MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
So far, the highest profile witness to testify in the criminal trial of hip-hop tycoon Sean Combs has been his ex-girlfriend - singer Cassie Ventura. In often intense moments on the stand, she told the jury that he raped and abused her. This trial, though, is bigger than Diddy versus Cassie, as NPR culture correspondent Anastasia Tsioulcas explains. And a warning - her report contains descriptions of physical and sexual violence.
ANASTASIA TSIOULCAS, BYLINE: If most people know one thing about the relationship between Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura, it's probably a widely seen video of Combs attacking her in a California hotel in 2016. Combs was seen kicking and dragging her and throwing a vase at her, footage that has been key in this trial. But because this is a federal trial, says lawyer and former prosecutor Jennifer Beidel, the prosecutors have a different job.
JENNIFER BEIDEL: What they really need to show from a prosecution perspective is that there was a criminal organization in play here that committed a number of illegal acts over time. So simply finding that Cassie Ventura was the subject of domestic violence, while that's obviously awful and a very important thing from a state court level, doesn't satisfy the federal standard.
TSIOULCAS: Here's what those charges mean. First, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The government is accusing Combs of coercing women into participating in commercial sex acts with him and with male sex workers. He also allegedly arranged for women and sex workers to be flown to him across state lines. That's a big part of what Cassie Ventura testified about. She said she felt forced to participate and that she could not safely leave. Combs' defense team is arguing that Ventura chose to stay in a toxic relationship.
Racketeering is the most complicated charge to understand. Jennifer Beidel says back in the day, the feds used to use racketeering charges, also known as RICO, to fight organized crime.
BEIDEL: RICO is traditionally a statute that was designed to prosecute the mob and other organizations that were essentially hiding their conduct through legitimate organizations. You might have an otherwise legitimate business that is also engaged in criminal misconduct and maybe using that legitimate business to hide that criminal misconduct.
TSIOULCAS: Prosecutors are arguing that while Sean Combs had a legitimate business empire, he was using his businesses to fuel and hide criminal activities. Think of this charge as being like money laundering, but instead of money, Combs was allegedly laundering actions. According to the federal indictment, those included kidnapping, arson, bribery, forced labor and abusing and coercing women. Many of the other government witnesses are testifying about those activities.
Beidel says the prosecution might have had to present Cassie Ventura as a witness very early on. She's 8.5 months pregnant. But it may have a broader benefit. Ventura was involved with Combs for over a decade.
BEIDEL: She covers a pretty long time frame and wide range of conduct. So you have sort of a narrator to start out with where they're getting the story in their head to some degree.
TSIOULCAS: One big question - when the jury eventually begins deliberating, will they remember what Cassie Ventura said on the stand? The court estimates that this trial will go on until at least late June.
Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR News, New York.
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