(WATCH PART I of her testimony above)
LAS VEGAS — The former porn star known professionally as “Christy Mack” broke down on the witness stand as prosecutors played a 911 phone call she placed during what her testimony portrayed as a horrifying, violent attack at the hands of War Machine, a professional fighter she was dating at the time.
War Machine, whose birth name was Jonathan Koppenhaver, is a mixed martial arts fighter who faces more than thirty counts, including attempted murder, battery, sexual assault, coercion, and domestic violence offenses related to an alleged attack on his girlfriend, whose real name is Christine Mackinday, and her date, Corey Thomas.
(WATCH PART II of her testimony above)
Mackinday’s dramatic, yet difficult testimony began Wednesday afternoon during day three of the case. It began with an account of the beginning of their relationship, then continued with a blow-by-blow account of increasing stages of abuse, according to Mackinday.
Mackinday set the tone for the day by describing a “very passionate” relationship with the fighter, one with “extreme highs” and “extreme lows.”
Mackinday testified that War Machine initially did not have a problem with her employment as an adult film performer. Later, their relationship became much more volatile, as he started to request more and more violent sexual activities. She testified that she would consent, largely to please his desires, she explained.
Mackinday testified that War Machine started requesting “rough sex,” which he would call “rape,” she said. She testified that she also requested that the couple begin to play out “rape fantasies,” thinking, she believed at the time, that the fantasies would please War Machine. Her thought, she continued to testify, was that rape fantasies were sexual activities she would share only with him, thus satisfying his desire to have her as a more exclusive partner.
Mackinday testified that these rape fantasies included planned “safe words” or safe actions. As consensual choking became part of the couple’s routine, she testified that she would grab War Machine’s hands or dig in with her nails to indicate she needed to breathe. She testified that, at first, he honored these requests.
As the relationship progressed, Mackinday described incident after incident of increasing violence. She testified that she feared telling anyone because War Machine threatened to send friends from the NAVY SEALs or from the Hell’s Angels to harm her if she reported the abuse to friends, family, or to the authorities.
Mackinday also testified that she didn’t go out in public because of marks left on her body and face after War Machine’s increasing physical attacks. She broke down in tears as she described War Machine’s increasing flirtation with other women, which she believed made her look “foolish.”
Defense attorneys hinted during previous cross-examinations that they would characterize the alleged attacks as violent, but consensual, sexual encounters that were a normal part of the consensual sex life of an adult film star and a professional MMA fighter. Prosecutors carefully and methodically sought to shatter that defense tactic.
“This is not what I want,” Mackinday testified telling War Machine during a sexual encounter, which she related through sobs on the stand. “What the f— is wrong with you,” she said he replied.
Mackinday went on to describe War Machine’s increasing need for validation. Despite the attacks, she would tell him he was a “real man” in attempts to provide him “affirmation,” she explained. She also said she spent time trying to re-direct War Machine sexually.
Testimony became increasingly emotional as Mackinday described the violent attack that lead ultimately to War Machine’s arrest, that of August 8, 2014. War Machine found Mackinday in bed with another date, Corey Thomas, and became enraged, testimony revealed.
Mackinday told the court that she dialed 911 as War Machine attacked Thomas. She left the line open as she screamed at War Machine to stop, she testified.
Mackinday struggled with her emotions and broke down repeatedly as prosecutors re-played the call. Mackinday testified that Thomas did not fight back. Thomas had previously testified trying to get out of a choke hold which War Machine had put him in. Thomas made the move as he felt himself start to black out.
After attacking Thomas, Mackinday told the court that War Machine turned his attention to her.
“He had a knife; it was one of my kitchen set knives . . . he would push it into my head . . . saw off my hair . . . he cut my head,” she testified.
“I don’t know what he’s still angry about. I remember him still being so angry that he broke his handle off the knife.”
Though she did not recall every aspect of the alleged attack, she did remember many details.
“I remember at some point while I was laying there feeling a tooth fall out of my mouth.”
The testimony was graphic and detailed. Mackinday thought she was “going to die,” she explained.
“He (War Machine) told me that nobody could help me, that they were just broken ribs and nobody can heal that, anyway.”
She believed she would have been further raped, but said War Machine “couldn’t get hard.”
Though Mackinday’s memory is spotty during some parts of the attack, she testified getting to the hospital and recalling having a tooth which was hanging out of her mouth being pushed back into position.
War Machine himself broke down in tears several times during the testimony, including during Mackinday’s descriptions of her injuries. He also cried near the beginning of Mackinday’s testimony.
After describing the attack, Mackinday continued to testify by describing a long litany of social media and other electronic media conversations between herself and War Machine, which included repeated threats about killing and death.
The prosecution controlled the witness through the end of the day’s testimony. We anticipate the prosecution to continue with direct examination in the morning, followed by cross-examination by the defense.
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