Singer Dawn Richard took the stand on Friday, May 16, and testified that she witnessed Sean “Diddy” Combs physically assault singer Cassie Ventura, describing a pattern of violent behavior by the music mogul.
Richard, once part of the girl group Danity Kane under Diddy’s Bad Boy Records label, was called as a witness in the ongoing federal criminal trial against Combs. Prosecutors questioned her about a disturbing incident that allegedly took place in 2009 at Diddy’s Los Angeles residence.
In her testimony, Richard recounted seeing Diddy violently attack Cassie—kicking her and attempting to strike her with a skillet containing eggs. She told the jury that Cassie fell to the ground and curled into a fetal position while Diddy continued to kick her in the head and torso before dragging her across the room.
Richard described the scene as chaotic, noting she heard glass breaking and shouting. “It was terrifying,” she said, adding that she feared for both Cassie’s safety and her own.
She also testified that following the incident, Diddy threatened her and another bandmate, warning them not to speak about what they had witnessed. “He said it was in our best interest not to talk,” Richard told the court. “He said, ‘Where I come from, people go missing if they talk.’”
Her account supports claims previously made by Cassie during her own testimony earlier in the trial, as well as allegations Richard outlined in a civil lawsuit she filed against Combs in November 2024.
