his ex-girlfriend, cassie ventura is on the stand right now. she's been facing cross-examination for just about three hours. questions so far today have mostly centered around text messages, some detailing their sexual encounters that she and combs these text messages sent one another during their 11 year relationship. the defense is trying to convince jurors that ventura was not coerced into acts by combs, but rather she was consenting. >> just a short time ago, the judge told the defense that it has until tomorrow afternoon to wrap up their cross-examination. prosecutors yesterday said it was possible that ventura, who is well into her third trimester of pregnancy, could go into labor this weekend. with us now are dave aronberg, a former state attorney for palm beach county in florida and attorney and legal affairs commentator areva martin. also with us, richard gabriel, a veteran trial consultant and president of decision analysis. he's the author of acquittal, which highlights his work on several high profile cases. also with us is jem aswa

also, cassie ventura. she wrapped up her emotional testimony in the sean combs sex trafficking trial. we'll tell you what we learned from her testimony this week and what to expect when court resumes on monday. also, a cnn exclusive an internal fema memo says the agency is not ready for hurricane season. it's just two weeks away. the red flags raised in the memo. that's coming up. we begin with the breaking news. at least 14 people now have died after severe storms tore through the midwest overnight. nine of those deaths are in kentucky. another five people killed in missouri. authorities are conducting rescues after the storm. ripped roofs off buildings, blew out windows, tore trees and power lines down. more than 700,000 homes and businesses across a dozen states are without power this morning. some families are waking up to just a piles of what was left. they're thankful they survived. >> i went in the house and i looked out the side window. and when i got when i started on the side window, it looked li

true, ventura said when combs said he loved her, ventura replied, love you. the 2016 hotel assault allegedly happened just a day after ventura promoted her latest movie, telling cnn. >> when it. >> comes to relationships, i think that you always need to be confident walking into the situation and if you're not happy, it's not the place for you. >> but ventura stayed with combs as the defense highlighted combs was intoxicated during the assault. when you get effed up the wrong way, you always want to show me that you have the power and you knock me around, ventura said to combs in a message read in court. i'm not child. ventura's husband, alex fine, left the courtroom beforem that combs raped her in malibu following a dinner in 2018. ventura also confirmed she voluntarily saw combs the next month at a friend's party and had consensual sex with him, even though she was dating her future husband later that year. after the memorial for combs former partner kim porter, ventura wrote combs, you posted that kim was your soulmate. what was the 11 years all about? the

and ventura said, thank you. there were times where they would talk over each other and they would both laugh at the same time. so she seemed to have created a rapport with her that was not adversarial, and through that, she was able to ask her some of these questions in which ventura would readily agree because there was testimony and text messages there, but also because they had this kind of dynamic that existed between them. so it seemed as though she was effective in that way and able to get her to respond to these questions when she needed her to. >> i hear that she was also almost smiling through some of the readings of these more effusive romantic text messages early on in their relationship in front of the jury. but then there was also a moment that i want you to describe when the defense attorney was questioning her credibility about what she saw about an allegation that diddy had dangled one of her friends over a balcony and then thrown her into patio furniture. >> i mean, there were so few rare moment

we also saw a musician take the stand, she says she saw combs be violent with ventura. combs denies all allegations against him. >> chloe, thank you. former fbi director james comey facing an investigation tonight after he posted a now deleted photo that trump allies say calls for the president's assassination. gabe gutierrez is at the white house. gabe, the secret service is now involved. >> yes, lester, a law enforcement official confirmed james comey will be interviewed by the secret service in person tonight. the agency says it takes rhetoric like this very seriously. president trump said today the former fbi director was calling for his assassination and knew it. this is the image comey shared on social media, what he described as a shell formation on the beach that formed the numbers 8647. trump allies saying 86 meant not just getting rid of, but assassinating the 47th president. comey of course was fired during trump's first term and became an outspoken trump critic. comey claims he thought it was a political message, not a violent one, adding, "i oppose violence

