you know, you can drink that water that's on the stand.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Oh, thank you.
MS. JOHNSON: How old are you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I am 38 years old.
MS. JOHNSON: What is your occupation?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm a musician, an entertainer.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, could you please publish Government Exhibit 2A-101 in evidence for all the parties in the courtroom.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, who is depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-101?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean Combs.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you know Sean Combs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We were in a relationship for a little over 11 -- 10 years, 11 years.
MS. JOHNSON: If I refer to Sean Combs as Sean today, will you know what I'm talking about?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: You said you were in a relationship with Sean for a little over a decade. During that period, were you together consistently or were there breaks during the relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There were breaks.
MS. JOHNSON: During that same time, were there times where you got along well with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times where you did not?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times when you had arguments with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Without getting into the subject matter of those arguments, can you describe what arguments with Sean were like?
CASANDRA VENTURA: If they were violent arguments, um, it would usually result in some sort of physical abuse, um, and dragging, just different things of that nature.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say physical abuse, can you tell me what types of things that Sean did that hurt you physically?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, he would mash me in my head, knock me over, um, drag me, kick me, um, stomp me in the head, if I was down.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently was Sean physical with you during your relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Too frequently.
MS. JOHNSON: Were you ever injured as a result of these incidents?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What kind of injuries did you have as a result of Sean being physical with you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Usually pretty similar. Um, I would get knots in my forehead, busted lips, swollen lips, black eyes, the whites of my eyes would be red, um, bruises all over my body, um, just depending.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Ms. Gavin, could you please pull up and publish for the courtroom, Government Exhibit 10C-103 at 33 seconds.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, directing your attention to the screen in front of you, do you recognize who's depicted in that still image?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes, that's me and Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Do you recognize the location recorded in this still image?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes, that's the InterContinental Century City.
MS. JOHNSON: What were you and Sean doing at the InterContinental Century City at the time of this image was captured?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We were having an encounter that we call a freak-off and I was leaving there.
MS. JOHNSON: We're going to get back to that specific incident later on. You just mentioned the word freak-off. Do you recall that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who introduced you to the term freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: And how did you learn what a freak-off was?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, within the first year of our relationship, um, Sean proposed to me this idea, this sexual encounter that he called voyeurism, where he would watch me be -- have intercourse and sexual activity with a third party, specifically another man.
MS. JOHNSON: And how did it come -- how did the term freak-off come about?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I honestly don't remember exactly how it came about.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you describe for the jury, when you say the term freak-off, what that entails?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it basically entails the hiring of an escort and setting up this experience so that I could perform for Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: And what did the performance involve, at a high level?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The performance involved -- I'm sorry. Um, it just involved watching, Sean being able to watch me with the other person and, um, actually direct, like, direct us on what we were doing sexually.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you say the other person, who are you referring to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, the third party, the escort or dancer that would be hired.
MS. JOHNSON: Who was in charge of all the aspects of the freak-offs you mentioned, the hiring, the setup, etc.?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Eventually, it became a job for me, pretty much, um, to where I knew if that is something that he wanted to do, I had the contacts to set it up and get a hotel room and all of that. Um, but in the beginning, Sean set it up. He was in charge.
MS. JOHNSON: And after it became your job, how did you know what to do?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would tell me.
MS. JOHNSON: When Sean first proposed freak-offs, what was your reaction?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Oh, I just remember, like, my stomach falling to my butt, like, just the nervousness and the confusion in that moment. I think I was 22 at the time. I had just turned 22. I don't ... I didn't have a concept of how that would be a turn-on, but I also felt a sense of responsibility with him sharing something, um, like that with me. So, yeah, I was confused, nervous, but also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy, so ... Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you agree to try a freak-off when Sean first proposed one?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did.
MS. JOHNSON: After that, were there more freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes, there were.
MS. JOHNSON: How, if at all, did your willingness to engage in freak-offs with Sean change over time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, pretty quickly over time. I knew that it wasn't something that I wanted to be doing, especially as regularly as it became. Um, but, again, I was just in love and wanted to make him happy.
MS. JOHNSON: Well, despite not wanting to do freak-offs, did you continue to engage in freak-offs with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did.
MS. JOHNSON: And why did you continue to engage in freak-offs with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would ask me, he would bring it up at random times, and I think, to a point, I just didn't feel like I had much of a choice. Um, I didn't really know what no would be or what no could turn into.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you didn't know what no could turn into, what do you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, making him angry. Very honestly, also making him uncomfortable, that I knew this thing and that I no longer wanted to do it. Can you repeat the question?
MS. JOHNSON: Sure. You said that you didn't know what no could turn into and I wanted to -- I asked you if you could explain what you meant by that phrase?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Ultimately, at that point, Sean controlled a lot of my life, whether it was career, the way I dressed, like, everything. Everything. And I just didn't feel like I had much say in it at that time being, like, really super young, naive, total people-pleaser. Yeah. I didn't know if he would be upset enough to be violent or if he would write me off and just not want to be with me at all.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, were you afraid would happen if you said no to a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Well, over time, it turned into the fact that there were actually blackmail materials to -- to basically make me feel like, if I didn't do it, that it would be hung over my head in that way, or that these things would become public. I experienced violence with him before that. The abuse had started before that, so, obviously, in the back of my mind.
MS. JOHNSON: And, Ms. Ventura, when you said that the blackmail materials would be hung over your head, what, if anything, were you afraid Mr. Combs -- Sean would do with the blackmail materials?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, release them. Put them out on the internet. He had many resources to do that, so ...
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned that at this point, violence had started. What, if anything, were you afraid would happen physically if you refused to do a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, it was always in the back of my mind that I would somehow be hurt by him, but, it's -- Sean is a really polarizing person, also very charming. So it's hard to be able to decide in that moment, like, what you need when he's telling you what he wants. I just didn't know. I just didn't know what would happen.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, just to clarify one thing you said, you said you called something blackmail materials. What were you referring to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Referring to actual videos and photos of the sexual encounters, the escort.
MS. JOHNSON: To be clear, that's the freak-offs you mentioned earlier?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. And who was depicted in those videos and photos with the escort?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Me, Sean is in some of the videos. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. We're going to get back to this, but first I would like to direct your attention to approximately December 2023. What, if any, items did you provide to the government?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I gave them broken laptops, iPads, phones, things that no longer worked but I kept because I didn't know what was on them.
MS. JOHNSON: And what was the approximate time period that these broken electronic devices were from?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was around the time period of being in a relationship with Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, may I approach the witness?
THE COURT: You may.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, I've handed you what's been marked for identification as GX B. Do you recognize that I've handed you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Have you reviewed the contents of that drive?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I have.
MS. JOHNSON: At a high level, what's on that drive?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, different communications and documents pertaining to this trial.
MS. JOHNSON: Are those communications and documents from the electronic devices we just discussed?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And did you also review photographs that are contained on that drive?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Are those photographs also from the electronic devices we just discussed?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And how do you know that the drive I just handed you is the drive that you reviewed before this trial?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because my initials are on here.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you initial the drive after you reviewed it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, at this time, the government is going to offer some of the materials on that drive. We would offer the Exhibits B-101 through B-112, B-201 through B-209, B-301 through B-313, B-315 and 316 -- I'm sorry -- B-315 through 320, B-400-A through B-402, B-500-A through B-503, and B-600-A through B-608, and all subdivisions thereof.
THE COURT: Any objection?
MS. ESTEVAO: Subject to connection, no objection.
THE COURT: All right. They will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibits B-101 through B-112, B-201 through B-209, B-301 through B-313, B-315 through 320, B-400-A through B-402, B-500-A through B-503, and B-600-A through B-608 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you pull He's please pull up what is in evidence as Government Exhibit B-105.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, who is depicted in Government Exhibit B-105?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's me and Kerry Morgan.
MS. JOHNSON: With respect to when you first met Sean, is this photograph taken before or after you first met Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it might have been taken after, but really close to.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Approximately what year is this photograph, if you recall?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I feel like this photo is probably around 2004.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is Kerry Morgan?
CASANDRA VENTURA: She was my best friend at the time.
MS. JOHNSON: At the time this photograph was taken, where were you living?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was living in New York City.
MS. JOHNSON: And at the time this photograph was taken, what were you doing for working?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was modeling.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, you can take that photograph down.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, besides modeling, what, if anything, were you doing in the music industry around this same time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Around this same time, I really wasn't doing too much with the music industry. Um, I had recorded a few songs with a producer I was working with and in a relationship with. And, um, yeah, it was really new for me at that point.
MS. JOHNSON: Did there come a time when you released songs that you recorded?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Did there also come a time when you signed a contract what Bad Boy Records?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately what month and year did you sign that contract?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believe it was in January or February of 2006.
MS. JOHNSON: What affiliation, if any, did Sean have with Bad Boy Records?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He ran the company.
MS. JOHNSON: Before you met Sean, what did you know about him?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I just knew that he was this larger-than-life entrepreneur, musician. I was a fan of the music. I didn't know too much about him personally.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned that you signed that contract in around the beginning of 2006. How old were you at that time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At that time, I believe I was 19.
MS. JOHNSON: And at a high level, what were the terms of that record contract you signed about Bad Boy?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was a ten-album deal, so, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you release an album?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did an album, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately when did you release an album?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Later that year in 2006, August.
MS. JOHNSON: After August 2006, did you release any other albums?
MS. JOHNSON: After you were signed to Bad Boy, can you please describe your professional relationship with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: After I signed to Bad Boy, it was still a plutonic relationship. He looked out for me. I had some rough performances, so he had my back through that. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please pull up and publish what's in evidence as Government Exhibit B-102 and B-103, side by side, if possible.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, directing your attention first to B-102 on the left side, who is depicted in that photograph?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's me and Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: And what's the occasion for that photograph, if you remember?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I remember it being the CFDA Awards in New York.
MS. JOHNSON: And relative to your signing of the record contract, when is this photograph taken?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sometime later that year, I would say.
MS. JOHNSON: Around 2006?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Directing your attention now to the photograph on the right, Government Exhibit B-103, who is depicted in that photograph?
CASANDRA VENTURA: From the left is Kim Porter, Sean, me, and Cheri Dennis.
MS. JOHNSON: What's the occasion where this photograph is taken?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's the 2006 BET Awards.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Who is Kim Porter?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Kim Porter was Sean's ex from before me and the mother of his children. Sorry.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, you can take those down.
MS. JOHNSON: Besides the photographs I just displayed, Government Exhibits B-102 and B-103, when, if ever, did you see Sean in other social settings around 2006?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, we used to kind of hang out with the same group of people in New York, so we would see each other out here and there at clubs. Um, but that was pretty much it.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently would you see Sean out at clubs in New York?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Maybe, like, once a month, once every couple months.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Directing your attention to your 21st birthday, did you turn 21 in August of 2007?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Where did you celebrate your 21st birthday?
