Witness testifies on day 20 of Diddy's trial: "I perceive him as the devil, he could potentially harm me"; Combs allegedly assaulted and menaced her.
Peek into the 20th Day of Diddy's Sex-Trafficking Trial
The 20th day of the high-profile trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs, accused of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, was a fog of fear and danger. The horrifying narrative unfolded as a long-time friend of ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura took the stand, claiming Diddy hurled her off a 17th-floor balcony in 2016.
"I was shaking like a leaf and felt disgustingly sick," Bryana Bongolan recounted to the jury, her voice wavering.
Bongolan described a brutal attack that left her with bruises and pain. In her testimony, she supported the prosecution's consistent claim that behind the billionaire's sparkling facade of success and talent, he is a violent man who allegedly uses fear and threats to run a criminal enterprise, catering to his sexual cravings.
Rumors swirl about Combs coercing women, like Ventura, into extended, drug-infused sex parties dubbed "freak-offs." Combs vehemently denies these claims.
According to Bongolan, the incident unfolded in September 2016, when she spent the night with Ventura at her apartment. When Diddy banged loudly on the door, demanding entry, Bongolan hid Ventura in the bathroom. She then went to the balcony to unwind, smoking a blunt, when Diddy caught her unawares and tried hoisting her over the railing.
"He heaved me up and practically threw me atop the balcony's railing," Bongolan testified. "He was yelling at me, so I was answering his questions with a mixture of calm and a bit of unease."
Bongolan hung there for about 15 heart-stopping seconds, as Diddy screamed, "You know exactly what you've done."
"Do you have the foggiest idea of what he was blabbering about?" a prosecutor inquired. Bongolan shook her head. "Still as clueless," she answered softly, gesturing to reenact the scene.
Following the attack, Bongolan quickly departed the apartment and later discovered extensive bruising on her thigh, with a small puncture wound at the center.
Days later, Bongolan claimed she told Diddy, "I don't want any trouble from you," and didn't report the incident to authorities out of fear. Today, she still suffers from nightmares and feelings of paranoia.
Bongolan's Recollections of Other Alleged Violence
Bongolan's testimony primarily focused on the 2016 incident; however, she also shed light on Ventura's injuries over time. Bongolan testified that in December 2016, Ventura Facetimed her to show off a black eye, allegedly sustained during a Combs assault in a Los Angeles hotel.
prosecutors have suggested that this is the incident captured on hotel security footage in Century City.
"I was a tad quiet, and I remember whispering, 'I'm sorry,'" she testified.
Bongolan also recounted a chilling incident when Combs stormed into Ventura's apartment in the middle of the night and hurled a knife her way. Hearing this, Combs shook his head and flung up his hands at the defense table. Bongolan testified that Ventura caught the knife and threw it right back at Combs, narrowly missing him.
Prosecutors Introduce "Sex Videos" as Evidence
The jurors kicked off the day by re-watching the CCTV video of the violent encounter between Combs and Ventura in the Los Angeles hotel in 2016. Defense lawyers concede the video shows Combs physically assaulting Ventura but argue his actions, however distressing, do not amount to racketeering conspiracy or sex trafficking.
"I hit rock bottom, but I make no excuses. My behavior on that video is inexcusable," Diddy remarked in a social media video following the initial footage's broadcast.
The video has been a key piece of evidence against Combs, having been first presented to the jury during the initial week of trial testimony. It has since been played during the testimony of three other witnesses. Combs' former personal assistant, George Kaplan, and hotel security guard Eddy Garcia were among those granted immunity before testifying in the Manhattan court.
Later in the day, forensic analyst Frank Piazza took the stand to reveal new evidence. He presented ten hidden "sex videos" extracted from one of Ventura's devices, as well as an "explicit video" enhanced for the jury's viewing. Unfortunately, many details surrounding these videos are under seal to protect the alleged victims in the case.
Bongolan testified that Ventura, in December 2016, Facetimed her to reveal a black eye she claimed was from a Combs assault in a Los Angeles hotel, an incident prosecutors suggested was captured on Century City hotel security footage.
During the trial, forensic analyst Frank Piazza presented ten hidden "sex videos" extracted from one of Ventura's devices, along with an "explicit video" enhanced for the jury's viewing, although details surrounding these videos are under seal to protect the alleged victims.
The prosecutors have used a variety of types of entertainment-related evidence against Combs, such as "sex videos" and the CCTV video of the violent encounter between Combs and Ventura in the 2016 Los Angeles hotel.
Celebrities and their lives, as seen in cases like the Combs trial, often blend with general-news headlines and crime-and-justice stories, shedding light on the darker aspects of the entertainment industry.