so tell us more about when ventura will take the stand. that is really such a big focus for today. >> she will take the stand any moment now. she is the very next witness up. we are waiting to hear what might be explosive testimony from cassie ventura, the linchpin of the prosecution's case. remember, we were told by the defense yesterday, this is the first time in six and a half years since the death of the mother of four of sean "diddy" combs children. kim porter tragically died of pneumonia. that the two of them will be in the same room, face to face. the defense called it a moment to witness closure. we will witness, though, is testimony where she will try to bridge the gap over an 11 year period of what the prosecution has described as abuse and violence and coercion and intimidation. all to have her engage in these so-called freak offs, days long drug fueled sex encounters without consent. but just now, in the courtroom, i witnessed something truly. interesting. they are arguing as we speak with the judge over whether cassie ventura

ventura breaking down on the stand. diddy has pleaded not guilty on all counts, and why a cross examination could be ahead. >>> president trump's middle east trip, closing a deal for qatar to buy billions of boeing jets, but it is the one the royal family is offering the president that has top republicans now pushing back. >>> the shocking resentencing for the menendez brothers. will they get parole, or even clemency? >>> spring extremes. near record highs in texas has the power grids, and a day of delays up and down the east coast. >>> maryland washout, floodwaters coursing through the streets, 12-year-old boy swept away. al roker on the new severe weather threat. >>> a georgetown scholar released from immigration detention after a lengthy legal battle. >>> why the health secretary said, americans should not be taking medical advice from me. >>> the climbers killed from a 200 foot fall when the ropes gave way. how one man managed to survive. >>> old-time rock 'n roll. the guitar maker using old wood to make new axes fo

she also claims she witnessed combs becoming violent towards ventura on numerous occasions.ng and strangling, punching her and throwing items at her, including a scalding hot pan. your client, don richard, you filed her suit one week before this case was brought against sean diddy combs. your reaction to that? >> we were surprised and frankly, very pleased to see that the government filed a case that was strikingly similar to our case. i mean, keep in mind, the government has a lot of power that i don't have. mainly they had the power of the fbi to go in and conduct raids of mr. combs homes. but knowing what the government knows, that they filed a case that's so similar to ours. we saw that as a very positive sign. >> combs lawyers have denied the allegations and accused richard of trying to transform a straightforward commercial dispute into a headline grabbing sex trafficking conspiracy. for many people, this trial is about unchecked power. this trial is about the underbelly of the music industry. what is it for you? >> for me, it's about my brother fighting for his life.

cassie ventura was back on the stand day. his former girlfriend faced questions from combs' lawyers seeking to undermine her testimony. our chloe melas reports from the courthouse. >> reporter: cassie ventura back on the witness stand today, this time facing cross-examination from sean combs' lawyers, his defense team fighting back against testimony that ventura was forced to participate in drug-fueled sexual encounters known as freak-offs. combs' team submitting often explicit text messages and emails sent between the former couple into evidence. in one ventura writing to combs in 2009 after they had been dating for two years, i'm always ready to freak-off. in another that same year she writes, when we used to freak-off when we were so in love, there were no questions asked. it felt right. when asked by combs' lawyer about a text from 2017 where she said she loved freak offs, ventura said they were just words at that point. >> there's a chance that one or more of the jurors might hear this evidence that she came back time an

so cassie ventura testifying about all that abuse. and it's corroborating those allegations, corroborating her testimony. and it's a strong piece of evidence, and it's disturbing to watch. so it's going to be buttressing the prosecution's theme as they move to proving their case before that jury, while also corroborating the witnesses testimony about diddy in terms of the allegations of abuse. so i think the jury will see it. they may be desensitized in some sense by the end, but i think the prosecution is going to be able to tie it back in with the charges against him. and it's a powerful piece of evidence. so i'm not surprised that they're showing it over and over again. >> yeah. cassie, we know when she's back on the stand today, she may also face cross-examination. what do you expect to hear from the defense? i mean, we know that one of the defense lawyers, one of the women defense lawyers, one of the female defense lawyers, is expected to actually question cassie, but i imagine, i mean, she's she's very pregnant. she's in her thi

