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On May 28, in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial, Deonate Nash came to stand for his testimony. Nash, who is a former stylist of Combs, is also a close friend of the rapper's ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who is a witness for the prosecution in Diddy's federal racketeering and sex trafficking case.
Nash stated that he heard Combs had threatened to release Ventura’s explicit videos online and even send them to her parents’ employer.
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Analyzing Deonte Nash’s testimony, CNN legal affairs commentator Areva Martin said it "directly contradicts" the defense’s arguments. Martin told CNN that Nash's testimony about hearing Combs threatening Venutra about releasing tapes is a "very important part of the prosecution’s case.”
“The prosecution has to prove that Cassie Ventura was forced, was coerced, to engage in commercial sex acts. We’ve heard the defense’s claim –– their defense is that, no, she willingly participated in these ‘Freak-offs’ because she wanted to please Sean Combs and she was in love with him –– but this directly contradicts that theory,” Martin told CNN.
Martin also said that since Nash knows both Ventura and Diddy, he is a "very credible witness," and said that his testimony about Diddy blackmailing Ventura to release sex tapes if she did not participate in freak-offs is compelling.
"(Nash) also said he knew based on conversations he had with Cassie Ventura that she often did not want to participate in these ‘Freak-offs’, but yet felt compelled.”
Martin further said that when the defense puts their case, possibly more claims will be made by Diddy's side to prove that Ventura willfully participated in these sex-fueled parties.
What did Deonte Nash tell the jury in his testimony in Diddy's trial?
Celebrity stylist Deonate Nash, who also shares a friendship with Combs' ex-girlfriend Ventura, made serious claims on the stand on the 11th day of the trial. His testimony continued on May 29 as well. From the stands, Nash claimed he witnessed the violence Combs allegedly inflicted on Ventura on several occasions when he was working as Ventura's stylist.
According to the BBC, Nash in his testimony alleged that Combs sometimes would call Ventura sexist names like "slut" and "hoe." On the stand, Diddy's former stylist said Ventura confided in him and shared that she did want to participate in "freak-offs" organized by Combs.
While sharing details with the jury, Nash recalled an incident when Ventura was not responding to Combs' calls and, frustrated by this, Diddy arrived at her apartment and grabbed her hair while she was sleeping on the sofa and started beating her.
He added that Ventura, along with him and Combs's assistant, who is also a witness in the case, ran to the bedroom away from the hip hop mogul. However, Combs managed to enter the room and began assaulting Ventura. During the incident, her head struck the bedframe, resulting in bleeding. The following day, Nash said he saw Ventura on a video call with stitches above her eyebrow.
Deonte Nash worked with Combs for 10 years. He started as an intern at Diddy's music label Bad Boy Records and eventually became a stylist after meeting Cassie in 2008, with whom he shares a close friendship. Nash, who was subpoenaed, said that he didn't want to testify in court.
