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Sean Combs— Case Archive
2025 Federal Trialtrial-daytrial-dayEmily A. JohnsonMadison R. SmyserMitzi SteinerAnna M. EstevaoTeny R. GeragosYasin BindaDawn RichardCasandra VenturacrossredirectrecrossdirectDay 9 - May 16, 2025Casandra Ventura completed her testimony as the court resolved exhibit disputes. An HSI agent described the Park Hyatt search, and Dawn Richard began testimony before the court reserved an admissibility issue for Monday.
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Day 9 - May 16, 2025

Ventura Completes Testimony, Park Hyatt Search, And Richard Testimony Begins

Judge Arun Subramanian
14Proceedings
7Pages
3Witnesses
3,869Lines
6Sidebars
Day 9 of 39
Appearing:
Emily A. Johnson Madison R. Smyser Mitzi Steiner Anna M. Estevao Teny R. Geragos Yasin Binda Dawn Richard Casandra Ventura

Casandra Ventura completed her testimony as the court resolved exhibit disputes. An HSI agent described the Park Hyatt search, and Dawn Richard began testimony before the court reserved an admissibility issue for Monday.

Full day summary

Casandra Ventura completed cross-examination, redirect, and recross. The questioning addressed post-relationship communications, her accounts of the alleged 2018 rape and the March 2016 InterContinental encounter, treatment and career issues, settlement discussions, and her reasons for saying she later did not want to participate in freak-offs. The court resolved repeated disputes over exhibits, including redactions, material shown to the jury, and exhibit-list procedures. HSI Special Agent Yasin Binda then testified about the September 2024 warrant search of room 2115 at the Park Hyatt. Photographs and other items were admitted, including a prescription bottle containing material that a stipulation said tested positive for ketamine and, in another bag, MDMA and ketamine; Binda also identified a fanny pack containing $9,000. The court allowed limited defense questioning about the decision to treat the cash as bulk cash. Dawn Richard began testimony about her work for Sean Combs and an alleged 2009 incident involving Ventura at Combs's Los Angeles home. The court struck part of her testimony and reserved until before Monday a defense objection to anticipated testimony about alleged threats after the incident, while directing the government to disclose the following week's expected witnesses over the weekend.

1. Pre-Cross Exhibit Conference

Before the jury returned on Day 9, the court addressed defense exhibits for Casandra Ventura's cross-examination, including a disputed text message and plans for exhibit review and a recording with metadata.

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Procedural
Pre-Cross Exhibit Admissibility Conference
112 lines

The court resolved several exhibit-handling issues before cross-examination resumed and deferred argument over a disputed text message.

2. Casandra Ventura — Cross (Part 8)

Defense counsel continued cross-examining Casandra Ventura about communications, recordings, post-breakup contact, and her account of the alleged 2018 rape.

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Cross
Casandra Ventura — Cross Casandra Ventura Anna M. Estevao
1547 lines

Defense cross-examined Casandra Ventura with messages and recordings about the relationship, alleged 2018 rape chronology, later contact with Mr. Combs, and exhibit procedures.

3 sidebars inside this proceeding
  1. Exhibit Display and Refreshing ProcedureThe sidebar addressed how to display documents for authentication or refreshing recollection and raised concern about materials not previously provided.
  2. Willow House Questioning ObjectionsThe sidebar addressed anticipated objections to questioning about Willow House, references to sex trafficking, and what Ms. Ventura was or was not in rehab for.
  3. Objection to Question CharacterizationProsecution counsel objected that the defense question mischaracterized the witness's earlier testimony about whether prosecutors had shown her a message; the court directed a different question.

Highlights

Casandra Ventura — Crossprocedural actionThe court directed the parties to standardize objections and exchange updated admitted-exhibit and witness lists after repeated confusion over what material could be shown to the jury.

3. Midday Evidentiary Hearing

During the lunch recess, the court resolved exhibit redactions and the parties agreed on limits for testimony about the BX-series videos.

