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.
Court breaks for lunch
Jury selection pauses for lunch and will resume shortly.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and the rise of his ‘criminal enterprise’
Sheila Flynn writes:
The most honest thing Sean Combs may have ever done was name his record label “Bad Boy.”
Although 54-year-old Combs – aka Puff Daddy, aka Puffy, aka P. Diddy, Diddy and Love – has been orchestrating a lot more than just braggadocious “bad” behavior during the intervening decades, according to a federal indictment unsealed Tuesday. Instead, it charges, he’s been the veritable architect and leader of a “criminal enterprise” engaged in alleged arson, kidnapping, forced labor, bribery, obstruction of justice and sex trafficking.
It was that final accusation, laid out not in federal charging papers but in a series of damning lawsuits last year, that first revealed the growing cracks in the veneer of Combs’ carefully-curated reputation.
Read on...
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and the rise of his ‘criminal enterprise’
Concern jurors could be swayed having seen hotel video
Kelly Rissman reports from the courthouse:
The line was long outside of a federal criminal courthouse this drizzly New York morning, filled with both members of the press and the public.
One woman said she's a long-time fan of Diddy and hopes he is acquitted, but opted to attend the trial “to find the truth.”
The morning has been consumed by jury selection. One thing has been made clear: many potential jurors say they've seen the notorious video of Diddy allegedly assaulting a woman in a hotel.
Diddy's defense team has expressed concern over how someone could be swayed after watching that clip, which the government excluded from the case.
ICYMI: Diddy rejects plea deal offer
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, the music mogul headed to trial on sex-trafficking accusations, rejected a last-minute plea deal with prosecutors, he confirmed in court on Thursday.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution purposes, and has maintained his innocence since being arrested.
Ariana Baio reports.
Diddy rejects plea deal offer ahead of his trial on sex-trafficking charges
The rise and fall of Sean 'Diddy' Combs — a timeline
For more than two decades, Sean “Diddy” Combs was one of hip-hop's most opportunistic entrepreneurs, spinning his hitmaking talents into a broad business empire that included a record label, a fashion brand, a TV network, deals with liquor companies and a key role in a reality TV show.
But U.S. prosecutors say that behind the scenes, Combs was coercing and abusing women with help from a network of associates who helped silence victims through blackmail and violence.
Combs has pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
Here is a timeline of major events in his rise and fall:
A timeline of the rise and fall of Sean 'Diddy' Combs
Which famous names have been mentioned so far?
Potential jurors were asked to look over a list of names and places connected with the trial and say if they recognized them or had a connection with them.
So far, the following names have come up:
- Michael B. Jordan (actor)
- Mike Myers (actor)
- Kid Cudi (rapper)
- Kanye West (rapper)
- Dallas Austin (songwriter, producer)
- Laurieann Gibson (choreographer, director)
- Dawn Richard (singer)
- Harve Pierre (producer)
- Michelle Williams (singer)
- Cassie Ventura (singer)
Court back in session
Court is now back in session, and the next potential member of the jury is called for questioning — Juror 60.
It should be noted that not every juror is called for questioning. The judge has called 16 jurors so far.
Another juror excused
After speaking confidentially with the judge, another juror is excused as someone close to them was a victim of sexual assault or harassment.
Juror excluded after watching HBO documentary
Another potential juror was excluded after admitting to having watched the HBO documentary on the case: The Fall of Diddy.
Asked if they would believe testimony from people who appeared in the documentary, some of whom are expected to testify, the juror responded that it would depend, as they did not remember much.
After Diddy’s lawyer said they wanted to keep the juror, Judge Subramanian decided to exclude her from consideration.