Bruce Willis' Name Surfaces in Diddy Trial During Third Day of Cassie Ventura's Testimony

The ongoing sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs in New York took an unexpected turn on Thursday, May 15th, as the name of American actor Bruce Willis was brought up during the third day of Cassie Ventura's testimony.

The trial of the disgraced music mogul, which commenced earlier in the week on Monday, saw Ventura, 38, continue her time on the stand for a third consecutive day. During the latest cross-examination, Cassie provided details about her past relationship with Combs, which spanned from 2007 to 2018.

Text message exchanges between Cassie and Diddy were presented to the jury, including one instance where she expressed her desire for a more significant role in his life and with his children from previous relationships.

However, she felt her primary role was participation in the rapper's 'freak offs' – a situation she described to the court as potentially "a little heartbreaking," according to People.

Cassie also referenced examples of successful Hollywood relationships where stars had children from previous partners. In a 2013 text message, Cassie wrote: 'As much as you think you're Bruce Willis, you aren't. He's married, and before he was married, the family as a whole went on trips together or just him and his woman.'

She also mentioned Eddie Murphy and his wife Paige Butcher, who married in 2024 after dating for several years.

'Eddie Murphy and Paige took his kids away on their own,' Ventura had texted. 'I don't think that you sympathize with my feelings. I understand you feeling like you need to protect your children but after a while…it's like for what?'

On Thursday, defense lawyers presented other text messages to the jury to illustrate Cassie's frustration with Combs and her jealousy regarding his interactions with other women.

'You're making me look like a side piece and that is not what I thought I was,' the singer had also texted back in 2013.

Ventura testified that at the beginning of their relationship, Diddy did not want her seeing other men and would become angry if he suspected infidelity.

However, she noted that Combs was free to see whomever he wished – including his ex-partner Kim Porter, with whom he shares children. During her testimony on Thursday, Ventura also read explicit messages aloud to the jury.

An email written by Ventura and presented in court offered insight into her past relationship with Diddy, where she stated she simply 'needed his attention.'

'That's not being in a relationship with someone that you love and are in love with ... I am really hurt by the way you deal with me, I don't need your money, I need some attention.'

The jury was also shown text messages where Cassie had written that she enjoyed the 'freak offs.'

In 2017, she texted: 'Please don't play victim. That's all you wanted, and that's why I was upset. I love our FOs when we both want it.' Combs' lawyers presented this exchange to argue to the jury that her participation in the 'freak off' sessions was not coerced.

Regarding this message, she told the court, 'I would say that loving FOs were just words at that point.'

Later on Thursday, Ventura discussed her and Diddy's past drug use together, noting they would refer to each other as 'Get High partners.'

Cassie explained, 'The drugs became a thing over time. Became the main event for us.'

At one point during the cross-examination, however, she expressed frustration, stating that the jury was not receiving the complete context of the text message exchanges.

She told the judge, 'This isn't about what I feel is relevant right now, right? Because there's a lot we skipped over.'

Ventura is expected to return to the New York courtroom on Friday as the cross-examination continues.