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

Jurors heard a recording of a distressed Cassie screaming at a friend who said he had seen a video of performing sex acts.

In the recording, made by Cassie in 2013, the man claimed to have the video on his phone. Cassie is heard pleading to see the video and then threatening to kill him if it became public.

"I've never killed anyone in my life, but I will kill you," Cassie told the man, punctuating her threats with profanity.

Cassie acknowledged in her testimony that Combs subsequently made efforts to keep the video private.

Defense attorney Anna Estevao resumed her cross-examination Friday with questions related to the March 2016 recording of Combs attacking Cassie at the elevator bank of a Los Angeles hotel. In it, Combs can be seen slinging Cassie to the floor, kicking her and dragging her into a hotel hallway.

Estevao had Cassie read aloud a text message in which she complained that Combs was out of control from drugs and alcohol that day. In the message, Cassie told Combs: "I'm not a rag doll. I'm somebody's child."

Through text messages read aloud to the jury, Estevao then showed that Combs and Cassie were expressing love to one another again just days later as they tried to recover from the hotel attack. Cassie told Combs in one text: "We need a different vibe from Friday."

Cassie said Combs was wary of her dating or giving attention to other men, even during breaks in their decade-long relationship. The hip-hop star took her phone from her on numerous occasions, including when he found out she was dating a football player and when she suspected her of dancing with the singer Chris Brown. Cassie didn't name the player and denied dancing with Brown.

Cassie Ventura returned to the witness stand for a fourth day Friday to continue cross-examination.

She took her seat wearing a baggy pin-striped suit and long, untucked light-colored shirt. She appeared calm and composed, as she has throughout her testimony.

"You understand you are still under oath?" Judge Arun Subramanian asked her. "Yes," she replied.

The expectation is this will be Ventura's last day on the witness stand after prosecutors argued she could give birth as soon as this weekend. Ventura is eight months pregnant.

Prosecutors accused the defense of being inefficient with cross-examination on purpose, hoping to "risk a mistrial," if she goes into labor. The defense argues that they should have the right to thoroughly cross-examine the witness.

The testimony picked up where it left off Thursday, at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City where Ventura testified there was a "freak off" in 2016 she attempted to escape after she alleged Combs became violent prior to the premiere of her movie "The Perfect Match."

"I believe that he was intoxicated," Ventura testified, describing Combs during the encounter. She then read a message she sent him afterwards: "When you get f----- up the wrong way you always want to show me you have the power and knock me around. I'm not a rag doll. I'm someone's child."

The defense has argued Combs became violent because of his drug use and not as a means to strong-arm Ventura into sex.

Defense lawyers for Sean Combs are trying to prolong their cross-examination of Cassie Ventura into next week, hoping to "risk a mistrial if the witness goes into labor," federal prosecutors said in an overnight letter to the judge.

The letter pointed to the "inefficiency" of the defense cross examination as proof the defense "hopes to accomplish precisely that outcome."

Prosecutors argued that Ventura was often made to read long excerpts of text messages with no real question, an approach prosecutors called a "filibuster" and asked the judge to order the defense to finish by 4:30 Friday, allowing a half hour for re-direct.

Prosecutors said defense counsel has known for weeks about Ventura's pregnancy and they earlier told the judge Ventura could have her baby as soon as this weekend.

The defense argues that they should have the right to thoroughly cross-examine the witness.

Prosecutors allege the defense is hoping to "risk a mistrial if the witness goes into labor."