the disturbing images showing a bruised cassie ventura. said she would have to cover up with makeup or sunglasses before she went out in public. and cassie's former best friend, who said she, too was assaulted by combs, which she denied. she said she was left with a concussion. what she said ended their friendship. and more images of alleged freak off supplies found during his arrest. >> it had the strobe lighting. there was baby oil there. there was over $9,000 in cash inside of a fanny pack. >> and which big name celebrities were mentioned in court? plus, the fight against revenge porn and deep fakes from a-list celebrities to teenagers. falling victim. >> it was completely our image. just with a naked body on it. but he put it through an ai editing app. >> oh my goodness, this this could go all over the world. which is why i just wouldn't stop. >> one family's fight for change ending. victoria's at the white house. what they say you should look out for. and why this coach was yelling at 11 year old player during a softball game. that's

cassie ventura's mom on the witness stand in the sean diddy combs trial. why?he says she took a $20,000 home loan to give to the multi-millionaire. >> as cassie's mother testified, it was very quiet. everyone leaned in to hear what she was saying. >> the disturbing items seen by the jury for the first time. >> the agent on the witness stand held up some of the pieces of ar 15 style rifles. >> sean combs denying all charges and what his assistant said, pushed him to finally quit. and nicole kidman. >> welcome, everyone. we can begin. >> nine perfect strangers, the hit hulu series about eccentric characters looking for personal transformation, is back. >> she's such a shapeshifter and that's a fantastic character to. >> play this time joined by new stars including henry golding of crazy rich asians. >> having that latitude to tell a story, it's an actor's best playground. >> how shooting in the alps took the cast from strangers to friends. >> we all want to go back. >> to summer camp. >> plus. >> afternoon, everybody know. >> remembering george wendt, famous for

ventura tests combs, "freak off with a girl." >> that's what i was suggesting, ventura answered. later, ventura testified being with combs said basically she was a sex worker, though she also said, i have love for the past and what it was. combs at times shaking his head. ventura, days from giving birth, left the witness stand without looking at him. her lawyer reading a statement on her behalf. >> i hope that my testimony has given strength and a voice to other survivors and can help others who have suffered to speak up and also heal from abuse and fear. >> reporter: late today, whit, the jury saw what federal agents said they lees seized from the hotel room combs sail stayed the night he was arrested. baby oil, cash, illegal drugs, the kind of items cassie ventura said he would often stock for freakoffs. >>> the first direct talks between ukraine and russia in more than three years. officials meeting in istanbul are arranging a prisoner swap but nothing more. tonight, president trump saying a crucial meeting between himself and vladimir putin could happen soon. abc's chief fore

ventura was just 19. it happened so fast, i don't think anyone could slow it down, she said about her newfound fame in 2006. in 2007, more opportunities came her way. ventura became a spokesmodel for combs fashion line, sean john, and appeared in the dance film step up two the streets. on her 21st birthday, she and combs shared their first kiss. according to her testimony in 2012, the couple went public with their relationship, becoming regulars on the red carpet. >> is there anything that you may want to confess tonight before you go in? >> i keep everything right here. there you go. or right here. >> that was the couple in 2018, the same year that ventura says combs raped her after she tried to end their relationship. combs has denied her allegations. the two dated on and off for more than ten years. during that time, she released singles including must be love in 2010, featuring combs performing under the name puff daddy. despite her saying she recorded hundreds of songs as part of a ten album deal wit

, the so-called freak offs. >> this case rises and falls on cassie ventura. >> what ventura said wasore the events in that now infamous tape. why? she says she didn't feel like she could ever leave. >> she talked about seeing guns. she talked about his ability to get violent. >> the rapper denying all wrongdoing. what happened when diddy and cassie came face to face for the first time in seven years? and the kim kardashian heist. the reality stars raw testimony on the witness stand. nine years after she was robbed. >> she was extremely well composed, but at the same time she was emotional and she did cry. >> millions of dollars in jewelry allegedly stolen. authorities saying the reality star was bound and thrown into a bathtub. telling the story on her own show. >> i'm like, are we going to die? are they going to kill us? and i was just, like, crying and like, tell them i have babies. >> why? she felt it was crucial to tell her story. >> from abc news headquarters in >> from abc news headquarters in new york. this tness beads... ...meet fragrant scent beads... ...they blend together