CASANDRA VENTURA: In Las Vegas.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, could you please pull up and publish what's in evidence as B-104.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, what's depicted in Government Exhibit B-104?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That is Kerry Morgan, Alizay Roshi, Sean, and myself. And we're on the outside patio in his room in Las Vegas on that trip.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say that trip, which trip to Las Vegas are you referring to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: 21st birthday, at the VMAs.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say at the VMAs, can you explain what you meant of the VMAs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That was the event that was going on that weekend. The MTV Video Music Awards.
MS. JOHNSON: And what, if anything, happened between you and Sean while you were in Las Vegas for your 21st birthday?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A lot of different things happened, but he kissed me in the bathroom of his -- or in the bathroom of this actual suite, pretty early in the morning. We had been up, all of us, pretty late.
MS. JOHNSON: What was your reaction to Sean kissing you in the bathroom?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think I was just really confused at the time. Again, young, new artist, like, just didn't really know the lay of the land when it came to things like that. So, in my confusion, just, kind of cried and ran out.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you were a new artist who did not know the lay of the land, what did you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I just wasn't familiar with -- with having an executive or anybody pay attention to me in that way and be that forward at that point. I just didn't really understand it. I was pretty naive, I would say.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say that way, can you clarify what you mean by that way?
CASANDRA VENTURA: In a more-than-friends way, in a sexual way, romantic way.
MS. JOHNSON: And at this time at your 21st birthday, what was your professional relationship with Sean again?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was signed to his label.
MS. JOHNSON: And what happened after Sean kissed you in the bathroom?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I just remember running out and headed back to my hotel. I think I told Kerry about it at the time, but I didn't really share it with anyone.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you want to kiss Sean at your 21st birthday?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No, not at my 21st birthday.
MS. JOHNSON: After your 21st birthday in Las Vegas, how, if at all, was your relationship with Sean different?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, when we got back to New York, I would just visit with him. He would invite me over to his hotel. I think his apartment at the time was getting renovated. So, I went to see him a handful of times.
MS. JOHNSON: Which hotel did you go to see Sean at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The Trump Hotel in Columbus Circle is the one that I remember specifically.
(Continued on next page)
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: At the same time after your 21st birthday, what, if anything, were you doing with your music career?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was trying just to continue to go to the next album, continue recording, come up with a concept.
MS. JOHNSON: Were you recording another album at the time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What influence, if any, did Sean have on your music career at this time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At this time, I mean, he called most of the shots -- well, all of the shots. If I had a new record, I would have to come play it for him. He chose what was next for me, basically.
MS. JOHNSON: Before we talk about the hotel, what is the age difference, if any, between you and Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: 17 years.
MS. JOHNSON: And when Sean invited you to the hotel after your 21st birthday, what was your reaction to that invitation?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm sorry. Can you ask that question again.
MS. JOHNSON: Of course. You testified earlier that after your 21st birthday, Sean invited you to hang out with him at hotels in New York; is that right?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you feel when Sean invited you to those hotels?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, initially, a bit of nervousness. And then just being a young artist, like, excitement, of course, like, okay, we're going to go talk about music or we're going to talk about what's next. Yeah, I think I just -- it's a lot in that time period that's kind of hazy because it was a while ago, but just nervous, excitement.
MS. JOHNSON: At the meetings in the hotel rooms, what, if anything, did you two talk about about music?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Talked about upcoming projects or the actual next album and other things. We started to develop a more comfortable relationship with each other.
MS. JOHNSON: And what else, if anything, happened at those meetings at the hotels?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I remember being introduced to the idea of oral sex. It wasn't something that I really understood or did at that point. And he basically taught me how.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say he basically taught you how, who is the "he" in that sentence?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you were introduced to oral sex, who introduced you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: How did he introduce you to oral sex?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He gave me oral sex.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you reciprocate the oral sex?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did not. I went home and I heard about it from him.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you heard about it from him, can you tell me more about that.
CASANDRA VENTURA: He just kind of made me feel crazy for not reciprocating. At that time, just didn't understand that kind of a sexual relationship. I also was still in a relationship with someone else.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you didn't understand that kind of a sexual relationship, can you tell me more about what you mean by that.
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was just so young. I didn't -- I didn't have even the vocabulary for some of the things that we talked about. Like, I was just trying to understand it. Just completely sexually inexperienced at that point.
MS. JOHNSON: And around the same time, in addition to performing oral sex on you, were there ever any occasions where you performed oral sex on Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Later on, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What was your reaction to the hotel room visits with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think it was the nervous excitement that I say. It also just made me feel sneaky. I didn't know -- I was curious, but of course ended up there and wanted to be, like, around him. So that was just kind of -- it was like, okay, I'm here. Leaving, it was just always confusing because I really didn't know what I felt. I felt like I -- I don't know that I knew that I was making decisions for myself or not. I feel like it was just, like, here I am. I don't know how to explain that.
MS. JOHNSON: You said you wanted to be around him. Why did you want to be around Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I wanted to be around Sean for the same reasons as like everyone else at the time. It's just this exciting, entertaining, fun guy. I had also happened to have my career in his hands. But, yeah, just wanted to spend time. It felt special because not a lot of people got that kind of time with him.
MS. JOHNSON: Around the same time, did you also take a trip to meet Sean in Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did.
MS. JOHNSON: What were the circumstances of meeting Sean in Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The circumstances were that we essentially -- I didn't have a party to host in Miami, but wanted to spend that weekend together. And so came up with a flyer that said I was hosting a party at a club in the beach area, Miami Beach area.
MS. JOHNSON: When you talk about hosting a party, can you explain to the jury what you mean by that.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. As an artist, to make extra money, sometimes you're asked to host events at different clubs, sometimes to perform, and that would have fallen in line with me going to a club and making money for just showing up.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned a flyer, who made that flyer?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't know exactly who made the flyer, but somebody that we knew that could create it.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you make the flyer?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did not make the flyer, no.
MS. JOHNSON: Was the flyer advertising an actual club hosting for you?
MS. JOHNSON: Besides yourself and Sean, who else was in Miami with you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was there with Kerry Morgan and Dallas Austin later, met us down there.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is Dallas Austin?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He is a producer, musician, and friend.
MS. JOHNSON: Kerry Morgan is the individual in the photograph we saw earlier?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did you and Sean do together on this trip?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Together -- this trip was the first time we had sexual intercourse with each other. He rented a boat. I was the first to get there. We just spent some time together and, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: And you had testified earlier that at some point after the hotel visits, you had given Sean oral sex. Do you remember that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Uh-huh.
MS. JOHNSON: Was that prior to Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't think so. I think it happened there, I'm pretty sure. Everything kind of happened that weekend.
MS. JOHNSON: Prior to having sex on the boat, what were you doing on the boat?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Just riding on the boat.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, alcohol were you drinking?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Drinking wine during the day and then later that night started to take drugs.
MS. JOHNSON: What drugs did you take?
CASANDRA VENTURA: On that trip, it was ecstasy, it was a blue dolphin ecstasy pill.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you explain what you mean by a blue dolphin ecstasy pill?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Ecstasy used to -- I don't know how it is now, but came as a pressed pill with a little symbol on it. So these had dolphins.
MS. JOHNSON: Who gave you the ecstasy that you took on the boat in Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: Prior to this Miami trip, had you taken ecstasy before?
MS. JOHNSON: Had you ever taken ecstasy unintentionally before?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What happened at that time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I just was out of it, with friends, laughing. Didn't know what it was until a little bit later.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you say you had unintentionally taken ecstasy, how did you unintentionally take it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I took it out of someone else's Gatorade bottle. Just drinking Gatorade, but it had drugs in it, but didn't know.
MS. JOHNSON: This was before Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This was before Miami, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Prior to hanging out with Sean more, what, if any, drugs did you use?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I smoked marijuana, and I'd drink wine and, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: On this Miami trip when you took ecstasy intentionally for the first time, how did it make you feel?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's totally euphoric. It's an experience of something called rolling where you're just really in the high. So you're super high. You're sensitive to touch. You're just sensitive to all your different senses.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, could you please pull up and publish what's in evidence as Government Exhibit B-107 and B-108 side-by-side.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, starting with the photograph on the left, B-107, do you recognize who is depicted in that photo?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes. That's me and Sean on the boat in Miami.
MS. JOHNSON: And is this the boat you just described being on?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And turning to the next photograph, B-108, do you recognize who's depicted in that exhibit?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes. That's Sean and me sitting down, same boat.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, you can take those exhibits down now.
MS. JOHNSON: After the Miami trip, what was the status of your relationship with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would say we were just together. We spent a lot of time with each other after that. Now I know in hindsight, but I had become, like, one of his girlfriends after that trip.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you know in hindsight, what do you know in hindsight?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That Sean Combs had many girlfriends.
MS. JOHNSON: At the time, what did you know?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At the time, I don't know. I was -- can't say naïve enough. I knew that we were spending a lot of time together one-on-one and really felt, yeah, like we were in a -- a monogamous relationship for a period.
MS. JOHNSON: After the Miami trip, was it public that you were dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No, not for many years after that.
MS. JOHNSON: Why was it not public for many years?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was always just a discussion of me being his artist and just not wanting it to look bad. But I also know it was because of his family and his children and other things, personal things for him.
MS. JOHNSON: What are those other personal things, if you know?
CASANDRA VENTURA: His family, yeah. Just, it was always something I understood.
MS. JOHNSON: Around the same time, who, if anyone, was publicly linked to Sean romantically?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Around this time, I believe it was Kim, but I think she had also just moved away around that time.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say Kim, are you referring to Kim Porter?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: After you started dating Sean, what changes, if any, did you eventually make in your career management?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Well, my management at that time was also managing the other producer/boyfriend that I was with, and just looked at that as a major conflict of interest at that point. And yeah, I basically just trusted that we were going to find new people.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you say you trusted that we were going to find new people, who was the "we" in that sentence?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean and I.
MS. JOHNSON: To be clear, did you break ties with your old management after you started dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: After Miami, how did your relationship with Sean evolve?
CASANDRA VENTURA: After Miami, we really just -- I mean at least from my own side of things, I really fell in love with him. I traveled with him everywhere. I was in studio. I was just like a little shadow for a little while.
MS. JOHNSON: You were a shadow to whom?
CASANDRA VENTURA: To Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: How did Sean treat you at this time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We had fun. It was just kind of like a -- it's my first adult -- real adult relationship, at least what I thought it was. And it was different, so different than anything, as you can imagine. His lifestyle was much different than mine.
MS. JOHNSON: How long did you feel this way about your relationship that you describe being this -- strike that. You said that Sean's lifestyle was different. Can you explain what you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean he had assistants at his beckoned call. He could get anything done quickly. He had respect from everyone. He traveled quite a bit. So he was, yeah, moving around a lot.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, could you please pull up and publish Government Exhibit B-112.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize who's depicted in Government Exhibit B-112?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah, that's me and Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: What's the occasion when this photograph was taken, if you remember?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This was at a strip club in New York, I'm not sure which one, but it was on Halloween.
