Witness: Kerry Morgan

Kerry Morgan’s Testimony in Sean 'Diddy' Combs’ Sex Trafficking and Racketeering Trial: Day 6 Highlights On May 19, 2025, during Day 6 of Sean 'Diddy' Combs’ federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan, Kerry Morgan, a model and former best friend of Combs’ ex-girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura, testified at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in New York. Morgan, who had known Ventura for 17 years, provided a firsthand account of Combs’ alleged abusive behavior toward both Ventura and herself, aiming to support the prosecution’s narrative that Combs ran a criminal enterprise involving coercion and violence. Her testimony, delivered in the late morning following Dawn Richard’s appearance, offered a perspective on the alleged control and abuse Ventura endured, though her account also faced scrutiny from the defense. Background and Role in the Trial Kerry Morgan, a 38-year-old model, was called as a prosecution witness to corroborate Ventura’s allegations of physical and psychological abuse by Combs during their 11-year relationship from 2007 to 2018. Ventura, a key witness who testified the previous week, described years of coercion into drug-fueled 'freak-offs,' physical beatings, and control by Combs, central to the charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Morgan’s testimony focused on specific incidents of violence she witnessed or experienced, aiming to illustrate Combs’ pattern of abusive behavior and the culture of fear he allegedly created. Her testimony followed Richard’s account of seeing Combs attack Ventura and preceded David James’ insider perspective on Combs’ operations. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey, used Morgan’s account to bolster their argument that Combs’ actions constituted a criminal enterprise, while the defense sought to challenge her credibility and frame Ventura’s actions as consensual. Key Points of Kerry Morgan’s Testimony 1. Early Relationship with Ventura and Initial Observations Morgan began her testimony by outlining her close friendship with Ventura, stating, 'I lived with Cassie in Manhattan—we were best friends.' She described their bond as spanning 17 years, during which they shared an apartment and a social circle. Morgan testified that she met Combs through Ventura early in their relationship, around 2007, and initially saw him as a charismatic but controlling figure. She recalled Ventura’s increasing isolation as her relationship with Combs deepened, noting that Ventura often seemed anxious and hesitant to discuss her relationship. Morgan told the jury she frequently urged Ventura to leave Combs, but Ventura responded that she would 'lose her livelihood' if she did, highlighting Combs’ alleged control over her career and finances as an R&B artist signed to his Bad Boy Records label. 2. Witnessing Violence Against Ventura in Jamaica Morgan testified about a disturbing incident she witnessed during a trip to Jamaica with Ventura and Combs, around 2013. She described seeing Combs drag Ventura by her hair outside their accommodation, an act of violence that left Morgan fearing for her friend’s safety. 'I saw Diddy drag Cassie by her hair,' Morgan said, pointing to Combs in the courtroom to identify him. She ran back inside to grab their belongings, intending to help Ventura escape, and saw Ventura on the ground. Initially, Morgan thought Ventura had been knocked unconscious, but Ventura got up and fled into the woods. Morgan’s account of this incident aimed to illustrate Combs’ alleged pattern of physical abuse, aligning with Ventura’s earlier testimony about enduring beatings and coercion. Morgan noted that Combs did not appear intoxicated during this incident, countering any defense suggestion that his actions were influenced by substances. 3. Combs’ Assault on Morgan in 2018 A significant portion of Morgan’s testimony focused on an incident in 2018 at Ventura’s California home, where she alleged Combs assaulted her. Morgan recounted that Combs, enraged and suspicious that Ventura might be cheating on him, barged into the house while she and Ventura were preparing to use drugs. 'He came up behind me and choked me, and boomeranged a wooden hanger around my head,' Morgan testified, describing how Combs hit her right ear with the hanger. She told the jury the attack left her shaken, and Ventura, instead of supporting her, appeared to side with Combs. Morgan testified that Ventura later delivered $30,000 on Combs’ behalf for Morgan to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) about the incident, which Morgan accepted but saw as a betrayal. 'The reason I stopped speaking to her was because she was not supportive of me after that incident,' Morgan said, explaining that this event ended their friendship. Prosecutors used this to argue Combs employed financial coercion to silence witnesses, a key element of the racketeering charge. 4. Police Response and Ventura’s Reaction Morgan also described an incident where Combs allegedly went to Ventura’s house and banged on the door with a hammer, prompting a police response—possibly called by a neighbor. When LAPD officers arrived, Morgan testified that Ventura, who had a black eye, refused to cooperate. 'They asked what happened, [she said] nothing—she didn’t respond,' Morgan said. 'They asked for her license. She said she didn’t have it.' Morgan noted that the officers left a card and departed, underscoring Ventura’s fear of retaliation from Combs, which prosecutors argued was part of the culture of coercion he created. Morgan’s observation that Ventura covered for Combs despite visible injuries supported the prosecution’s narrative that Ventura felt trapped in the relationship, unable to speak out due to fear and dependency. 5. Cross-Examination by the Defense Under cross-examination by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, Morgan’s testimony was scrutinized for consistency and bias. Agnifilo adopted a conversational tone, often tagging questions with phrases like 'I’m just trying to understand,' to probe Morgan’s recollections. He asked about Ventura’s modeling career, her ex-boyfriends, and whether Morgan was jealous of Combs’ late ex, Kim Porter, suggesting possible motives for bias. Morgan remained dispassionate, speaking flatly, but confirmed she had not spoken to Ventura since the 2018 incident due to the NDA fallout. Agnifilo challenged the payment details, questioning whether the $30,000 came directly from Combs or Ventura, to which Morgan clarified, 'She said it was through him, the money wasn’t coming from her. She was the go-between.' The defense used Morgan’s testimony to suggest Ventura’s jealousy of others, like Kim Porter, and Combs’ jealousy of figures like Michael B. Jordan, framing their relationship dynamics as mutual and consensual rather than coercive, aiming to undermine the prosecution’s narrative of sex trafficking. Legal and Trial Context Morgan’s testimony followed Dawn Richard’s account of witnessing Combs’ violence toward Ventura and preceded David James’ testimony about Combs’ controlling behavior as his assistant. The prosecution used Morgan to illustrate Combs’ alleged pattern of violence and coercion, supporting their racketeering charge by showing how he silenced witnesses through NDAs and intimidation. Posts on X reflected mixed sentiments, with some users noting Morgan appeared credible, while others highlighted the defense’s focus on jealousy as a potential counter-narrative, though these views are inconclusive. The defense’s broader strategy, led by Agnifilo, continued to frame Combs’ actions as personal flaws rather than criminal acts, arguing that domestic violence, while serious, does not equate to sex trafficking. Implications and Next Steps Morgan’s testimony provided compelling evidence of Combs’ alleged violence and control, particularly her firsthand account of being assaulted and the financial coercion via the NDA. However, the defense’s cross-examination aimed to cast doubt on her motives and the nature of Ventura’s relationship with Combs, suggesting mutual dynamics rather than coercion. As the trial progresses, upcoming testimony from witnesses like Kid Cudi, expected to address Combs’ jealousy, and a male hotel employee, who may provide further context on the 'freak-off' settings, will likely build on Morgan’s account. The jury will need to weigh these conflicting narratives to determine if Combs’ actions constituted a criminal enterprise, a core issue in the case.

Compiled from news sources and summarized by Grok.

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