cassie ventura can literally go into labor any day now. so the judge said that by end of day friday cross-examination and redirect from the prosecution has to be wrapped up. now. combs defense said she is the most critical witness, and this is a very important case. their client, of course, is facing life in prison if convicted. back to you. >> thanks so much, elizabeth. and we're going to be keeping an eye on this. of course, we're going to be talking more about some of the legal issues at play. now, straight ahead on cnn this morning. what will the supreme court decide? the conservative justice that could be the key vote when it comes to the court's ability to limit the president's power. plus there the new it couple of the moment but has all the talk about bill belichick and his girlfriend jordan hudson become too much of a distraction. and we're monitoring new jersey transit workers on strike right now. they hit the picket line overnight, snarling morning commutes for hundreds of thousands of people. >> eva longoria searching for spain

laura cassie ventura on the stand today. this is so pivotal. along with that video that they saw yesterday, she told the jury that combs had control over what she was doing over every minute of the day. why is this testimony so central to the case? >> she is the linchpin. brianna and boris, between the government wanting to prove not who sean "diddy" combs was to the public, but bridge the gap to who they say he is in this. and they claim he is a racketeer, that he is a sex trafficker and that he is a violent man. now, yesterday the defense said we will own the domestic violence, but we're not going to admit to the things that he has not done. and they say that is the substance of these felony charges. let me set the scene for you here. i cannot overstate how much everyone was waiting to hear from cassie ventura, their star witness. what would a woman who had spent the better part of a decade with sean "diddy" combs, who has alleged the violence and the control that she has? what would she say? well, a visibly pregnant cassie appeared, walked d

we saw a musician taking the stand who said she saw combs being violent with ventura. combs denies all of the allegations against him. >> former fbi director james comey facing an investigation after posting a new deleted photo that trump allies say calls for the president's assassination. gabe gutierrez is at the white house. >> reporter: james comey will be interviewed by the secret service in person tonight. the agency says it takes rhetoric like this seriously. president trump said the former fbi director was calling for his assassination and knew it. this is the image that comey shared on social media, what he described as a shell formation on the beach forming the numbers 8647. trump allies id 86 meant not just getting rid of but assassinating the 47th president. comey explains he thought it was a political message and not a violent one, saying i oppose violence of any kind and i took the post down. >> gabe, thank you. the death toll is rising after israel launched a series of strikes in gaza. it comes as president trump is on the way home from his middle east tr

my stomach churned, ventura said. i was confused, nervous and also loved him very much and wanted to make him happy. combs called these choreographed sexual encounters freak-offs and she detailed how she and combs would stay awake for days, taking drugs and having sex with strangers. she said at one point it happened weekly. the freak-offs became a job ando time to do anything else. at times she hireders korts and were paid $6,000. security and staff were always around bringing supply including baby oil and drugs. the freak-offs made her feel disgusting and humiliated and she feared combs would become violent if she said no. his eyes would go black, she said, and the version i knew of him was no longer there. prosecutors showing the jury this video obtained by cnn showing combs beating ventura in the hallway of a hotel after when she tried to leave a freak-off. when asked how many times he'd thrown her like that ventura replied too many to count. >> who direct the sex acts to happen? how did she feel when they were ha

ventura told the jury, i just felt trapped. she says she dropped an off and on addiction to opiates. after more than a decade together, ventura and combs split in 2018. five years later, she sued him, alleging a cycle oif abuse. today, she revealed for the first time that suit was settled for $20 million. ask ed why she agreed to testif, ventura said, i can't carry this anymore. i can't carry the shame, the guilt. i'm here to do the right thing. cross examination is going to begin here tomorrow, david. the defense has already suggested they'll try to portray ventura has a violent, vindictive girlfriend who made a voice every single day to stay with sean combs. david? >> david: aaron, thank you. >>> next tonight, the storm coming this evening after deadly flash flooding already. the emergency playing out in parts of the east. the body of a 12-year-old maryland boy swept away has nowen be found tonight. lee goldberg standing by with the forecast for this evening, but first, stephanie ramos with the images coming in tonight. >> re