MS. JOHNSON: And what year?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would say this was probably 2007 or 8, 7.
MS. JOHNSON: And Halloween 2007, is that shortly after the Miami trip?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: If you can pull that down, Ms. Gavin, and pull up Government Exhibit B-106 and B-109, both in evidence, side-by-side, please.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, starting with the photograph on the left, B-106, who's depicted in B-106?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's Sean and myself.
MS. JOHNSON: And where are you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We're in the back of his car, probably driving to the Hamptons or something.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately what time period is this photograph from?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This is in the first year of us dating, like within that first few months.
MS. JOHNSON: And turning to the photograph on the right, B-109, again, who is depicted in that photograph?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean and myself in the back of the car.
MS. JOHNSON: Is that the same car?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And what's the approximate time period that this photograph was taken?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was around the same time.
MS. JOHNSON: In the beginning of your relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, how did you feel about Sean around this time in the beginning of your relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think I was just enamored by him. We were just having a good time. It was really fun at this point.
MS. JOHNSON: How long did you feel that way about Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't know exactly how long. It was off and on for many years, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: How, if at all, did your relationship change over time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, over time you get more comfortable with somebody, obviously, but I began to just experience a different side of him, which was his abusive side and his side that just was very controlling over my life and the things that I wanted to do, but there was still love there.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, you can take these exhibits down.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, you mentioned a side of Sean that wanted control over your life. Can you explain to me what you mean by that.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Being an artist at that time, everything moved really quickly for me and I didn't -- I don't know. There was just no way of keeping up with what was happening and -- I'm sorry. Can you repeat the question.
MS. JOHNSON: Sure. You had mentioned that one thing that changed about your relationship over time was Sean wanting to have control over your life. I just wanted to ask you what that meant when you said control over your life.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Control was everything from the way that I looked to what I was working on that day, who I was speaking to. Control was kind of like an all-around thing to a certain point.
MS. JOHNSON: How often did you talk to Sean in a typical day while you were dating?
CASANDRA VENTURA: All day throughout the day.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you two communicate?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Texts mostly, calls.
MS. JOHNSON: What about phone calls?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Phone calls for sure.
MS. JOHNSON: And when it became a thing, did you FaceTime?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times when you did not answer Sean's messages or phone calls right away?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What happened when you didn't answer his messages or phone calls right away?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He's a bit of an incessant caller, or would have staff, his assistants, security, somebody continue to call until you answered or until he found you.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say incessant caller, what do you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: If there's no answer, you just keep going.
MS. JOHNSON: Would he do the same thing with text messages?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes. That's just his nature.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned that assistants and security would reach out until they found you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Correct.
MS. JOHNSON: What did you mean by until they found you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Until they heard from you and knew where you were and could tell him.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times when Sean's staff located you in person?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: How, if at all, did Sean's mood vary from day to day?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It varied depending on what was going on.
MS. JOHNSON: How did his mood vary?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, it could change at the drop of a conversation, a bad conversation that I had nothing to do with. It just swung different ways.
MS. JOHNSON: I didn't catch that last part that you said. Could you repeat it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I said it swung different ways quite a bit.
MS. JOHNSON: When it swung, could you describe the different moods that you experienced?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. I mean, agitation, kind of zoning out if he was passionate about a subject, he would just be really focused. Yeah, anger.
MS. JOHNSON: How, if at all, did Sean's moods impact you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I felt like they impacted me pretty greatly. It got to a point where you -- this is me speaking for myself, but -- like, you know how to handle certain people, you know when to speak to them, you know when to approach them, like that it's timing or what you say, how you present something just in order to make sure the person doesn't become upset with you or, yeah, change their demeanor with you.
MS. JOHNSON: Do you have an example of how Sean's moods impacted you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean the greatest -- the most complicated and greatest examples are the abuse because, like, I also felt at certain times when I knew that it wasn't even about me and, yeah, like make the wrong face and the next thing I knew, I was getting hit in the face. It was, you know --
MS. JOHNSON: When you say the abuse, what abuse are you talking about?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Physical abuse in a relationship, but there is also psychological. There's a lot of things going on.
MS. JOHNSON: You said something about making the wrong face. Can you explain what you meant by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: If I wasn't smiling at him the way he wanted. If I just looked a certain way that he didn't like, maybe I was a brat or something, like, he would let me know I need to fix my face or watch my mouth. That was like a -- those were things that were said in the relationship quite often, fix your face, watch your mouth, or you have a slick mouth.
MS. JOHNSON: You also mentioned psychological abuse. Can you describe what you meant by psychological abuse?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's pretty deep. I mean, psychological is just every day, not knowing who he was going to be when we woke up that day. The entire relationship, I didn't live with him. So we had time apart and usually it was just, like, I always had to be doing something. I don't know if that makes sense. I had what you would call, like, busy work. I needed to make sure I knew what songs I was recording, what things were coming up and then have to, like, list them out or I wasn't amounting to anything in my life. So that was -- it was a lot. I mean, psychological is an everyday thing, somebody constantly telling you who to be.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say someone constantly telling you who to be, are you referring to anyone in particular?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm referring to Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned you always had to be doing something?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Who, if anyone, would check in on you about what you were doing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would. He would check in. But I also worked with his engineers and all of his people. So everybody was pretty much in tune with everything I was doing.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say his engineers and his people, are you talking about people you worked with in the studio?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Studio staff, yup.
MS. JOHNSON: You also mentioned making lists of songs. Do you recall that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who, if anyone, would you give those lists to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would give it to him, like an engineer or the writer, but he would have a list. He knew what I was doing at studio, Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: What was the purpose of giving those lists to Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That I was completing what I was supposed to be doing, that songs were getting done, and yeah. It's my busy work.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say busy work, can you describe what you mean by busy work?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Work that just kept me busy mainly because a lot of the things I did didn't actually come out, be it music or whatever. I think busy work was just the way I interpreted it. It was just control. It was just control over what I was doing every minute of the day.
MS. JOHNSON: You said some things didn't come out, whether it was music or whatever. Can you tell me what whatever might be?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Music wouldn't come out, but I also would get a lot of opportunities that would come through that I wouldn't -- I was told not to participate in, be it a modeling campaign, which was something that I actually did before music, or a runway show. There are things that I just had to say no to.
MS. JOHNSON: And who told you not to participate in those opportunities?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean advised.
MS. JOHNSON: We'll get back to that in a few minutes. Were there times in your relationship when you ignored Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What happened in your relationship when you ignored Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, if I ignored him, he would call constantly, which I said. I usually didn't live too far, so it was easy to send someone to just come see if I was home. But it was definitely a not stop until you find me thing.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned sending someone to see if you were home. Who typically would be sent on that task?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Usually security would be sent on that task, but maybe like a trusted assistant or something.
MS. JOHNSON: And can you describe for the jury whose Sean security would be?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Like specifically?
MS. JOHNSON: Just what were their roles?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, security protected him, kept an eye on me.
MS. JOHNSON: How often would security -- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cut you off.
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's okay. I was trying to understand your question more, I think.
MS. JOHNSON: Understood. How often was security around Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Oh, all the time, 24/7 security.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say trusted assistant, whose assistant are you referring to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean's assistant.
MS. JOHNSON: What are some of the names of the security who worked for Sean during the time that you two were dating?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There was D Rock, Bonds, Uncle Pauley, Faheem, Malik. Just a lot of people, but those are the main ones I can remember.
MS. JOHNSON: When you mentioned trusted assistant, who were some of the trusted assistants?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, in the very beginning, it was David James. It just kind of changed over time. Kristina Khorram eventually. Neil Dominic. He had a lot of different assistants.
MS. JOHNSON: And we'll get back to some of those folks. When you said security kept an eye on you, what did you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, they could easily just come over and see if I was home or not. It wasn't really a secret. Yeah. Does that make sense?
MS. JOHNSON: Was your relationship with Sean always exclusive?
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times where you saw other men?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there times where he saw other women?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you feel about Sean seeing other women?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was insanely jealous, but also super young, didn't get it at all, but I was definitely, yeah, young and jealous.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you didn't get it, what didn't you get?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I didn't get that he was him. As he would say, I'm Puff Daddy, and Puff Daddy has many women where, you know, he likes the company of women. And yeah, I had to just really learn that over time, despite what he would tell me, just between us.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say despite what he would tell you, what do you mean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He made me feel like we were in a monogamous relationship, more often than not. It was more figuring out that I wasn't in a monogamous relationship.
MS. JOHNSON: How did he make you feel like you were in a monogamous relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, he expected that of me, so I assumed that it was the same, but he definitely would say, like, I'm not dealing with anyone else or it's just us.
MS. JOHNSON: And when he would say, I'm not dealing with anyone else, was that true?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It could have been sometimes and then other times no.
MS. JOHNSON: In what city did you live when you first started dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I lived in New York.
MS. JOHNSON: And after you started dating Sean, in what part of the city did you eventually move to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I eventually lived on West End around 60th, around 60th and West End.
MS. JOHNSON: What were the circumstances of you moving to 60th and West End?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was a gift, actually, for my birthday. And I remember on my birthday Sean taking me and my parents up there to show them. It really -- it wasn't far from his house like all of the other houses.
MS. JOHNSON: Where did Sean live in relation to the West End apartment?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He was around, he was like 56th is Broadway at the time, so not far.
MS. JOHNSON: Who paid the rent for the apartment on West End?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: Besides New York, where else and what other cities did you live while you were dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Los Angeles. I occasionally were in Miami, but I really didn't live there. Los Angeles and New York.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you eventually move full-time from New York to Los Angeles?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: And what led to your move to LA?
CASANDRA VENTURA: After spending quite a bit of one-on-one time, I knew he really wanted to be closer to his kids, so that was ultimately the move he wanted to make, was to be closer to them in LA. Although I wasn't ready to move out of New York, I followed him, I went.
MS. JOHNSON: So why did you move?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I moved because I was in love and I wanted to be near him.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you said Sean wanted to be closer to his kids, where did his kids live at that time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: His kids lived in California, or some of them, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please pull up for identification, for the Court and the parties only, Government Exhibits 2B-101 and 2B-102 side-by-side.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize what's depicted in 2B-101 and 2B-102?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes. This is one of the houses that Sean rented while in LA.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize this house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I spent a lot of time there. I had my 26th birthday there.
MS. JOHNSON: Are these fair and accurate photos of one of the houses Sean rented in LA?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2B-101 and 2B-102.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: They'll be admitted.
(Government's Exhibits 2B-101, 2B-102 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please publish for the jury those two exhibits.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, directing your attention to the photograph on the left, 2B-101, which side of the house is depicted, the front or the back?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This is the backside of the house.
MS. JOHNSON: With respect to the three floors that you can see, on which floor is the front entrance of this house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The front entrance is at the very top where there's like a clear glass, it's not lit up from the inside.
MS. JOHNSON: And what floor is Sean's bedroom on in this particular house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's on that same floor. So the rounder part in the middle is the bathroom and then all the way to the left is the bedroom.
