Diddy trial: defense presses Dawn Richard over inconsistent statements in abuse testimony

Dawn Richard testifies about Sean Combs’ alleged abuse of Cassie but faces scrutiny for conflicting past statements.

The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continued Monday in New York with testimony from his former bandmate, singer Dawn Richard. On the stand, Richard described a series of alleged violent incidents involving Combs and his ex-girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, including claims of physical abuse and threats.

Richard, a former member of the R&B group Danity Kane and later part of Diddy — Dirty Money, testified that during her time working closely with Combs, she witnessed disturbing behavior. According to Richard, Combs repeatedly abused Ventura—physically punching, choking, dragging, and kicking her. She also recalled one particular incident where Combs allegedly tried to hit Ventura with a frying pan and then drag her up a staircase. The next day, she claimed, Combs threatened her, saying she could “disappear” if she told anyone. Richard said she interpreted this as a death threat.

These allegations echoed Ventura’s own testimony last week, in which she accused Combs of rape and long-term abuse. Richard’s accounts also align with multiple other allegations made against the Bad Boy Records founder in various legal proceedings and lawsuits.

However, Combs’ attorney, Nicole Westmoreland, sought to discredit Richard’s testimony during a rigorous cross-examination. Westmoreland focused on inconsistencies between Richard’s court statements and her earlier interviews with federal prosecutors. Richard reportedly met with prosecutors eight times before taking the stand, and her accounts across those meetings varied in notable ways.

Westmoreland pointed out that in a 2024 interview, Richard stated she only heard a frying pan strike a wall but did not see Combs use it against Ventura. Yet, in a 2025 meeting, she told prosecutors that she saw Combs throw eggs at Ventura but not the frying pan. When questioned about the discrepancy in court, Richard said she could not recall her earlier statements.

The defense also challenged Richard over her delay in reporting the alleged death threat. Westmoreland pressed her on why this claim did not appear in her prior interviews until just over a week before her testimony. “It was a death threat that you didn’t recall on seven different occasions?” Westmoreland asked.

Despite the pointed cross-examination, Richard maintained that the events she witnessed had a lasting impact and reinforced the broader claims of abuse Combs is facing. The trial remains ongoing, with more witnesses expected to take the stand in the coming days.