Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial: Jury selection set to be finalized Friday in sex trafficking case
Court narrows down potential jurors from 600 to dozens, with opening statements set for Monday, May 12
The final round of jury selection will begin Monday in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The court must seat a panel of 18 New Yorkers — 12 jurors and six alternates — before opening statements are set to begin on May 12.
On Monday, lawyers will use peremptory challenges to strike off some of the remaining 43 potential jurors they do not want at trial to narrow that number down to 18. Opening statements will start after.
The music mogul is facing a five-count indictment accusing him of sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy.
The rapper was arrested in September 2024 as federal authorities alleged Combs and his associates threatened, abused, and coerced victims “to fulfill his sexual desires.” This included “Freak Offs,” recorded sex performances that prosecutors say Diddy arranged and forced victims to participate in. During searches of his homes, authorities seized narcotics and 1,000 bottles of lubricant and baby oil.
Two superseding indictments against the music mogul were added. In March, fresh allegations of “forced labor,” and in April, an additional charge of sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Diddy has denied any accusations of wrongdoing and has rejected the government’s plea deal offer.
Key witness may not take the stand: report
Days before the evidentiary portion of the trial is set to begin, a wrench has been thrown in the works: one of the key witnesses reportedly may not testify.
A jury panel is shaping up but one of the prosecution’s key witnesses, known as “Victim 3” in the indictment, may not take the stand, prosecutors told the judge Wednesday.
She is expected to testify as to how Diddy allegedly “used force, threats of force, and coercion” to cause her and other victims to “engage in commercial sex acts,” according to the indictment.
“We do not know whether she intends to appear, and we are trying very hard to find out because we are having trouble communicating with her counsel,” prosecutor Maurene Comey said Wednesday, according to the New York Post.
The judge had asked for an update after Comey told him earlier in the week that the witness “does not live locally” and “may not show up, even if we try to enforce the subpoena and want to call her.”
After jury selection, what comes next?
Once the jury pool gets narrowed down to just 18 — 12 jurors and six alternates — opening statements are set to begin on Monday, May 12.
At least four alleged victims are expected to testify against Diddy throughout the course of the trial.
However, this week prosecutors revealed the woman known as “Victim 3” may not take the stand; they said they have been experiencing communications issues with her attorney.
Ariana Baio has more on what to expect for the high-profile trial:
‘Freak offs’, baby oil and the Cassie tape: Allegations behind Diddy’s trial
Two potential jurors have already been struck
Juror 295 apparently sent an email to the jury office concerning her personal safety. She is no longer in the jury pool.
Meanwhile, Juror 146 has a lawsuit against the city; that juror is also out, according to Inner City Press.
Peremptory challenges could now be on Monday
The attorneys are discussing with the judge whether to use peremptory challenges on Monday.
Marc Agnifilo, Diddy’s attorney, is arguing in favor of the idea.
But the government “strongly” opposes this idea, according to Inner City Press. The assistant US attorney told the judge: “We'd be telling 43 people to come back not knowing - if one said ‘I want off,’ others might. I had a trial like that, it blocked the whole morning.”
Opening statements start time is now up in the air
The judge is proposing peremptory challenges at 8.30 after Diddy’s attorney predicted the process will only take 10 to 15 minutes.
Then, opening statements can begin an hour later, the judge suggested.
Still, the government objected.
Arguments over exhibit objections
Now the attorneys are discussing exhibit objections.
The defense seems to have objected to a photo of Victim 1, which they say “suggests sexual conduct with an underage person.”
The prosecution argued the image doesn’t suggest that at all and was taken when the woman was of age.
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s trial
Potential jurors were given a list of 190 celebrities that includes beloved Hollywood actors and elite musicians who may be referenced during the trial, including Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers and Kanye West.
Isabel Keane dives into which celebrities have been named so far.
The celebrities mentioned during Diddy’s sex trafficking trial
What's happening today?
Today could mark the final stage of jury selection.
Peremptory challenges were expected to begin today, a legal tool that generally allows attorneys to exclude jurors from the pool without any reason or explanation. Prosecutors have been permitted to strike six prospective jurors, while defense attorneys have been permitted to strike 10.
Monday was originally supposed to be the start of opening statements but now there’s some discussion of whether peremptory challenges could be at 8.30 a.m. before opening statements begin an hour later.
The government has objected to this idea, hoping to get done with jury selection by the end of the day, while the defense predicts the process will only take 10 to 15 minutes on Monday.
By Wednesday afternoon, the jury pool had been whittled down to 45. That number needs to drop to 18 for the trial.
'Mutual violence' and the hotel video
The defense said it will allege “mutual violence” in victim 1’s relationship with the defendant. Victim 1 is largely believed to be Cassie Ventura, Diddy’s ex.
She made headlines last year after CNN released footage from a hotel in 2016 that captured Diddy physically attacking her.
The government told the judge Friday that it intends to admit the “corrected” CNN footage. The defense has described the footage as “altered.”
“We are going to take the position that there was mutual violence in their relationship. Hitting, on both sides,” Marc Agnifilo told the judge, according to Inner City Press.
He added: “We are absolutely going to admit to domestic violence. But at what point does it become coercive?”