Diddy jury reaches a verdict on most counts - but ends deliberations for the day before decision on RICO charge
There are ‘unpersuadable opinions on both sides’ regarding the racketeering conspiracy charge
The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial reached a decision on most counts after 14 hours of deliberations - but will continue to debate one of the charges on Wednesday.
The jurors have reached a verdict on two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, they told the judge in a note late Tuesday. For the final count — racketeering conspiracy — the jurors said they have “unpersuadable opinions on both sides.”
The panel returned a note at 4:05 p.m. indicating it had reached a verdict on some counts.
Diddy appeared distressed as the lawyers huddled around him before the judge entered the courtroom to read the note.
The jurors returned to the courtroom and the judge instructed them to keep deliberating. They went back to the jury room and quickly decided to break for the day. They are set to return Wednesday at 9 a.m.
The note came about six hours after the jury handed in another note asking to see Cassie Ventura’s testimony about the InterContinental Hotel from 2016 — where footage captured Diddy assaulting Ventura.
The jury also asked about her testimony regarding the trip to Cannes and the events that immediately followed, her testimony regarding her “freak offs” and interactions with male escort Daniel Philip, and Philip’s testimony regarding the Essex Hotel incident with Ventura.
Outside the courthouse was a media circus as the deliberations continued into the second day. Someone was handing out colorful t-shirts that read “A Freako is not a RICO,” referring to drug-fueled sex marathons known as “freak offs.”
People lined up outside waiting for a verdict all day. After the crowd realized that there was only a partial verdict - that would not be announced - and that the jury would be returning Wednesday morning, there was an audible groan from the group.
If the jurors don’t reach a verdict by the end of the day Wednesday, the judge said he could keep the court open Thursday. Attorneys on both sides indicated they would defer to the jurors’ preference on whether they wanted to deliberate Thursday or wait to Monday after the holiday weekend if they need to continue.