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.
Judge strikes juror after defense says he has agenda
A former bank employee who now works in collectibles (baseball cards, comic books) was struck from the jury pool after lawyers for Diddy claimed he had an agenda and wanted to be on the jury.
What we won't hear at the trial
Since 2023, dozens of women and men have been filing lawsuits against Combs, claiming that he sexually or physically abused them. Many of those people said they were slipped drugs at events hosted by Combs and were abused while they were incapacitated.
Combs has denied all of the allegations through his lawyers.
Some of those lawsuits have claimed that other celebrities were either present for or participated in the abuse.
The great majority of those allegations, however, aren't part of the criminal case. Prosecutors have chosen to focus on a relatively small number of accusers and allegations where there is physical evidence or corroboration by witnesses.
Concerns over juror’s negative interactions with police, but he remains in jury pool
A New York City Transit employee will remain in the jury pool despite concerns from prosecutors over negative interactions with the police when he was younger, including a charge of assaulting a police officer that was dropped.
The juror says he used to be biased against the police, but now he knows some officers. He was also once arrested for being in possession of a gravity knife (illegal in the U.S.) and was a victim of crime once when his sneakers were stolen while he was unconscious.
Despite saying he could be fair when considering testimony from law enforcement, prosecutors moved to strike for cause over his history with the police.
The defense opposed striking him, saying that he had grown up and that his answers were honest and revealing. The prosecution countered that he was arrested twice after his apparent epiphany about the police.
After quickly seeing another juror with whom neither side had grounds to strike, the juror was brought back to court for further questions.
After establishing a third incident with the police was when he shoved an officer who pushed him when shutting down a party, Judge Subramanian says he will not strike the juror.
Two more jurors excused for cause
Two more jurors are excused for cause, one on medical grounds for Crohn’s disease.
Pace quickens again
The speed at which the court is working through jurors appears to have quickened again.
Defense lawyers pass forward a question to Judge Subramanian about the response from a juror who wrote that he understood a producer accused Combs of forcing him into having sex.
The juror, an engineer, responds that he thinks he heard that on NPR, as he doesn’t really care for celebrity news.
He will remain in the jury pool.
Another juror is excused for cause after saying she cannot speak about sex.
Demonstrating the problems of a high-profile trial that touches on popular culture, music, and celebrity, a third juror says that he has seen content about the case on social media, but “nothing too deep,” including the video from the hotel.
“Everything is circumstantial,” he says, before describing the “LA lifestyle” that he presumably associates with Combs as “fast and loose.”
The juror, a pilot for American Airlines, is allowed to remain in the jury pool.
Juror excused over ongoing legal case and M&A deal
A potential juror tells Judge Subramanian that he is involved in an ongoing personal injury case after he was assaulted by his stepmother at his late father’s house. He is also in a probate case over the estate.
The judge also notes that he is involved in an M&A deal and excuses him from serving.
Another juror acknowledges having seen the hotel video but maintains he can be fair and remains in the pool.
Juror struck for being investigator on criminal fraud case
A juror who works at the New York City Department of Investigation is excluded, as he is currently working with the South District of New York on a criminal fraud case.
Judge grows frustrated over inclusion of some jurors
After excusing for cause the husband of a uniformed victim advocate in the Marine Corps in South Carolina over potential bias in favor of Diddy’s alleged victims, Judge Subramanian becomes frustrated with both parties after the next juror takes the stand.
The juror tells the judge that they have difficulty with English and so are excused, with Subramanian then turning to the defense and prosecution, asking why this keeps happening.
He says that he asked the parties to agree to set aside some jurors with issues like this - it takes us at least five minutes each time, noting that they are running out of time.
Subramanian adds that he wants both teams to have time to prepare for the trial.
Juror excluded for bias toward victims from own experience
A juror explained to Judge Subramanian that they had been sexually assaulted when they were 19.
Sympathetically asked if they could still be on the case, they reply that if the defense were to argue the victims didn’t report the alleged incidents when they happen, they would understand why that would be and would be biased in their favor
The judge excludes the juror from the jury pool.
What were the jury questionnaire questions on graphic and sexually explicit materials?
In the extensive jury questionnaire that potential jurors were asked to fill out, there were two notable questions regarding the inclusion of “graphic” or “sexually explicit” videos or photographs.
There may be evidence of graphic videos and photographs, including videos of physical violence, in connection with this case. Is there anything about the nature of this evidence that would make it difficult for you to be fair and impartial?
It would be safe to assume this covers the Cassie video from the hotel hallway that several potential jurors have already seen.
There may be evidence of sexually explicit videos, photographs and language in connection with the case. Would such evidence interfere with your ability to sit fairly and impartially in hearing the evidence or lack of evidence?
Given the nature of the allegations against Diddy, this is not a surprising question and already one juror has been excused after saying she would not be able to cope with such material.