MS. JOHNSON: And that's that top floor you're referencing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: You can take that down now, Ms. Gavin.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, between when you moved to LA and when you ended your relationship with Sean, approximately how many residences in LA did you live in?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Let me see. One -- about four, I believe.
MS. JOHNSON: Where did you live when you first moved to LA?
CASANDRA VENTURA: When I first moved to LA, I moved to a building on Doheny 818 Doheny.
MS. JOHNSON: Where did you live after 818 Doheny?
CASANDRA VENTURA: After that, I wanted to get my own house, so I got a house in Studio City. From there, moved back over the hill and I was on -- what is that -- Willshire Corridor, and then from there moved to West Hollywood.
MS. JOHNSON: In the Willshire Corridor, what address did you live at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was 875 Comstock Avenue.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please pull up for identification for the Court and the parties only Government Exhibits 2B-111 and 2B-112 side-by-side.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize what's depicted in Government Exhibits 2B --
MS. JOHNSON: Sorry.
MS. JOHNSON: 2B-107 and 2B -- I can't see the exhibit number on the second one. Focusing on 2B-107, what's depicted in that exhibit?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's the back of -- was my entrance side and where my apartment was of 875 Comstock, was the entryway.
MS. JOHNSON: And the other exhibit, 2B-109, what's depicted in that exhibit?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's the Willshire Corridor side, the opposite side.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize this building?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I lived there.
MS. JOHNSON: Is this a fair and accurate photograph of 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibits 2B-107 and 2B-109.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: They'll be admitted.
(Government's Exhibits 2B-107, 2B-109 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please publish them for the jury, Ms. Gavin.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, focusing on 2B-107, which side of the building does this depict again?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's the back, but the front entrance.
MS. JOHNSON: The front entrance is on the side of the building --
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. It's like a little roundabout.
MS. JOHNSON: Which side of the building did you live on?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I lived on this side.
MS. JOHNSON: The front side that you can see in 2B-107?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What floor did you live on?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was on 17.
MS. JOHNSON: And approximately how many floors was in 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't think it was much more than 17.
MS. JOHNSON: Where did Sean live in relation to 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Right down the block on South Mapleton. It's probably a few-minute drive or walk away.
MS. JOHNSON: What was his address on South Mapleton?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believes it was 200 South Mapleton Drive.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please take down these two exhibits and put up for the Court and the parties for identification only Government Exhibit 2C-103.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize what's depicted in Government Exhibit 2C-103?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What is this?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's the distance between my apartment and Sean's house.
MS. JOHNSON: And your apartment at 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yup.
MS. JOHNSON: Is this a true and accurate map of the distance between 875 Comstock and 200 South Mapleton?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It is.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2C-103.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: It will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibit 2C-103 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please publish to the jury at this time.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, how did you get between your apartment at 875 Comstock and Sean's house at 200 South Mapleton?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would drive, sometimes walk. He also had -- Sean also had a golf cart that he would take.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how long of a drive was it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A few minutes. Three minutes is what it says here.
MS. JOHNSON: Is the three minutes on the map accurate?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: You can take that down now, Ms. Gavin.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned that you lift in West Hollywood after 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: What was the street you lived on in West Hollywood?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That street was called Harold Way.
MS. JOHNSON: Was this the residence you were living at when you ended your relationship with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who generally paid the rent for your LA apartments and house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Generally Sean did, except for the one house.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say except for the one house, who paid the rent for the house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The house in Studio City I paid for.
MS. JOHNSON: And why did you pay for the rent in Studio City?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This is at a time where I could afford it and I had just wanted that freedom for myself and to be able to have my own place.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you want that freedom at that time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because I wasn't getting it a lot of other ways and there was no fight, so I did.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say there was no fight, what do you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There was no argument for me getting my own place, not that I remember. Yeah, it was accepted.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say it was accepted, who accepted it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: And what, if anything, happened around the time you moved from that residence to 875 Comstock?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believe -- I'm sorry. When I moved?
MS. JOHNSON: I'm sorry, Ms. Ventura. Let me ask a different question. For the residences where Sean paid the rent, what access, if any, did Sean have to those apartments?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He had access. He had his own keys.
MS. JOHNSON: When, if ever, did he use those keys?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Whenever he wanted.
MS. JOHNSON: Did he ever come by unannounced?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, frequently enough, but not too much. A lot.
MS. JOHNSON: I think you answered a number of different ways there.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: I'll give you a chance to --
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. 875 Comstock was the closest, and I would say there were a lot of unannounced visits there.
MS. JOHNSON: So did it vary by location how frequently there were unannounced visits?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think so, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you feel when Sean stopped by your apartment unannounced?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, depending on his mood and if he was yelling or banging on the door or if he was just coming in smooth and being nice, it just varied. Usually, if it was to check in and see what was going on without us knowing -- and by us, I mean me and my friends. It was just a little bit of a stomach-in-knots moment.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say stomach-in-knots moment, what do you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Didn't know what was going to come of the visit or why Sean might have been angry to start. So, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What were you concerned could happen?
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection.
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, can you rephrase.
MS. JOHNSON: I'll move on.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, you were asked some questions -- you talked about your music earlier you had been recording.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how many songs did you record during your relationship with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Hundreds of songs.
MS. JOHNSON: What happened to the songs that you recorded?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Some of them got released, some of them got leaked on the internet prior to, like, a proper release, and some just didn't see light of day.
MS. JOHNSON: Besides the songs that were released, did you release any additional albums when you dated Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No. I put out a mixed tape.
MS. JOHNSON: What's a mixed tape?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was a free album, like, for fans that had been waiting for so long for music.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately what year did you put out that mixed tape?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believe it was 2011 or '12. I'm not 100 percent sure.
MS. JOHNSON: How many albums on your record deal were not released?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Nine.
MS. JOHNSON: And what, if any, compensation do you receive if albums are not released?
CASANDRA VENTURA: You don't. You barely receive it when they are released.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, impact did not releasing albums have on you financially?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, it was not released -- can you repeat that again. I'm sorry.
MS. JOHNSON: Sure. What, if any, impact did not releasing albums have on you financially?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, financially, I didn't make anything off of them, but I think it was just more of a, you're not releasing music, you're not doing your job. So the career was kind of stifled.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you not release another album during this time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: You're asking me?
MS. JOHNSON: Well, put another way, what were you doing instead of -- when you working on your music, what were you doing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: When I wasn't working on my music, I was recovering from partying. That was a big -- that took a big chunk out of my life. I just, plainly, the freak-offs became a job where there was no space to do anything else but to recover and just try to feel normal again.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say partying, what do you mean by partying?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Staying up for days on end, taking drugs and other different substances, drinking, having sex with a stranger over days.
MS. JOHNSON: Does partying include what you described earlier as freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Before we move on, who ultimately decided whether you could release another album?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: How much time out of your week did freak-offs take?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It would depend on how long they were. They ranged anywhere from 36, 48, to 72 hours. I feel like the longest one ever was four days, maybe even more, like, on and off with breaks. So it was a significant part of the week.
MS. JOHNSON: And you also testified just a moment ago about recovering. What, if anything, were you recovering from after a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Recovering from the drugs, dehydration, the just staying awake all that time.
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, when you come to a good landing place, we can take our midafternoon break.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, I think this is a good landing place, if the Court is amenable.
THE COURT: Thank you, members of the jury. It's 12:20 right now. I have been informed that your lunch is here. So let's come back at 1:00 p.m. All rise for the jury.
(Continued on next page)
(Jury not present)
THE COURT: Ms. Ventura, we're going to take a break. We'll come back at 1:00 p.m. During our break, you're not to have any discussions with any of the government lawyers.
MS. COMEY: Your Honor, the witness is still on direct examination. I think the rule applies only on cross examination.
THE COURT: Any objection from the defense?
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: Thank you for that. So you may have discussions with whomever you like. And be back here at 1:00 p.m. You can leave the stand now.
(Witness not present)
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, anything to address before we adjourn?
MS. JOHNSON: I don't believe so.
THE COURT: Anything from the defense?
MR. AGNIFILO: Nothing, Judge. Thank you.
THE COURT: See everyone back at 1:00 p.m.
(Luncheon recess)
(Continued on next page)
AFTERNOON SESSION 1:05 p.m.
(Jury not present)
THE COURT: All right. Ms. Johnson, are we prepared to proceed?
MS. JOHNSON: We are, your Honor. I anticipate using a binder with the witness. May I put it on the witness stand?
THE COURT: You may. Do we have our witness?
MS. JOHNSON: We do. We'll bring her in.
THE COURT: She can go ahead and take the stand.
MS. JOHNSON: Would the court like a copy as well?
THE COURT: Are you going to be also putting it on the screen?
MS. JOHNSON: Yes.
THE COURT: Then let's save the trees. Welcome back.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Thank you.
THE COURT: Is it a little too cold for you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm actually OK. It doesn't matter to me.
THE COURT: Is it too cold for anyone else? ALL PRESENT: Yes.
THE COURT: OK. We'll see what we can do. We have so many people in here, it kind of get hots very quickly. We will make some adjustments. Mr. Courtroom deputy, do we have our jury ready?
COURT CLERK: Yes, your Honor. I believe they are ready.
THE COURT: OK. All rise.
(Continued on next page)
(Jury present)
THE COURT: Welcome back. Ms. Ventura, you understand you're still under oath?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, you may proceed.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, earlier this morning you testified about eventually changing your career management after you started dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Do you recall that testimony?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Eventually who, if anyone, managed your career?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Eventually, it was kind of a group effort with Sean, and in the background, but I worked with a man named James Cruz who also, like, helped manage Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: OK.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Helped him manage himself.
MS. JOHNSON: Where, if you know, did James Cruz work?
CASANDRA VENTURA: James Cruz worked for Bad Boy, the company.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. What relationship, if any, did James Cruz have with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They had a business relationship together, did a lot of work together.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did James Cruz tell you about his role as your manager?
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, we discussed this yesterday.
THE COURT: Is this the issue from yesterday?
MS. JOHNSON: This is the issue from yesterday.
THE COURT: That's overruled.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, let me repeat the question. While Mr. Cruz was managing you, what, if anything, did you tell you about his role in managing your career?
CASANDRA VENTURA: His role in managing my career was that he was managing me with one hand tied behind his back.
MS. JOHNSON: Is that what Mr. Cruz told you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And what did you understand Mr. Cruz to mean when he told you he had one hand tied behind his back?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That he couldn't work as a normal manager, music manager, that, um, he had to have decisions go through other parties. And, yeah, just a different, different way of doing things.
MS. JOHNSON: Who are the other parties who decisions would go through?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you primarily earn money while you were dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I would do club hostings, as I talked about earlier, occasionally a campaign, or some sort of modeling job. Yeah, along those lines.
MS. JOHNSON: For those club hostings, approximately how much were you paid?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Anywhere between 7,500 to 20,000, just depended on whether or not I would perform or what I had to do.
