Defense attorneys questioned Kerry Morgan regarding why she hasn’t rekindled her friendship with Cassie Ventura since their last meeting, in 2018.
“I draw the line at physical abuse,” Morgan testified. “The reason I stopped speaking to her was she was not supportive of me after that incident,” referring to Combs’ alleged assault on Morgan.
Morgan testified earlier in the day that Combs allegedly caused her to have a concussion after she told the jury he threw a wooden hanger at her at Ventura’s home in 2018. Morgan testified that she received $30,000 from Combs after threatening a lawsuit regarding the alleged incident.
Assistant Attorney Meredith Foster questions Kerry Morgan at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in New York City, May 19, 2025 in this courtroom sketch.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
“I didn’t demand money from anyone. She offered it,” Morgan testified, referring to Ventura. “The money wasn’t coming from her. She was the in-between” for Combs, Morgan told the court.
Morgan testified that Ventura offered her the money to sign an NDA, or nondisclosure agreement. “That was essentially to close the case on it. You don’t get to sue anybody or say anything public about it,” Morgan alleged.
“And you still never became friends again?” defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked, referring to Ventura.
“She still hasn’t reached out to me,” Morgan responded. “I’m sure she doesn’t have the same phone number.”
Much of the defense cross-examination of Morgan focused on jealousy, seeking to reinforce the defense’s contention that Combs became violent not to coerce women into sex but because of jealousy and drugs.
Agnifilo showed Morgan a text exchange in which she sent Combs a lengthy “affirmation” that Agnifilo said was penned by an author who writes about self-love.
“Did you believe Mr. Combs did not love himself?” Agnifilo asked Morgan.
“Sometimes it seemed like he did not,” Morgan testified.
On re-direct, prosecutor Meredith Foster argued that jealousy was not part of either of the alleged assaults on Cassie Ventura that Morgan claimed in previous testimony to have witnessed.
Referring to the alleged assaults in Los Angeles and Jamaica, Foster asked Morgan: “Prior to that what, if any, argument did you hear about jealousy?”
Morgan replied, “None.”
Morgan’s testimony has concluded.
David James, a former personal assistant for Combs, is the next witness.