this video showing combs beating ventura in a hallway played for jurors today. the first witness, a former hotel guard on-shift and responded after the assault. he said ventura appeared scared had a, quote, purple eye and said she wanted to leave. defense acknowledged diddy's bad temper in the opening statement. saying, quote, sometimes he's so angry and jealous he gets out of control. but they said domestic violence is not sex trafficking. and love of baby oil is not a federal crime. they described the alleged victims of capable, strong, adult women and said they are after money. who has the bigger hill to climb here? >> certainly the defense has the bigger hill to climb. we're going to be seeing videos, not just of beatings of victim, but of the sexual acts. >> reporter: jurors heard explicit testimony from a male escort called by prosecutors, who says on multiple occasions, ventura paid him to have sex with her in front of combs. says he witnessed combs assault ventura. combs has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. a 12-person jury made up of eight men

cassie ventura faced a tough interrogation on thursday. sketch artist christine cornell spoke with cnn about combs reaction to some of her testimony. >> diddy was drumming his. >> fingers against his thigh. i think he's he's very determined to present this as a you know, he said she said, you know, she was really into it. i kind of buy her argument that, you know, that she was placating him. to a super large degree. but i think her enthusiasm for him was, you know, absolutely genuine. and, you know, maybe he can score some points in that regard. >> cnn's elizabeth wagmeister has more details now on day four of diddy's racketeering and sex trafficking trial here in new york. >> each character. >> and each actor that came. >> into the project. >> brought their own thing to the table. >> a 21 year old cassie ventura in 2008 promoting the film step up two. >> oh my gosh, it's an overwhelming experience, but exciting all at the same time. >> during day one of cross-examination, she was asked about her budding relationship and emails with sean c

you know, miss. >> ventura, she's been on the stand. she's been very well prepared for. >> her testimony. >> she's testifying rather confidently. and you have the prosecution putting in photographic evidence, video evidence that is directly corroborating and supporting her testimony. and when you have that, you have a strong witness. this latest piece of evidence with kid cudi and the circumstantial sort of testimony that ultimately the car blows up after it's testified that diddy wants to blow up the car is just another aspect that the defense is going to have to deal with, as the prosecution puts on testimony and event after event, photograph after photograph. so i think the defense is going to have some real issues to contend with because of this testimony. >> she's describing in some of her recent testimony here that at one point, being in jamaica and having been beaten by combs, she says that she recalled hiding from combs underneath a tractor with a friend for several hours. she recalls another incident, imran, where she's talking

the cassie ventura mother is on this witness list. >> yeah. you know, a lot of what she's going to likely say would be hearsay. there is an allegation that i came across involving something about the reaching out to the father by diddy about i'm her father now, or i'm her dad now, and she's my daughter. basically, family set aside. i don't know whether or not the mother was was privy to that call, but there's going to be a lot of hearsay in that, so i'm not sure. i don't think there's allegations that she saw the injuries as alleged, but we'll find out. she's not really a critical witness. i think some of the other players are much more important. >> at least. just finally, do you think six weeks, the prosecution really needs six full weeks to lay out its case, given where it is right now? >> it's a good question. and i remember thinking after this first week, wow, that's a long time. ventura testified very early because she's eight and a half months pregnant. they had to get her on the stand. remember, this is a rico case. so it's not just ab

dawn richard says that she saw combs attack cassie ventura in 2009. rashad is suing combs in federal court, accusing him of sexual assault and battery. she'll be back on the witness stand on monday. now the star witness of the week, though, was cassie ventura combs former girlfriend. her civil suit against combs led to this trial, in part, and the singer and actress recounted how she met combs when she was a teenager, worked with him under contract at his record label, and eventually became his girlfriend. she answered questions about how the alleged abuse began, how it led to the so-called freak offs. she said that she was coerced into participating in and coordinating her week on the stand ended with combs defense lawyers interrogating ventura about the incident, seen on surveillance video. combs attacking ventura in a hallway at a hotel, and while under cross-examination, she discussed her inpatient treatment for mental health problems and taking medication for opioid opiate addiction. with us now trial attorney, legal analyst and crisis manager mo