MS. JOHNSON: What reaction, if any, did Sean have to your hosting jobs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, he was supportive of them, for the most part. Um, if he didn't want me to do one, he would let us know.
MS. JOHNSON: And how common was it for him to say no to a job?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was pretty common.
MS. JOHNSON: Turning to a different topic now. When you first started dating Sean, what, if any, comments would he make about your physical appearance?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Oh, well, anything from I look too Mexican with my hair like that, to I needed to have my nails done a certain way. I mean, he would clown my chipped nail polish and dirty sneakers. That was, like, a thing. Um, but appearance was very important to him. My appearance.
MS. JOHNSON: How soon after you started dating Sean did he start making comments like you just described?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was pretty immediate.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did Sean say about how he wanted you to dress?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It varied depending on what was going on. Some days he would want me to be really sexy and be his woman, and then other days, you know, I could be on my tomboy looks and stuff like that. But he was just very involved in it, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned your nails earlier?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: How did Sean say he wanted your nails to look?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He preferred them to be white, from the beginning of our relationship. They just always had to be done, for sure, but specifically, during the freak-offs, like, white or, um, French tip.
MS. JOHNSON: And you also mentioned how your hair was parted. How did Sean want your hair to look?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Hair. Specifically when? It varied.
MS. JOHNSON: What were some of the things he said to you about your hair?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, well, I mean, the biggest change was that I shaved my head around 2009, after talking about it for quite some time. But, everything. The way it was styled that day, to the color, everything.
MS. JOHNSON: What else, if anything, did Sean say he wanted you to do with your physical appearance?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I mean, we had discussions about breast implants, I also -- we had tons of conversations about my body. And at that time, like -- I mean, now I'm 38 years old and a woman. I didn't have much body to really talk about, um, and I was still developing, so ... There may be comments about working out or just, like, keeping my shape a certain way, when there wasn't much there to begin with.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how much time did you spend on your appearance weekly while you dated Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: All the time. I, um, if I wasn't doing my nails, I was getting a tan. If I wasn't getting a tan, I was doing some else. And more often than not, like, the prep, the physical prep was for the freak-offs. Also to be, you know, next to him and be his girlfriend. But, yeah, I had to look a certain way during the freak-offs.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. We'll get back to that. How frequently did Sean comment on your appearance?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Daily.
MS. JOHNSON: And how common was it for Sean to make specific demands about how you looked?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was very common.
MS. JOHNSON: How would you feel about the comments that Sean made about your appearance?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That also varied. I mean, he kind of critiqued a lot of people around me, other artists as well. So, like, it wasn't a shocker. But, after a while, that wears down on you. When your confidence and your self-worth, definitely, my self-worth took a hit for the entirety of the relationship. Just trying to establish who I was and who I wanted to be and who I was allowed to be.
MS. JOHNSON: Turning to a slightly different topic. You testified earlier that Sean paid rent for you at several residences. What else, if anything, did he pay for?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He paid for cars, um, clothing, things like that, trips we'd take together.
MS. JOHNSON: Did he ever give you money to spend?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He did, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: When, if ever, did he take possessions away from you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Oh, all the time. But that was kind of, like, a, if you're not doing what I'm asking of you or if you're out of line in any way, I'll get my car taken away. Like, I got kicked out of the house, my apartment. I would have jewelry taken away. It was very random, depending on how he felt.
MS. JOHNSON: Besides you mentioned your car, you mentioned jewelry, you mentioned your house --
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: -- is there anything else he would take away?
CASANDRA VENTURA: My self-confidence. Just -- just physical things. But at that point, to me, the physical things didn't really matter. I really just wanted his approval.
MS. JOHNSON: Who would typically take these items?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, staff, I would assume.
MS. JOHNSON: I don't want you to assume. Just --
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm sorry.
MS. JOHNSON: No worries.
CASANDRA VENTURA: I shouldn't ... If I wasn't there, it would have had to be a staff member or security, somebody that had access.
MS. ESTEVAO: Object to the speculation.
THE COURT: Sustained. The jury should disregard the witness's last answer.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, let me ask some more specific questions. You mentioned that laptops were taken?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: What else, what, if any, other electronics were taken, from you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: My phone.
MS. JOHNSON: Who took laptops or your phone from you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They would be taken, um, by Sean's direction. Somebody would come take them. I don't ...
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection.
THE COURT: Same objection?
MS. ESTEVAO: Yes.
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, can you lay some foundation?
MS. JOHNSON: Sure.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, did Sean ever take any electronics from you personally?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Did anyone else ever take electronics from you personally, besides Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who were those people?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Security.
MS. JOHNSON: Who from security?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Specifically?
MS. JOHNSON: Yes.
CASANDRA VENTURA: I know that D Rock was a person that used to take things by direction.
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection.
THE COURT: It's overruled.
MS. JOHNSON: How long -- strike that. Would you get these items back when they were taken?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: How long would they typically be gone for?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it depended on how long I was -- that I was being punished for, I guess.
MS. JOHNSON: How were they returned to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean would give them back to me. If I would go to his house, and he would give them back to me.
MS. JOHNSON: We've talked about a few employees so far. How frequently -- how frequently were you in contact with Sean's employees during your relationship?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, regularly, daily.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please pull up Government Exhibit 2A-301 and 2A-305 for identification for the parties and the court only.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, starting with the photograph on the left, do you recognize that individual?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Kristina Khorram.
MS. JOHNSON: And turning to the photograph be the right, do you recognize that individual?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Tony Fletcher.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize these individuals?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was around them for several years while I dated Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Who did they work for?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They worked for Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Are these true and accurate photos of Kristina Khorram and Tony Fletcher?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2A-301 and 2A-305.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: They are admitted.
(Government's Exhibit 2A-301 and 2A-305 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please publish them to the jury, Ms. Gavin.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, directing your attention to 2A-305. Ms. Fletcher. How frequently did you interact with Ms. Fletcher while you were dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, when she worked for the company, when she was around, I talked to her regularly. Every day.
MS. JOHNSON: For what reasons would you speak to Ms. Fletcher?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, usually financial, when I just had some -- a lot of transitioning of my -- my accounts and things like that. And she helped me with those things, pay bills and, um...
MS. ESTEVAO: Your Honor, I apologize. We have a lot of vague narratives without any time period. If Ms. Johnson could be more specific with respect to the year, at least that would be helpful.
THE COURT: I don't understand the objection. What's the basis for the objection? In any event, it's overruled. Now, you've said that and, Ms. Johnson, I think, will help guide our discussion this afternoon. Are we getting a fresh question?
MS. JOHNSON: Yes.
THE COURT: Yes. OK. Good.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, relative to when you started dating Sean, how soon thereafter did you start speaking to Ms. Fletcher?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I started speaking to Ms. Fletcher, I would say, it's -- within the first three years of the relationship.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. And turning to Kristina Khorram on the left-hand side, Government 2A-301. At what point in your relationship did you start communicating with Ms. Khorram?
CASANDRA VENTURA: As soon as she started. I'm not positive of the year.
MS. JOHNSON: Was that in the beginning, the middle, or the end of your relationship with Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was, like, the middle of the relationship.
MS. JOHNSON: What did you call Ms. Khorram?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I called her K.K.
MS. JOHNSON: And how frequently did you interact with K.K.?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Every day.
MS. JOHNSON: And was that starting from approximately the middle of your relationship with Sean when Ms. Khorram started working for him?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And what subject matters who you communicate with K.K. about?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Everything from scheduling to, um, what kind of mood he was in. I talked to K.K. about a lot. She knew a lot of my personal things, doctor's appointments, everything.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified earlier about security coming to find you. Do you remember that testimony?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, you can take down these two exhibits. Can you please pull up for identification for the court and the parties Government Exhibit 2A-202 and 2A-204.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize who is depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-202?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who's that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's D Rock.
MS. JOHNSON: What about Government Exhibit 2A-204?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes, that's Uncle Paulie.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize these individuals?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I spent many years around them.
MS. JOHNSON: Did they work for Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And what was their role again?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They were both security.
MS. JOHNSON: And are these true and accurate photos of D Rock and Uncle Paulie?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2A-202 and 2A-204.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: They will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibits 2A-202 and 2A-204 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: If you can please publish them to the jury, Ms. Gavin.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, I believe you testified earlier that it was D Rock had taken a phone from you before, is that right?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Is that the individual depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-202?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: You can take those down, Ms. Gavin. Can you please pull up for identification Government Exhibit 2A-201 and 2A-205 for the court and the parties only.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, starting with Government Exhibit 2A-201, do you recognize this individual?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Roger Bonds.
MS. JOHNSON: And on the right-hand side, Government Exhibit 2A-205, do you recognize that individual?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Ruben Sandy.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize these individuals?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I spent many years around them as well.
MS. JOHNSON: And what roles did they have?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Security.
MS. JOHNSON: Did they work for Mr. -- did they work for Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2A-201 and 2A-205.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: They will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibits 2A-201 and 2A-205 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please publish those to the jury, Ms. Gavin.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, you testified that 2A-201 depicts Roger Bonds, right?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And the other Exhibit 2A-205 is Ruben Sandy?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Correct.
MS. JOHNSON: Did Ruben Sandy go by any nicknames?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Rube, yep.
MS. JOHNSON: You can take those down, Ms. Gavin. Finally, can you pull up Government Exhibit 2A-203 for identification for the court and the parties only.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize whose depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-203?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is this?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's Faheem. He was the security driver for Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say security/driver, what's that position?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He's the main driver, but he also provides security.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. How do you recognize Faheem?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was around him quite a bit.
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2A-203.
THE COURT: It will be admitted.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
(Government's Exhibit 2A-203 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please publish the exhibit to the jury, Ms. Gavin. You can take that down now, Ms. Gavin.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, which of the people in those photos we just looked at came to look for you when you did not answer Sean's calls?
CASANDRA VENTURA: D Rock.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently were you in Sean's residences when you dated him?
CASANDRA VENTURA: All the time.
MS. JOHNSON: Which, if any, of Sean's Combs had safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They all did.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you know that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because I saw them.
MS. JOHNSON: And who else to your knowledge had access to the safes besides you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Security. Sometimes, again, a trusted assistant.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say security, would that cover all the individuals whose photos we just looked at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently did you access safes in Sean's residences?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, not super frequently, but I had access to them. Occasionally.
MS. JOHNSON: For what reason would you have access to the safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: If Sean needed me to get money out or somebody asked me to get something out of it.
MS. JOHNSON: On those occasions, what, if anything, did you observe inside the safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, there was always cash, um, jewelry, um, sometimes, like, tapes and SD cards from cameras, um, guns, um, yeah. It depended on which safe.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. You mentioned tapes from cameras. Are you referring to videotapes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes, videotapes.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned guns. Which residences did you see guns inside the safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I saw in, um, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, and also Alpine, New Jersey.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you describe the size of the guns you saw inside the saves in those four residences?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I only ever saw handguns.
