Sean "Diddy" Combs' defense will argue his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, was part of a "mutually violent" relationship in an effort to impeach the credibility of the singer when she takes the stand in his federal sex trial, set to start May 12.
The disclosure was made at a jury selection hearing on Friday in a Manhattan federal courthouse. Diddy's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, previewed the defense's approach for US District Judge Arun Subramanian.
"I think we're probably going to refer to that as domestic violence," Agnifilo said during the hearing, according to Reuters.
Citing "separate" reports of alleged violence, Diddy's defense attorneys said they want to show that Diddy's ex is an "aggressive and violent" person who is capable of initiating "physical confrontations." Diddy's attorneys are hoping to discredit the government's claim that Ventura was "coerced" to have sex by Diddy by portraying her as a "strong" person with a violent nature."
Judge Subramanian said he would issue a ruling by Monday on whether charges of domestic violence between Diddy and Cassie would be admissible at trial, saying, "strong people can be coerced just like weak people."
The 37-year-old "Me and You" singer is one of multiple witnesses expected to provide extensive testimony on alleged abuse during her on-and-off relationship with the music mogul from 2007 to 2018.
Cassie is expected to testify that there are beatings, drug-fueled coerced sex acts and many of the other alleged rapes, according to people familiar with the case.
She filed a civil lawsuit against Diddy in November 2023 in which she accuses him of rape and physical violence. The Bad Boy Records mogul denied the accusations, but the case was settled in under 24 hours.
Diddy’s ex girlfriend Cassie who he beat the crap out of in a hotel hallway is set to take the stand as early as Monday.
— RealAF Patriot (@RealAF_Patriot) May 9, 2025
Most of the mainstream media has been pretty damn quiet about this trial. pic.twitter.com/xsHxReJkum
Prosecution Eyes Life Sentence; Defense Cites 'Swinger Lifestyle'
In September 2024, Diddy was arrested and charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of prostitution. The arrest followed a raid in California and Florida on his two residences, where law enforcement officials say they recovered dozens of electronic devices and 1,000 bottles of baby oil, among other items, and found several firearms.
Diddy's defense has maintained that he lived a consensual "swinger" lifestyle that included multiple partners, hired escorts, and that the context is an integral part of the case.
"There's a lifestyle, call it swingers or whatever you will, that he thought was appropriate because it was common," Agnifilo said at a pre-trial hearing. He added that Diddy did not believe his behavior constituted a crime.
Prosecutors recently made Diddy a plea offer, and he declined it, sources told reporters. Terms of the proposed agreement were not disclosed.
May 12 has been set for opening statements in the trial.
The 55-year-old former music executive is currently being detained without bail at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center and has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He could receive a life sentence if convicted.
Originally published on Enstarz