también estuvo el esposo de ventura y en algunas veces miraba al rapero hey, ventura se mostró más serena resentencia para los hermanos menéndez a una pena de 50 años a cadena perpetua. esto los deja aptos para solicitar la libertad condicional. los hermanos tendrán que comparecer ante una junta de libertad condicional el próximo 13 de junio y son los miembros de esa junta los que evaluarán si ellos realmente se han rehabilitado. este proceso podría tardar de seis meses a un año. continúa la gira del presidente donald trump por el golfo pérsico, donde ha conseguido negociaciones clave en arabia saudita . los saudíes se comprometieron a invertir 600 mil millones de dólares en estados unidos, además de 142 cero millones en un acuerdo de defensa . trump también anunció que levantará las sanciones contra siria y en qatar, el mandatario aseguró un compromiso económico histórico de 1.200.000.000 de dólares. pedro rojas tiene lo último de esta gira presidencial . >> escoltado por aviones militares , caballos. >> y. >> camellos. llegó el presidente. >> donald trump a. >> qatar, donde la casa blan

currently, we are seeing the prosecution's key witness, casandra ventura. she has really provided a pretty compelling testimony for nine hours of direct testimony describing how she was allegedly abused and saying that during their 11 year relationship she felt threatened at times to perform sexual acts with him. in terms of the alleged attempts to discredit from the defence, as a lawyer, what are the kind of things and strategies and approaches that you have at your disposal? yeah, the defence has done an amazing job. sean combs has a large and well groomed team and they did an effective job today talking to casandra ventura and showing her the that she sent to him saying that she liked acts and that she was in a consenting -- she was a consenting adult and she might not be being compelled to do this. the defence has a hard job because of the video where you see sean combs beating casandra ventura by the elevator that so many people have seen and have been horrified by. there is a high burden to show that she was coerced and that she did her acts against h

ventura responded to frequently.is attorneys acknowledged that combs and his ex had a toxic, violent relationship. but they say that's not the same thing as sex trafficking or racketeering, which combs denies. the defense called cassie a capable, strong adult woman who made a free choice in david. she'll be right back here on the witness stand tomorrow. >> live here in new york tonight, erin. thank you. next tonight to president trump and saudi arabia getting a royal welcome there. the crown prince rolling out the lavender carpet. the president praising saudi investments in the u.s. but there are questions tonight about the trump family working right now on business interests of their own and the same countries president trump is now visiting. mary bruce traveling with the president. she's in riyadh tonight. >> tonight saudi arabia with a lavish welcome for president trump. fighter jets escorting air force one into riyadh. the saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman rolling out the lavender carpet. >> it's an honor to

how do you think ventura's testimony played? >> you know, i thought. >> she was an excellent witness. this is. >> some. >> of the hardest testimony. to give. >> on the stand. >> as a sexual. abuse survivor. >> you know, these are. >> things that she said she had shame and humiliation over. >> she didn't even. >> want to tell her mother about it when it was going on. they had to show pictures from these videos that she said she used to be. >> blackmailed. >> that she. >> you know, would want to talk about. >> what was happening. >> but he would say. >> if you tell anyone, i. >> will show these videos. these still photographs were shown to these strangers in front of her. she had to describe in detail what happened to her and. >> read text messages. >> it's very. difficult for witnesses to be able to talk about this. and yet she was able to do it straightforward, very open, not defensive at all. she didn't change. >> in her testimony. >> and the beauty of this was. >> i think usually. >> in these. >> kind of. >> cases, you're wond

and then we're expecting cassie ventura to take the stand.nd i think it's important for a number of reasons. one, she is, according to the government, victim one, and she holds a lot of the allegations that are attributed to both the racketeering charge as well as one count of sex trafficking. but i think, more importantly, she's going to be able to color the intent of sean combs based on the actions and allegations she's going to provide. because, again, for the government, this is sex trafficking. this was a use of force, fraud and coercion to control cassie, as well as another alleged victim in this case to commit these crimes. but for the defense, they're saying that this was a mutual relationship, a very tumultuous relationship of abuse and violence by both parties, and that it was not done to coerce anyone, to force anyone to compel anyone. and so her rendition of these allegations are going to compel the jury one way or another. >> so, kellie, brian gave us the legal argument of the importance of cassie's testimony. but the court of pu

