A 2016 movie premiere took on a central role as Cassie continued to testify against ex-partner Sean “Diddy” Combs in his federal sex-crimes trial.
At the start of her second day of testimony on May 14, Casandra Ventura Fine told jurors about the infamous 2016 incident where Combs assaulted her at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles.
In a text exchange between the two at the time, Ventura Fine told Combs that she had a “premiere on Monday for the biggest thing of my life,” referring to the premiere of her romantic comedy film “The Perfect Match.”
The hotel incident took place on March 5, 2016. Two days later, on March 7, 2016, Ventura Fine and Combs stepped out at the Los Angeles premiere of “The Perfect Match.”
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Photos from the time show that Ventura Fine wore a gold and black dress and was joined on the red carpet by Combs.
Ventura Fine and Combs were also photographed attending a “Perfect Match” premiere afterparty that night, where she wore a shorter, green dress. Other guests at the after party included director Bille Woodruff and Queen Latifah, whose company Flavor Unit Entertainment produced the film.
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Ventura Fine starred in “The Perfect Match,” which hit theaters in March 2016, alongside Terrence J and Donald Faison. The “Me & U” singer has also appeared in movies like 2008’s “Step Up 2: The Streets” and 2020’s “Spenser Confidential.”
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On May 14, jurors in Combs’ trial were shown a photo taken in the embattled rapper’s bedroom, where Ventura Fine was wearing her gown for the “Perfect Match” premiere and large sunglasses. She testified that the glasses were “to cover up my eye” following the hotel assault, where she “got hit in the face.”
Prosecutors also showed jurors a red carpet photo where a bruise on Ventura Fine’s shoulder was visible, as well as another photo from the afterparty where a bruise could be seen on her right shin.
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On May 12, jurors in the trial were shown video from the 2016 hotel incident. Ventura Fine took the stand on May 13 and began describing the alleged abuse she was subjected to throughout her relationship with Combs, which ended in 2018.
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If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) and Hotline.RAINN.org and en Español RAINN.org/es.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cassie, Diddy at ‘The Perfect Match’ movie premiere: See the 2016 pics
