Diddy allegedly offered a security official a bag for the video of the vicious beatdown of singer and former girlfriend Cassie in 2016.
During the first day of the trial, the jury learned the details of the infamous incident that took place at the now-defunct InterContinental Los Angeles Century City at Beverly Hills Hotel.
Security guard testifies he saw on video
Israel Florez, who was the assistant director of security at the luxury hotel in the upscale Century City section of L.A., testified that he was informed that a woman was in “distress” on the 6th floor at about 11 a.m. After checking the surveillance cameras, he saw Sean “Diddy” Combs, wrapped in a towel, pacing back and forth in the hallway, and Florez raced up to the scene.
NBC News reports that when Florez arrived, he found Diddy standing over Cassie, whom he had just beaten and kicked before dragging her from the bank of elevators towards their hotel room.
Florez said he found a broken vase splattered on the floor and informed Diddy that he would be charged for it and any other damages to the room. Meanwhile, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura asked for her phone and her purse and stated that she wanted to leave, but Diddy told her that she could not, the publication reports.
“She was scared,” Florez testified, according to NBC News. “She was in the corner, hood on, covered up. I couldn’t see her face, she was pretty much in the corner. On the floor was a destroyed flower vase.”
Diddy threw a stack of bills at security guard to remain quiet
Florez said that as he was about to leave after the situation was under control, Diddy threw a stack of money and told him, “Don’t tell anyone.” Florez said he turned down the money and reiterated that he would be charged for the broken item.
For his self interest, Florez recorded the video evidence of the beatdown with his cellphone so that he could show his wife when he got home. Interestingly enough, a Los Angeles cop said he did the same thing.
When he returned to work after two days off, he said he looked for the video but was surprised that it was missing.
He said he never saw the video again until CNN showed it to the world in the spring of 2024.
Diddy’s attorney cross examined the security guard
On cross-examination, Diddy’s attorney grilled Florez on why he did not call the police or put in his report that Cassie asked to leave but was denied by Diddy. Florez informed the court that he did not put every detail in his report.
Combs’ attorney Brian Steel then asked Florez, “You were offered a bribe — but hadn’t you told him he had to pay for the vase?” Florez answered, “Yes.”
Florez did admit that there are gaps in the video footage that CNN showed, thereby indicating that the news network edited it before blaring it out to the world.