MS. JOHNSON: When, if ever, have you seen guns outside of Sean's safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A few times.
MS. JOHNSON: Who had the guns when you saw them outside of Sean's safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They were just laid out, um, by security. They were just on the table.
MS. JOHNSON: Do you recall an incident involving Sean and Suge Knight?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Were Sean and Suge Knight friends or rivals?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Rivals.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you describe what happened?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean and I were having a freak-off at one of his homes in LA. And, um, I just remember we were kind of, like, just chilling at this point. And D Rock came in and he said that Suge was down at Mel's Diner, which was just right down the hill. And they quickly packed up and drove down there.
MS. JOHNSON: What was your reaction?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I -- I was crying. I was screaming, like, please don't do anything stupid. Um, I just was really nervous for them. I didn't know what it meant, what they were going to do.
MS. JOHNSON: Did they return?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They did.
MS. JOHNSON: Have you ever handled Sean's guns?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, handled? I've been handed, yeah. But scared.
MS. JOHNSON: Who handed a gun to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't know specifically who, but it was some security in the car.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately when did this happen?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This happened later on in our relationship. We were going to a club hosting in downtown LA.
MS. JOHNSON: And what do you recall about that night?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I just remember -- I remember we took mushrooms and I was really, like, high and I was handed the gun to just hold in my bag. But I was just freaking out the whole time that it was going to go off. I didn't -- I hadn't used or learned to operate a gun at that point, so...
MS. JOHNSON: What did you do after the gun was in your bag?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At what point?
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned that the gun, that you were handed a gun in your bag?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: How long was it in your bag?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was in my bag for the duration of the club visit. So, like, about an hour, an hour and a half.
MS. JOHNSON: And how did you feel while the gun was in your bag?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Just terrified. I didn't want anybody to touch me, come near me. I just stayed, like, sitting in the back.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified that, who else was present when the gun was put in your bag?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There was a driver and security. I just don't know exactly who.
MS. JOHNSON: Was Sean present?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He was.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything -- strike that. After you left the club, what did you do with the gun?
CASANDRA VENTURA: As soon as we got in the car, I gave it to whoever the security was. Just didn't want it.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you do that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I had no idea why I had it in the first place, and I just wanted to not be holding a loaded gun, if I was.
MS. JOHNSON: And aside from the time you just described, when the gun was in your bag at the club, do you recall handling Sean's guns at any other time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I recall handling --
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection to Sean's guns.
MS. JOHNSON: I'll rephrase, your Honor.
THE COURT: All right.
MS. JOHNSON: Aside from the time a gun was in your purse at the club, do you recall handling guns at any other time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you tell me about that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's a vague memory. Just, they came out here and there, the guns were taken out here and there, so just, like, a -- I always felt, like, it was just a little bit of a scare tactic. I didn't really know for what purpose.
MS. JOHNSON: Where were the guns taken out from?
CASANDRA VENTURA: From the safe.
MS. JOHNSON: Where were the safes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: In the closet in his homes.
MS. JOHNSON: And whose homes were those?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean's.
MS. JOHNSON: And circling back to the Suge Knight incident, you described Sean and D Rock packing up?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: What do you mean by packing up?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, it was, like, I wasn't even there. They just put on a bunch of black clothes, covered up their heads, went in the safe, grabbed guns, and next thing I knew, they were in the SUV just --
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection to foundation and knowledge.
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, can you lay some foundation on knowledge?
MS. JOHNSON: Sure.
MS. JOHNSON: After you saw them pack up, what did you see them do?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I saw them get dressed and leave the house.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned they returned, is that correct?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how long between when they left did they return?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It really wasn't that long. I couldn't imagine it was probably, like, definitely less than an hour. 30 minutes. 30, 45 minutes, tops.
MS. JOHNSON: I want to turn to a different topic now.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified early on that Sean mentioned voyeurism to you. Do you recall that testimony?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: How did Sean describe voyeurism to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He described voyeurism as a fantasy that he had where he would want to see me with another male and having sexual interaction, talking. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: OK.
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would watch.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did Sean tell -- say to you about swinging?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, swinging was brought up separately, and it was a lifestyle that he taught me about, about couples that switch partners. And, um, yeah, I didn't really have too much knowledge of it.
MS. JOHNSON: And you testified earlier that you eventually started having freak-offs with Sean. Do you recall that testimony?
MS. JOHNSON: How did the freak-offs that you did compare to how Sean described voyeurism to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, can you rephrase that?
MS. JOHNSON: Sure. Of course. Let's talk about the freak-offs first. I think that will be easier. How soon into the relationship did Sean mention voyeurism to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was within the first, like, six months to a year. It was very early.
MS. JOHNSON: And what, if anything, did Sean say about the identity of the other person who would be involved in the sex acts?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He said we wouldn't know them, um, that it would, more than likely, be a stranger, an escort or a dancer.
MS. JOHNSON: Earlier you also testified that Sean physically hurt you in your relationship. Do you recall that testimony?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Relative to when Sean first started physically hurting you, did the conversation about voyeurism happen?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Relatively close together, I would say.
MS. JOHNSON: Which one happened first?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There was abuse first and then the conversation after.
MS. JOHNSON: To be clear, the conversation about voyeurism?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Conversation about voyeurism.
MS. JOHNSON: What was your reaction when Sean told you about voyeurism?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I was shocked. I didn't -- I wasn't expecting that. Um, I just felt really, like, at a loss. I didn't know how to react. I didn't want to upset him if I said that it scared me or I said anything outside of, OK, let's try it, because I was always just down for the things that he wanted to do. I was really nervous. Really, really nervous.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how old were you when Sean first proposed freak-offs to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think I just turned 22.
MS. JOHNSON: And how long after Sean mentioned his interest in seeing you have sex with another man was the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Within the first, like, two to three months of him telling me about it.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you agree to try a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That's a great question. I wanted to make him happy. I was in a really significantly mature relationship that I don't think I was prepared for, now when I look at it. But, yeah, I loved him. I didn't want him to think that I thought anything bad of him for it. I -- I just wanted to make him happy.
MS. JOHNSON: Where was the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was at one of his homes that he was renting in Los Angeles.
MS. JOHNSON: And where was it inside the home?
CASANDRA VENTURA: In his bedroom.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you pull up for identification only Government Exhibit 2A-627 for the court and the parties.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize who is depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-627?
MS. JOHNSON: Who is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That is the first escort that we ever had an encounter with.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. When you say encounter, do you mean a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A freak-off, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Is this a fair and accurate photograph of the escort?
MS. JOHNSON: The government offers Government Exhibit 2A-627.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: It will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibit 2A-627 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please publish that for the jury, Ms. Gavin.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you know the name of the individual depicted in Government Exhibit 2A-627?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't remember.
MS. JOHNSON: If I refer to him as the first escort, will you know who I'm talking about?
MS. JOHNSON: What did you understand his occupation to be?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I understood him to be a dancer, a stripper. In Vegas, I think.
MS. JOHNSON: At this first freak-off, are you aware if the first escort was paid?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm -- yeah, he was paid.
MS. JOHNSON: What was he paid to do?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He was paid to entertain, to dance, and to have intercourse with me.
MS. JOHNSON: Who arranged for the first escort to be present at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, drugs did you take at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We took ectasy and drank alcohol.
MS. JOHNSON: And earlier you testified that ectasy is a pressed pill, is that right?
MS. JOHNSON: Was there any particular kind of ectasy you took at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Those were the blue dolphins that I spoke about earlier.
MS. JOHNSON: The same pills from Miami?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: At what point in the freak-off did you first take the ectasy?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Before anything started.
MS. JOHNSON: Who provided the ectasy to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: What did you wear at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Specifically, I don't know exactly, but it was definitely an outfit from a sex store, Hustler or something with some really high platform shoes, dancing shoes.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did you do to disguise your appearance?
CASANDRA VENTURA: On that first meeting, Sean told me that we would wear masks, so I wore a masquerade mask and...
MS. JOHNSON: You described the really tall platform heels. Who, if anyone, told you to wear those heels?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean did.
MS. JOHNSON: Can you please describe what happened at the initial, at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, after we took the drugs, um, he had a conversation -- Sean had a conversation with the dancer. And then shortly after, he came down to the room and, um, performed and stood in the doorway and danced for a little while, while I just watched, and while Sean watched us.
MS. JOHNSON: What happened next?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it was just a gradual -- I should say, every freak-off was, like, directed by Sean. Like, he knew specifically where he wanted everyone to be, the lighting and such. So, over that, that first session, we just kind of, like, ended up get closer and closer and talking to each other, and then eventually had to put oil on each other. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: You used the word session. What do you mean by session?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A session in a freak-off would be, like, one full-time, um, with the escort until basically they finished, they ejaculated.
MS. JOHNSON: Would a session include all of the sex acts that led up to ejaculation?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah, it would be pretty standard, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Do you recall how many sessions you had with the first escort at the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believe we at least had two.
MS. JOHNSON: And you testified earlier that the first escort was paid. How were you aware that he was paid?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I -- I knew because Sean told me.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did Sean say to you about paying the escort?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That he had to go pay him and he went and paid him.
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how much, if you know, was the escort paid?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't know specifically. I just know that escorts were paid in the thousands.
MS. JOHNSON: After this first freak-off, how did you feel?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Well, I was high, so there wasn't too much feeling. I think it was a mixture of dirty and confusion with, like, OK, he's really happy with me and I did something right. So, just really confusing. I didn't -- I didn't know -- I didn't know what was going to happen after that. I didn't know if we were going to be doing it more frequently because I was willing to. I didn't know, so ...
MS. JOHNSON: What, if anything, did you tell Sean about how you felt about the first freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I honestly don't remember.
MS. JOHNSON: Did there come a time when Sean proposed another freak-off?
MS. JOHNSON: How soon after?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was pretty soon after. Within weeks.
MS. JOHNSON: How would you respond?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was the same nervousness feeling, like, like, what am I going to. Do, I can't say no. Like, I've already done it. And I ultimately said yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you feel you couldn't say no?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Just didn't want to make him upset. Um, yeah. I didn't want to make him upset. I didn't want to make him angry and regret having told me about this experience that was so personal. I, like, his trust meant a lot to me at that point.
MS. JOHNSON: What concerns, if any, did you have about Sean becoming upset with you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, there were concerns.
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection, leading.
THE COURT: Grounds? Did you say leading?
MS. ESTEVAO: Yes.
THE COURT: That's overruled.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you want me to reask the question?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Please.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified that you were concerned that Sean might be upset with you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What concerns, if any, did you have if Sean was upset with you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: His anger, really. His mood changed, like, what -- that was going to do to the rest of the day and, um, just how he felt about me and our relationship. Um, so, it could be different things.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently did you have freak-offs with Sean after they started?
CASANDRA VENTURA: After they started, they became almost weekly, I would say.