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Procedural
Midday Evidentiary Hearing
135 lines

The court resolved disputed exhibit redactions, sustained an objection to part of Government Exhibit B-426, and set procedures for additional exhibits and video presentation.

4. Casandra Ventura — Cross/Redirect/Recross (Part 9)

Casandra Ventura completed further cross-examination, redirect, and recross examination before the court ruled on limits for anticipated testimony from Dawn Richard.

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Cross
Casandra Ventura — Cross Casandra Ventura Anna M. Estevao
198 lines

Defense counsel examined Ventura on post-relationship messages, treatment, the 2023 settlement and canceled tour, and a 2012 message about a freak-off.

Redirect
Casandra Ventura — Redirect Casandra Ventura Emily A. Johnson
570 lines

Ventura said freak-offs and Sean's moods affected her career and sense of self, reaffirmed key allegations of violence and rape, and described why she said she did not feel able to refuse freak-offs.

Recross
Casandra Ventura — Recross Casandra Ventura Anna M. Estevao
437 lines

Defense recrossed Casandra Ventura on messages, freak-off videos, Combs's drug use, her career, and an anticipated InterContinental settlement.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Cross-Examination Conduct GuidanceAt sidebar, the court addressed conduct during cross-examination and noted that counsel had about fifteen minutes remaining.
Redirect
Casandra Ventura — Redirect Casandra Ventura Emily A. Johnson
14 lines

Ventura denied a financial stake and said she kept broken devices because she feared they contained explicit videos.

Recross
Casandra Ventura — Recross Casandra Ventura Anna M. Estevao
90 lines

Ventura confirmed the timing of an InterContinental settlement, and the court clarified the scope of anticipated Dawn Richard testimony.

5. Yasin Binda — Direct/Cross

HSI Special Agent Yasin Binda described the Park Hyatt warrant search, evidence recovered from the room, and the $9,000 seized from a fanny pack. Defense cross-examination addressed the cash and a grand jury subpoena.

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Direct
Yasin Binda — Direct Yasin Binda Madison R. Smyser
306 lines

HSI Agent Yasin Binda described the Park Hyatt search, evidence documentation, and items recovered from room 2115.

Cross
Yasin Binda — Cross Yasin Binda Teny R. Geragos
110 lines

Defense questioned Binda about the Park Hyatt search and the basis for treating $9,000 as bulk cash; the court allowed limited inquiry.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Questioning About $9,000 CashCounsel disputed whether questioning about $9,000 in cash suggested criminal conduct and was relevant to the case.
Redirect
Yasin Binda — Redirect Yasin Binda Madison R. Smyser
9 lines

Binda identified the subpoena served on Paul Arthur as a grand jury subpoena.

6. Dawn Richard — Direct (Part 1)

Dawn Richard described an alleged 2009 incident involving Sean Combs and Cassie, as well as later statements she understood as a warning not to speak.

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Direct
Dawn Richard — Direct Dawn Richard Mitzi Steiner
218 lines

Dawn Richard described an alleged 2009 assault on Cassie, her fear of intervening, and a later conversation with Combs that she understood as a warning not to speak.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Threat-Testimony ObjectionThe defense objected that testimony about an alleged threat was barred, irrelevant, and prejudicial, while the government argued it explained the witness's response and related to alleged obstruction.
Procedural
Jury and Witness Dismissal
3 lines

7. Dawn Richard Threat-Testimony Hearing

Before the jury entered, the court heard arguments over proposed Dawn Richard testimony about alleged threats following an alleged assault on Ms. Ventura and reserved the defense's objection for decision before Monday.

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Procedural
Hearing on Admissibility of Dawn Richard Threat Testimony
120 lines

The court reserved a relevance and prejudice objection to anticipated Dawn Richard testimony and ordered weekend disclosure of the following week's expected witnesses.

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