Diddy trial update: Cassie sobs on stand as her testimony concludes
After the first week of testimony Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial, Cassie’s time on the stand ends following harrowing testimony on Combs’ alleged abuse.
Alex Fine fell into the arms of his wife, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura Fine.
In August 2019, the personal trainer ran 50 miles — from Compton to Malibu, California — to raise funds for a domestic violence shelter Haven in Pontiac, Michigan.
“They were kind enough to provide help and support to my mama and I’m giving back by running an Ultra Marathon (50 miles) in honor to raise awareness for Domestic Violence Victims,” a GoFundMe description organized with his mom Pam Parker Fine read.
Fine, 32, captioned a clip of himself hugging the “Me & U” singer, 38, after the run, “Just the person I needed with me the whole time. Wow I am so lucky to be able to hug her after this. She makes me better in every way.”
He raised over $55,000 for Haven. This week fans found new meaning in the video as his wife testified in the federal sex-crimes trial of ex-boyfriend Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Alex Fine met Cassie at the gym. Then, they fell in love
After splitting from Combs in the fall of 2018, Ventura Fine debuted her new relationship on Instagram with a snap of her kissing the celebrity fitness trainer alongside a photo of her and Fine with her mom Regina Ventura. During Ventura Fine’s testimony, it was confirmed that Combs hired Fine to train his now-wife.
The Fines later tied the knot in a Malibu backyard wedding ceremony in October 2019. In photos shared by Vogue, a visibly pregnant Ventura Fine wore an off-the-shoulder sleeveless gown as Fine held her hand.
That December, the couple welcomed their first daughter Frankie, now 6. In March 2021, they welcomed 4-year-old Sunny. On the witness stand, Ventura Fine said she considered taking her own life in recent years but was stopped by Fine, who she also said punched a wall after learning Combs allegedly raped her.
She recalled a time when she went home to her husband, “I remember telling him, ‘You can do this without me.'” Ventura Fine said during testimony that it all just felt “too painful” and that “I tried walking out the door into traffic and my husband wouldn’t let me.”
‘Death would be considered a kindness,’ Fine says of abusers
Three days before filing an explosive November 2023 civil lawsuit in New York aimed at Combs alleging sexual and physical abuse, Ventura Fine shared a photo carousel of herself with a simple caption: “Casandra Fine.”
Last May, after a CNN surveillance video surfaced of Combs kicking, hitting and dragging Ventura Fine at a now-closed Los Angeles luxury hotel in 2016 surfaced, Fine wrote a message to domestic violence survivors: “To all the survivors, find the men and women who help and love. To all the survivors, your stories are real, and people believe you.”
“To the abusers, you’re done, you’re not safe anymore, you’re not protected anymore, the men by your side are just as weak, you’re so miserable with yourself that death would be considered a kindness.”
In March, the Fines stepped out for date night at the London premiere of his Paramount+ show “MobLand.” In recent years, he has pursued acting projects including a role as Grady in “Yellowstone” spinoff “1883.”
Then, this May came as Combs stands trial on federal sex-crimes charges. For four days, he attended court as his wife delivered emotional and explosive testimony.
Before the jury entered the courtroom May 13, Combs’ defense team attempted to prevent Fine from being present for his wife’s witness testimony. One of the ex-mogul’s lawyers Teny Geragos said they may call Fine as a witness. Ultimately, he was let inside the courtroom for support.
Alex Fine said Cassie ‘did the work of fighting the demons’ — not him
On May 16, after his wife’s testimony reached the finish line, Fine delivered comments through the couple’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor, who spoke outside the Manhattan federal courthouse.
Through Wigdor, Fine said that he felt “tremendous pride and overwhelming love for Cass” and “profound anger that she has been subjected to sitting in front of a person who tried to break her.”
“So, to him and all of those who helped him along the way, please know this: You did not. You did not break her spirit nor her smile that lights up every room,” Fine added. “You did not break the souls of a mother who gives the best hugs and plays the silliest games with our little girls. You did not break the woman who has made me a better man.”
Fine said that “Cassie saved Cassie,” noting that “I did not save Cassie, as some have said.” On the stand, she “did the work of fighting the demons that only a demon himself could have done,” Fine said.
In February, the Fines announced that they are expecting a third child — a boy.
“We appreciate all of the love and support we have received, and we ask that you respect our privacy as we welcome our son into a world that is now safer because of his mom,” Fine said.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental and/or substance use disorders, you can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s free and confidential treatment referral and information service at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). It’s available 24/7 in English and Spanish (TTY: 1-800-487-4889).