MS. JOHNSON: And how, if at all, did that frequency change over time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it -- it became more, um -- depending on if we were spending time with each other. It would become less. But it was weekly for a consistent amount of years.
MS. JOHNSON: And approximately what year was the last freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The last, the final freak-off? Um, 2017, 2018.
MS. JOHNSON: And you testified earlier that the approximate duration of a freak-off was, I think, like two to three days. Do you recall that testimony?
MS. JOHNSON: Is that accurate?
MS. JOHNSON: How long were you awake during the freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The whole time.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you get any sleep?
MS. JOHNSON: Did you want to sleep?
MS. JOHNSON: How did you stay awake that whole time?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The drugs, honestly, helped.
MS. JOHNSON: What kind of drugs kept you awake?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, well, ectasy and molly, for sure. We started to do other drugs, like, cocaine, later on.
MS. JOHNSON: Who gave the ectasy?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Who gave you the molly?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Who gave you the cocaine?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified earlier that the longest freak-off was four days. Do you remember that testimony?
MS. JOHNSON: Who decided when a freak-off was over?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, ultimately, it would be Sean. Discuss it and say this is the last one, and then hopefully that would be the last one.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you say the last one, are you referring to a session?
CASANDRA VENTURA: To a session, yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Between when the freak-offs started and when they ended in approximately 2017 or 2018, do you recall every freak-off you participated in?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No. That would be impossible.
MS. JOHNSON: What are some of the reasons that would be impossible?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The frequency, the drug use, um, just, it was crazy times.
MS. JOHNSON: In that same time period, did you want to engage in every freak-off that you participated in?
MS. JOHNSON: Why is that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I just felt, like, it was all I was good for to him. I -- I just felt pretty horrible about myself. I felt disgusting. I was humiliated. I didn't have those words to, like, put together at the time, like, how horrible I really felt. And I didn't -- I couldn't talk to anybody about it, so ...
MS. JOHNSON: You testified a few moments ago that you did freak-offs because you did not want to make Sean angry?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: During your relationship, what did Sean do when he was angry?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would be violent with me. Um, his look would just change over. He would just become a different person and, just, didn't know what was going to happen.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say his look would change over, what do you mean by that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The best way for me to describe it is, like, his eyes go black. Um, just, it's -- the version of him that I was in love with was no longer there.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there any parts of freak-offs that you enjoyed?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The time spent with him.
MS. JOHNSON: And what about the time spent with him did you enjoy?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Just, um, at that time, just -- I'm sorry. Just the one-on-one time I would get. Because there was always so many people around, and I did feel very close to him. So, as sad as it was, I thought that, like, it was the only time I could get.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you said the only time you could get, are you referring to the freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah, yes.
MS. JOHNSON: And specifically are you referring to the one-on-one time with Sean?
MS. JOHNSON: OK. What, if any, discussions did you have with Sean about not wanting to participate in freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I definitely brought it up, but gently, because I didn't want to upset him or make him angry with me for even sharing it. But I just treaded lightly when I would bring it up. Sometimes I would e-mail him about it, like, I didn't want to -- I just didn't want anything bad to happen.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say you didn't want anything bad to happen, what do you mean by anything bad?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I mean, anything bad could be him being violent, but also him just saying, OK, well, I'll find somebody else to do it with. Like, you know, when you really care about somebody and you're in love with them, you don't want to disappoint them, so ...
MS. JOHNSON: When you would talk to Sean about how you were feeling, how much of your concerns were you able to express to him?
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection, leading.
THE COURT: Maybe you can rephrase.
MS. JOHNSON: Sure.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, you said earlier that you would talk to Sean gently about how you were feeling. Do you recall that?
MS. JOHNSON: Why would you talk to him gently?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I just never wanted him to feel like I judged him for it, but I wanted him to know that, like, this made me feel -- doing this made me feel horrible. It made me feel worthless, that, like, I didn't have anything else to offer him.
MS. JOHNSON: How would he respond when you would say things to him like this?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, he was pretty dismissive. Um, I find that I express myself quite a bit and it just kind of went, like, he didn't really care, like, it was unheard.
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection.
THE COURT: Grounds?
MS. ESTEVAO: Speculating about whether or not he really cared.
THE COURT: That's overruled.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, you said Sean was dismissive --
MS. JOHNSON: -- when you expressed these concerns. What did you do?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm sorry?
MS. JOHNSON: It's OK. You testified that Sean was dismissive. Do you remember that?
MS. JOHNSON: What would he say to you when you expressed concerns?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would say -- he would call me predictable. He would be, like, I know you don't want to do the freak-offs anymore. I already know what you're thinking. At that point, I would try to backpedal and say no, no, no, you know. You know, I was predictable.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently would this happen?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Frequently enough. Yeah. I said it more than once, more than a handful of times.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, I'm going to --
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, can you please pull up for identification for the parties and the court only Government Exhibit 3A-107.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, do you recognize what this document is?
MS. JOHNSON: What is it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It's an e-mail between me and Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: How do you recognize it?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, our names.
MS. JOHNSON: And is this a true and accurate communication between you and Sean?
MS. JOHNSON: The government would offer Government Exhibit 3A-117, at this time, pursuant to the stipulation in Government Exhibit 1302, paragraph one.
MS. ESTEVAO: No objection.
THE COURT: All right. It will be admitted.
(Government's Exhibit 3A-117 received in evidence)
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, could you please publish to the jury, if it's possible, to put page one and page two side by side.
BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, I'm going to direct you to the very bottom communication on page two. Do you see where that is?
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Who is that communication from?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At the very bottom is from me.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. The name says BG New New Pin?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah. Baby Girl was my name I was called.
MS. JOHNSON: Is Baby Girl a name Sean called you?
MS. JOHNSON: Who was this communication to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: This is to Pop Pop.
MS. JOHNSON: Who is Pop Pop?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you call Sean Pop Pop?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, there was a period early on in our relationship where he wanted me to have a nickname for him, and I didn't want to call him anything that anyone else had called him. So he asked me what I called my grandfather, and I said Pop Pop.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you feel about calling Sean the same name you called your grandfather?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I thought it was weird at the time. And now I just feel, like, it's -- it was disrespectful.
MS. JOHNSON: What's the date of this first message?
CASANDRA VENTURA: April 19, 2010.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. One more question about nicknames for you. Besides Baby Girl, are there any other nicknames that Sean had for you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He called me CC.
MS. JOHNSON: What does CC stand for?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Cassie Combs.
MS. JOHNSON: In this first message, what is the subject line?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It says, I really need to fuck.
MS. JOHNSON: Who sent that e-mail?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did.
MS. JOHNSON: How does Sean respond to your message in the next communication?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He says, So who you going to fuck? Wanna call someone?
MS. JOHNSON: What is your understanding of what wanna call someone is referencing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Wanna call someone is, like, want to call an escort for a freak-off.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you sent the communication, I really need to fuck, why did you send that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because I wanted to be with him and that was my way of saying it.
MS. JOHNSON: And when you said you want to be with him, are you referring to Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean specifically, yes.
MS. JOHNSON: During your relationship with Sean, who did you want to have sex with?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I wanted to have sex with him.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you want to have sex with the escorts?
MS. JOHNSON: So, turning now --
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Gavin, we can take that down. If you could blow up the bottom communications on page one.
MS. JOHNSON: So, directing your attention to the first communication, your response, what do you respond to Sean saying, Want to call someone?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I say, I want to fuck you. Are you crazy?
MS. JOHNSON: Why do you respond that way?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because that's exactly how I felt, and I didn't want to call anyone.
MS. JOHNSON: So, Ms. Gavin, if you can take that down.
MS. JOHNSON: So, starting from that point, I'm going to read Sean's messages and you'll read your messages through to the end.
MS. JOHNSON: So, Just joking.
CASANDRA VENTURA: I want to talk to you about something tomorrow. Going to sleep. Love you.
MS. JOHNSON: Is it going to stress me out? What is it about?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Freak-off. It can wait. It's not a big deal.
MS. JOHNSON: Now you don't want to do it anymore. Oh, I already know. You so predictable.
CASANDRA VENTURA: Really? OK. Since that's definitely what it was, we'll leave it at that then, since I'm so predictable. Have a good night.
MS. JOHNSON: Whatever, Baby. I'm not going to play no games with you and you ain't gonna keep shutting me down.
CASANDRA VENTURA: I'm not shutting you down. I never do. If anything, it's always the other way around. I wasn't going to say I didn't want to do it anymore.
MS. JOHNSON: What were you gonna say? So, directing your attention to Sean's message in about the middle of the page saying, Now you don't want to do anymore, what did you understand him to be referring to in that message?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That I -- that he knew that I didn't want to do the freak-offs anymore.
MS. JOHNSON: And how did you react after Sean sent this message where he said, Now you don't wanna do anymore, I already know, you so predictable?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, I tried to backpedal. I said, um, yeah, OK. Since that definitely what it was, just kind of playing it off or trying to.
MS. JOHNSON: Why would you backpedal in situations like this?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Because I didn't want to make him angry, like ...
MS. JOHNSON: Directing your attention to --
MS. JOHNSON: I'm sorry, Ms. Gavin, can you take that down. The top, if you can blow up the top, please, the first two.
MS. JOHNSON: Directing your attention to the end of your message here where you said, I wasn't going to say I didn't want to do it anymore. Do you see that?
MS. JOHNSON: Is that accurate?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Accurately how I felt?
MS. JOHNSON: Yes.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you say that if that wasn't how you felt?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Just didn't -- I really didn't want to to make him think I didn't want to do it anymore. I didn't want him to be upset or not trust me.
MS. JOHNSON: During -- you said you didn't want him to be upset. During your relationship, what did Sean do when he was upset?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would be a scary person. He could be violent. Or also, just, somehow figure out how to make it happen anyway, no matter how uncomfortable it made me.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say make it happen anyway, what does it refer to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The freak-off.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. Ms. Gavin, you can take down this exhibit.
MS. JOHNSON: Ms. Ventura, turning back to the freak-offs. In the beginning, was Sean open at the freak-offs about his true identity?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He was not.
MS. JOHNSON: How, if at all, did he disguise his identity?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, well, he started with the masquerade masks. Sometimes he would wear a hat or something covering his face.
MS. JOHNSON: Were you open about your true identity?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I was not either.
MS. JOHNSON: And what, if anything, did you do to hide your identity?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The same thing, as far as the mask. I would wear wigs.
MS. JOHNSON: Who asked you to wear a wig?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Who asked you to wear a mask?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: Over the period of time that you did freak-offs with Sean, did you always wear wigs and masks?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No, not always.
MS. JOHNSON: How did that change?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Eventually, um, I mean, I don't think it was too difficult to figure out who he was because he would talk, um, but, eventually, just be comfortable enough with the escort or person that was there to just remove the coverings.
