Sean Combs sex trafficking trial updates: Cassie's testimony ends after days of describing abuse

Alex Fine, husband of Cassie Ventura, arrived at Manhattan federal court on Tuesday.

A judge ruled that Fine can be in the courtroom for most - but not all - of his wife's testimony.

Judge Arun Subramanian, acting on a defense request, said Fine must leave the courtroom when questioning turns to Cassie's allegation that Combs raped her in 2018.

That's because Combs' lawyers say they may call Fine as a witness later in the trial in an attempt to discredit Cassie's allegation.

Prosecutors argued that Fine is part of the emotional support system for Cassie, who's pregnant and should be in the courtroom when she testifies.

Combs' trial resumed Tuesday with the hip-hop mogul's lawyer questioning Daniel Phillip, a male stripper who says he was paid to have sex with Cassie while Combs watched.

Defense lawyer Xavier Donaldson pointed to Phillip's past statements to federal prosecutors as he attempted to show inconsistencies in his recollection of events. Donaldson finished his cross-examination after suggesting Phillip had developed a crush on Cassie and wanted to isolate her from Combs so he could be with her romantically. Phillip denied that but admitted: "I was attracted to her. If she ever gave me the chance to date her, I absolutely would have."

Once Donaldson was finished, a prosecutor asked Phillip more questions, underscoring the witness' earlier testimony that it was Combs who directed his sexual activity with Cassie.

Sean Combs entered court Tuesday wearing the same, or similar, white collared shirt, light-colored pullover and khaki pants. He waved to his family in the second row.

A federal prosecutor prepared the court for what's to come when Cassie Ventura is expected to take the witness stand later today.

"There are videos," the prosecutor, Emily Johnson, said.

Johnson promised jurors in her opening statement Monday that they would "see videos of some of the freak-offs, the videos the defendant used to blackmail Cassie and to blackmail 'Jane,'" the latter referring to an anonymous alleged second victim.

On those videos, Johnson told jurors they would hear Combs providing direction to Cassie and "Jane," and the women complying.

Daniel Phillip, an escort who testified Monday that he was paid as much as $6,000 each time he had sex with Ventura while Combs sat in the corner masturbating, returned to the witness stand Tuesday to resume cross-examination.

On cross-examination, Monday defense attorney Xavier Donaldson sought to downplay Combs' role in the first alleged sexual encounter at the Gramercy Park Hotel.

The R&B singer Cassie is poised to testify in Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial on Tuesday. Combs is accused of forcing women including Cassie into drugged-up sex parties he described as "freak-offs."

Prosecutors say he used his status as a powerful executive to coerce women into abusive sexual encounters. Lawyers for three-time Grammy winner told the jury that while Combs could be violent, he never veered into sex trafficking or racketeering.

Cassie has been at the center of Combs' stunning downfall. She sued him in 2023 alleging years of abuse. A surveillance video made public last year showed Combs beating her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016.