Diddy Would Threaten People Will Die if They Don't Listen, Says Dawn Richard

Danity Kane singer Dawn Richard testified for the prosecution in the Diddy trial, if he didn't get his way, "People could go missing."

Prosecutors were clearly homing in on the racketeering charge against Diddy, as Richard was asked what she thought Diddy meant by that. Richard's reply ... "That people could die."

Richard was also called to buttress Cassie's testimony last week. Richard testified how she personally observed Diddy "drag her, and kick her, and punch her in the mouth."

The prosecutor followed up with this question ... "What would prompt these acts of violence?" Over the defense's objection, Richard testified, "When she would speak up for herself."

Richard recounted an event in 2009, where she says Diddy punched Cassie in the face, giving her a swollen eye. They attended an event in Central Park a short time later, and Cassie wore sunglasses -- presumably to hide the injury -- as did Dawn.

When the prosecutor asked Dawn why she wore sunglasses, she replied, "Solidarity."

However, she did say there were limits to how involved they would get in Diddy and Cassie's relationship, because "I asked myself, if he did that to someone he supposedly loved, what he do to an employee? So I'd approach Mr. Combs with softness."

Prosecutors also asked Dawn about drugs and guns. She testified Diddy would get all his drugs -- weed, Molly, cocaine and Ketamine -- from one man. As she put it, "He had it all, including Plan B birth control." She added ... Diddy kept all the narcotics in a Louis Vuitton toiletry bag that "went everywhere, from domestic to overseas."

As for weapons, Dawn said, she saw Diddy carry handguns on his lower back ... and she also saw his security guards, D-Roc and Bonds, with firearms.

Diddy's defense attorney Nicole Westmoreland cross-examined Richard, and did her best to poke holes in Richard's testimony. Westmoreland grilled Richard about her allegation Diddy made death threats ... pointing out Richard met with prosecutors several times without mentioning that.

She also got Richard to admit she'd never seen Diddy wave, load or cock a gun -- and said the singer had been inconsistent on whether she ever saw anyone pay Diddy's drug dealer.