stan cassie ventura is. testifying for a second day. describing a fight. >> with sean "diddy" combs. >> that she says left her with a facial scar. the jury could soon see the videos showing those so-called freak offs that are at the center of the case. >> plus. >> supply and demand. >> ports could see an. >> uptick in. >> cargo as china drops its tariffs. >> following that deal with u.s. negotiators. >> but are those dockyards ready for a surge in goods. >> as companies. >> apparently try to stockpile products before. tariffs potentially return? and robert f. kennedy jr.. on the hot seat grilled about vaccines, whether he would want his own child vaccinated against the measles. we're following. these major developing stories and many more, all coming in right here to cnn news central. >> moments from now. cassie ventura is set to return to the stand, and for the first time in the sex trafficking trial of sean "diddy" combs, the jury is expected to see video footage of the so-called freak offs as he allegedly called them. these sexual en

i just want it to be uncontrollable, ventura said, referring to sex with the escort. i can't wait, that's why i want to see. combs responded later that year when combs emailed, i want to be nasty. >> for. >> you, ventura replied. in order for me to be more open with the things we do in bed, i need to feel safe, like home. this is my husband and this is the only man that will ever have this aggressive sexual side of me. when asked by the defense if this showed open communication between the two, ventura said, i would say, but the prosecution says this video from 2016 showing combs assaulting ventura as she says she tried to flee a freak offs proves the relationship devolved into abuse and control. still, a year after that assault, the defense noted ventura sent this to combs in 2017. i love our freak offs when we both want it, ventura saying on the stand that the text was just words at that point, echoing her previous testimony of feeling trapped in, afraid of combs rages. the defense also argued that jealousy played a role in the volatile relationship with ventura, wr

combs's attorneys then showed more explicit messages to the jury which they insist prove ventura wasilling participant in so-called freak-offs, referring to them in a 2009 e-mail as the next step in their sex life. over the past two days the prosecution's star witness who is eight months pregnant detailed physical and sexual abuse she allegedly endured during his ten years with combs. ventura told the court the music mogul coerced her to take part in the drug-fuelled sex sessions with male prostitutes that took place across the globe and even raped her in 2018 as their relationship was coming to a close. she broke down in tears after recounting going to trauma therapy in 2023. >> from the defense, their job is going to be to distract and attack. >> reporter: attorney judie saunders specializes in sexual abuse cases. >> what the defense will do is they will say that she may have even willingly used mr. combs. they're also going to attack that she stayed and that it was against her will. >> reporter: ventura is just the first of at least three women expected to testify against combs, w

ventura pushed back. "no, there's a lot more to that." but the defense suggested ventura became reluctant only when she felt dirty and grimy, as opposed to sexual and spontaneous. as she said in one of her emails to combs -- "i get nervous that i'm just becoming the girlfriend that you get your fantasies off with and that's it." ventura testified combs coerced her into sex under threat of violence and blackmail, but on cross examination, she said combs was also violent because of jealousy and her infidelity, telling the jury dating rapper kid cudi and actor michael b. jordan prompted arguments that could be a little scary. ventura kept up her composure through hours on the witness stand, david, and those will continue tomorrow, though the judge wants to make sure she's finished by the end of friday, because she could give birth at any moment. david? >> david: aaron katersky back at the courthouse again tonight. >>> this evening, abc news learning of a new and alarming air traffic control outage, this time, controllers in the denver area l

called out the following year in ventura's 2023 civil suit against combs for ventura, the dark timeswere those she spent trapped by mr. combs in a cycle of abuse, violence and sex trafficking. combs denied the allegations, and the case was quickly settled with no admission of wrongdoing. in opening statements today, his attorney portrayed the civil suit as a cash grab. how many millions of reasons does the witness have to lie? many of ventura civil allegations are expected to come out in the criminal trial, like when ventura was on a break from combs and began a flirtatious relationship with an actor whom cnn has now learned is michael b. jordan. in her suit, she alleges combs called the actor and threatened him. combs has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges he faces, including racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution and sex trafficking. >> elizabeth, you were in court all day today, and i know that combs had a bible with him. you were able to observe him. i mean, what was his demeanor during this testimony, which, as you describe it, was frankly, so