MS. JOHNSON: Besides a wig and a mask, what other clothes would you wear for freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Always super, like, see-through, netting outfit. It varied. Just sexy outfit from a sex store.
MS. JOHNSON: What are some of the stores you would buy outfits at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, in LA there is a store called Pleasure Chest. Um, Hustler on Sunset. Here in the city, there's just, like, little shops everywhere.
MS. JOHNSON: In addition to the outfit you described, did you wear shoes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did. Every -- every time, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What kind of shoes?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The lucite Stripper dancer shoes, yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What kind of heels do those shoes have?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Extremely high heels.
MS. JOHNSON: Who decided what you would wear to freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would purchase outfits and show Sean and see what he liked the best.
MS. JOHNSON: Would you wear the outfit that Sean selected?
MS. JOHNSON: And with respect to the high heels you talked about, for how long would you wear those high heels during the freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would wear them throughout. Um, if there was a break, I might take them off. But, yeah, throughout.
MS. JOHNSON: What conversations, if any, did you have with Sean about preparing your physical appearance for a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I mean, he would just ask me, like, did you get a wax? Are your nails done? Do you have a tan? Just, like, basic list.
MS. JOHNSON: How long did it take to prepare your physical appearance for a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It could take, like, all of that daytime.
MS. JOHNSON: Would that be taken up by the things you mentioned, like, getting your nails done, getting a wax, getting a tan?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Getting supplies, everything, yep.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, body piercings did you have while you were dating Sean?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I had my nipples pierced, and prior to, way back, I had my belly button pierced and, um, a hood piercing.
MS. JOHNSON: OK. So starting with the nipple piercing, when did you get the nipple piercing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I initially got one with a friend and took it out. This was, like, early on in LA. I just took it out. And then he made a suggestion that I do both, so the next week I went and did both. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say he made a suggestion that you do both, who is he?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: And what does both refer to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Both nipples.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you want to pierce both nipples?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At the time, I think I did. I took it -- I took the initial one out because of the pain, um, but I thought it looked cool.
MS. JOHNSON: And you mentioned a hood piercing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: What's that?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, it's a piercing that, like, basically sits on your clitoris.
MS. JOHNSON: And when did you get that piercing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I got that shortly after the nipple piercings.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you get that piercing?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean's suggestion. He actually came with me. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Earlier you testified that the first freak-off was at Sean's house. Do you remember that testimony?
MS. JOHNSON: Were there any other freak-offs at his house?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah, there were others.
MS. JOHNSON: Which of his homes did you have freak-offs in?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, I would say mostly all of them, except for Mapleton.
MS. JOHNSON: Does that include his home in Miami?
MS. JOHNSON: Does that include his apartment in New York City?
MS. JOHNSON: And besides his home, what, if any, other homes did you have freak-offs at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: In my apartments, my homes.
MS. JOHNSON: Which of your homes did you have freak-offs at?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I think all of them, except for the Studio City house.
MS. JOHNSON: So does that include the West End address in New York?
MS. JOHNSON: Does that include 818 Doheny?
MS. JOHNSON: And does that include 875 Comstock?
MS. JOHNSON: And besides homes and apartments, at what other locations did freak-offs occur?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Hotels, mostly.
MS. JOHNSON: And in what cities did you have freak-offs with Sean and a male escort?
CASANDRA VENTURA: New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, um, Ibiza, Spain, Turks and Caicos. Random places.
MS. JOHNSON: What about Las Vegas?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Vegas, as well.
MS. JOHNSON: So, going through, you mentioned New York City. What are some of the hotels that you had freak-offs at in New York?
CASANDRA VENTURA: New York would be the London, Trump Hotel, Gramercy. Honestly, you name it, we probably did it there.
MS. JOHNSON: What about the InterContinental Hotel?
CASANDRA VENTURA: 44th Street, yep.
MS. JOHNSON: In LA, what are some of the hotels where you had freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, L'Ermitage was frequent, Beverly Hills Hotel. The London there, as well. Um, Shutters on the Beach, you know, there's -- Where else? Other places.
MS. JOHNSON: What about the InterContinental in LA?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Century City. Thank you. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: And in Miami, what are some of the hotels where you had freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, Mandarin Oriental, Satei, Fountainbleu, the 1 Hotel. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What types of rooms were freak-offs usually held in?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They were usually held in, like, a room that had, like, a living room that you could close the door or, like, an extra room with an additional bathroom so, like, a small suite, junior suite.
MS. JOHNSON: Who, if you know, booked the hotel rooms?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It varied. Sometimes it was someone like Tony Fletcher on staff. Occasionally, I would book hotel rooms. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Who, if you know, paid for the hotel rooms?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I believe Sean paid for the hotel rooms.
MS. JOHNSON: What are some of the names that were used on hotel reservations?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, Jackie Star was the name that I used. Um, Frank Black, Frank White. There was all types of names.
MS. JOHNSON: Turning to Jackie Star, why did you use the name Jackie Star?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um, that was a name that -- um, I don't know who came up with it, if it was him or me, um, that I used to actually book dancers. So I would use that name instead of my own name and then just started using it as a hotel room name.
MS. JOHNSON: And you also mentioned Frank White and Frank Black?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: Whose aliases were Frank White or Frank Black?
CASANDRA VENTURA: They were Sean's.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, supplies were needed for freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Main supplies were baby oil, Astroglide, as lubricants, and condoms.
MS. JOHNSON: Who typically brought the supplies to the freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: More often than not it was staff. The room was usually stocked by the time we got there. If not, if it were a last- minute situation and I set it up, I would get things or sometimes Sean would bring them.
MS. JOHNSON: When you say staff, whose staff are you referring to?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean's staff.
MS. JOHNSON: Which positions on Sean's staff would be tasked with stocking the hotel rooms?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Assistants, security.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned baby oil. What brand of baby oil was used?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Johnson's baby oil.
MS. JOHNSON: How was the baby oil used during the freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was -- it was just as important as everything else, as being there. We used it quite a bit.
MS. JOHNSON: Where was it -- where was the baby oil placed?
CASANDRA VENTURA: We poured it all over our bodies. Had to be glistening. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Which participants in the freak-off, if any, used the baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Everyone.
MS. JOHNSON: Would that include you?
MS. JOHNSON: Does that include the escort?
MS. JOHNSON: Did that include Sean?
MS. JOHNSON: What temperature was the baby oil when it was poured on your body?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was always heated. Um, like, keep the cap on, put it in the sink with hot water, and let it warm up.
MS. JOHNSON: Who wanted the baby oil to be heated?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: You mentioned that the baby oil was used because you had to be glistening?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Um-hmm.
MS. JOHNSON: Who told you that you needed to be glistening?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean. It was his preference.
MS. JOHNSON: How frequently would baby oil be applied to be glistening?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Like, every five minutes. It was a lot.
MS. JOHNSON: What, if any, comments would Sean make about needing to apply baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would -- if he felt, like, you were too dry, he would let you know.
MS. JOHNSON: What would he say?
CASANDRA VENTURA: He would say, You're too dry, you need to put more oil, on or you need to be glistening, you need to be, um -- yeah, you need to be shining. Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Who directed the application of baby oil during the freak-offs?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I would say that was heavily on Sean. Occasionally I would say that we needed more, too, because I just knew what to do.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you know what to do?
CASANDRA VENTURA: It was a very choreographed experience.
MS. JOHNSON: Who choreographed the experience?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: During the freak-offs, who applied baby oil to you?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I applied it to myself, sometimes Sean, sometimes the escort.
MS. JOHNSON: Would you apply baby oil to anyone?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sometimes with the escort, sometimes to Sean.
MS. JOHNSON: How did you usually apply baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: You just squirt it on out of the bottle.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there other ways of applying oil at a freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: There was one time, um, where I got to -- I think it was at L'Ermitage in Beverly Hills and there was a pool, like, a blowup pool, and it was filled with lube and oil. So that was a different way.
MS. JOHNSON: When there was the blowup pool that was filled with lube and oil, what did you do with the pool?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I don't know what happened to the pool, honestly.
MS. JOHNSON: I'm sorry. Strike that. When there was that pool and oil, did you get into the pool?
CASANDRA VENTURA: I did, with my outfit, my shoes. It was quite dangerous.
MS. JOHNSON: Who, if anyone, asked you to get into the pool?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Sean. It was his idea.
MS. JOHNSON: Did you want to get into a pool of baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: No, especially not in a hotel room like that. It was such a mess. It was, like, what are we doing? Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: Why did you get into the pool with baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: At that point, I couldn't say no. It would have been all bad. Um, yeah, where, I don't ...
MS. JOHNSON: When you say all bad, what do you mean?
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection, calls for speculation.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, the witness just used --
THE COURT: I think just the verbiage is a little vague. I think you can ask a more focused question and you'll get a response.
MS. JOHNSON: Sure.
MS. JOHNSON: You testified that if you did not get into the pool with baby oil, that it would be bad?
CASANDRA VENTURA: Yeah.
MS. JOHNSON: What concerns did you have about not getting into the pool with baby oil?
CASANDRA VENTURA: That, amongst other things, just his temper. If that is something that he wanted, Sean wanted to happen, that's what was going to happen. There wasn't another way around it.
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BY MS. JOHNSON:
MS. JOHNSON: Approximately how many bottles of baby oil would be used in a typical freak-off?
CASANDRA VENTURA: A lot. I would say definitely somewhere close to ten.
MS. JOHNSON: What size were those bottles?
CASANDRA VENTURA: The larger-size bottles.
MS. JOHNSON: Were there freak-offs where you ran out of baby oil --
MS. ESTEVAO: Objection. Your Honor, at this point, it's getting a little cumulative.
THE COURT: Let's see if we can wrap this up and move on.
MS. JOHNSON: You also mentioned Astroglide. How was that used at the freak-offs?
MS. ESTEVAO: Same objection. Irrelevant.
MS. JOHNSON: Your Honor, it's a supply.
THE COURT: Sidebar.
(Continued on next page)
(At the sidebar)
THE COURT: Ms. Johnson, maybe you can help us with where we're going right now. I think the objection is grounded in lack of relevance and also the cumulative nature of the questioning. Am I right about that?
MS. ESTEVAO: That's right.
THE COURT: Maybe if you can give us some guidance as to where we're going next, that will be helpful.
MS. JOHNSON: Yes, your Honor. We are going to go through the various supplies that were used because those are supplies that were demanded by the defendant, that were at every freak-off, that were consistent, which showed a pattern, which showed how he controlled the events that happened at these freak-offs. I will not ask anymore oil questions. I have one question on lubricant, but I'm going to march through the different supplies that were present.
THE COURT: That's fine. I understood the objection to mainly be on the cumulative nature on this. I think we had about 20 questions on baby oil issues and I think we can condense that a little bit and you'll avoid the objection; is that fair?
MS. ESTEVAO: That's fair.
THE COURT: Mr. Agnifilo.
MR. AGNIFILO: I was going to say slippery slope, but I'm not going to say it.