he's turned around a couple of times when ventura has walked into the courtroom. although it doesn't appear that they've made eye contact throughout her days on the witness stand today, while her defense team is doing the questioning, though, he was very actively writing messages on notepads and sending them to his attorney, which would pass it along to the examiner. so definitely engaged today. when when this was about his text messages and his exchanges with ventura. >> all right. misty marris kara scannell, thank you both very much for being with us. and thanks as well to our panel for being with us here in new york. really appreciate it. jake tapper is standing by for the lead where you're going to have much more reaction, i understand, to the reporting from your new book with alex thompson. you guys are going to be here in new york having a conversation with david remnick in just a few days. >> that's right. >> a book comes out on tuesday. >> and i can't wait. >> to. >> talk to you all about. >> it, but i'm not allowed to do that until then. thank you. casey.

are questioning ventura. and for about two hours, combs lawyer has gone through a number of text messages, many of them at the beginning of the relationship. and she's using. >> them to. >> show that there was a lot of love and a lot of affection and effusiveness that was back and forth between them. some emails also deal directly with these freak offs, which ventura has testified she felt she had to do because she felt threatened by combs. either he would physically assault her or harm her. some of these text messages that the jury has seen today shows ventura saying that she's going to go to the store and pick up supplies, set up the room and take her vitamins. lol of oblique reference to the drugs that they were taking, which the defense would want to argue that this is her willingly participating in these freak offs now ventura says she did it eventually at the beginning, but then she eventually grew to not want to continue to do them. and she had testified on direct examination that she had had engaged i

. >> the cross examination today of cassie ventura delivered and delved into drug habits, jealousy and explicit texts. i didn't grow up in a warm, supportive home, so the trauma i went through led to something called toxic stress. but it's gonna be different for my son. i'm giving him the protection he needs to defend against it. by taking time to play, even on long days. - by offering extra patience, even when it's running short. - and giving him the assurance that he's safe here. learn more at first5california.com. combs trial earlier this week, she testified that combs abused her while the two were a couple. he has pleaded not guilty to all the charges. the latest from abc news reporter reena roy. >> defense attorneys for sean diddy combs grilling cassie ventura on the witness stand, arguing she was a willing participant in his swingers lifestyle and not sex trafficked during her 11 year relationship with combs. his legal team presenting a 2009 text from ventura to combs, saying, i'm always ready to freak off, referring to those alleged drug fueled sex marathons. the defense also sh

many of ventura civil allegations are expected to come out in the criminal trial, like when ventura wasn a break from combs and began a flirtatious relationship with an actor whom cnn has now learned is michael b. jordan. in her suit, she alleges combs called the actor and threatened him. combs has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges he faces, including racketeering conspiracy, transportation to engage in prostitution and sex trafficking. >> elizabeth, you are in court all day today, and i know that combs had a bible with him. you were able to observe him. i mean, what was his demeanor during this testimony, which, as you describe it, was frankly, so deeply disturbing and horrific. >> testimony was incredibly graphic. aaron and combs was very engaged at one point during opening statements, he stood up and faced the jury. he almost looked like he was a star student, right? standing up very quickly to address them so they can really see him as a human. but, aaron, look, you know that this case has been all over the tabloids. and even though the jury is being firmly instructed to on

se espera que el contrainterrogatorio de ventura continúe mañana. su viaje por medio oriente sin que se haya formalizado. si aceptará o no ese lujoso avión de 400 millones de dólares que le está ofreciendo la familia real de qatar durante su gira, sostuvo un encuentro con soldados en la base militar estadounidense más grande del golfo. la pregunta es si trump estará viajando a a turquía, donde se impulsan nuevas negociaciones entre rusia y ucrania. pedro rojas nos cuenta . >> probably going back to washington, d.c . tomorrow some of you. >> probablemente . >> regresaremos a washington d.c . mañana, dijo el presidente trump durante su visita al palacio presidencial de abu dabi en los emiratos Árabes unidos . la casa blanca asegura que los cuatro días de gira en el medio oriente logran miles de millones de dólares en inversión para el país . pero el día fue empañado porque el presidente de rusia, vladimir putin, no llegó a reunirse con el presidente de ucrania . volodimir zelenski en turquía, donde el secretario de estado, marco rubio, a estado en las