Sean “Diddy” Combs attends an album launch social gathering for his The Love Album: Off The Grid album on Sept. 15, 2023, in New York Metropolis.
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Pictures
disguise caption
toggle caption
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Pictures
Choose Arun Subramanian completed questioning practically 100 potential jurors for the Sean “Diddy” Combs intercourse trafficking trial on Wednesday. For 3 days, the decide requested the jury pool about their private experiences with matters like sexual assault and home violence, their data of the allegations in opposition to Combs and their potential to stay neutral in mild of Combs’ presumed innocence — which some jurors struggled with, given the case’s excessive profile.
Choice started Monday within the federal District Court docket for the Southern District of New York. Combs, who has been in custody since his arrest final September, faces costs of intercourse trafficking, transporting to interact in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy; he has pleaded not responsible.
The rapper, producer and businessman appeared in court docket for all three days of jury questioning, typically embracing his attorneys as he entered the courtroom. When one among his attorneys requested a quick lavatory break through the first morning of jury choice and the decide resisted, Combs spoke up. “I am just a little nervous immediately, your honor,” he defined.
Combs, whose hair has grayed considerably throughout his time at a Brooklyn jail, sported a darkish sweater over a collared white shirt for the proceedings. He seemed on as potential jurors swore beneath oath and answered questions.
The jury pool had acquired questionnaires forward of this week’s proceedings, which included issues like whether or not they would be capable of focus on issues of a sexual nature with different jurors, whether or not they or anybody near them has undergone sexual harassment coaching and whether or not they’ve already developed any biases towards Combs or his alleged victims. In court docket, the decide requested plenty of follow-up questions — particularly associated to jurors’ data of the allegations in opposition to Combs.
Many jurors introduced up each the felony costs and the a number of dozen civil lawsuits in opposition to Combs. “It is throughout social media,” one potential juror advised the decide. Repeatedly, jurors raised the identical instance: the surveillance video launched by CNN final 12 months that reveals Combs violently kicking, hitting and dragging his ex-girlfriend, the singer Cassie Ventura, in a Los Angeles resort hallway in 2016. One juror mentioned the video may very well be thought of “damning proof,” whereas one other referred to as it “surprising” and “scary.” After yet one more juror who talked about the video exited the courtroom, Combs’ lead protection lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, expressed his frustration over the video’s affect on the jury choice course of.
Many jurors who had data of the surveillance footage mentioned they might nonetheless be capable of stay neutral and would solely learn by the proof introduced in court docket. (Combs’ felony indictment features a description of the resort incident. His protection attorneys tried and did not get the video thrown out as proof. Prosecutors plan to introduce a model of the video through the trial.) Different jurors have been dismissed for admitting they could lean in favor of the alleged victims, generally due to their very own experiences with sexual assault. Some jurors mentioned they felt biased in opposition to rich celebrities, like Mr. Combs, who could imagine they’re above following the legislation. Others have been dismissed for normal causes like medical exemptions, lack of English language proficiency and scheduling conflicts.
Jurors have been additionally proven an inventory of individuals and locations which can be related to the case, although the capability of their involvement remains to be unknown. Among the names on the checklist included high-profile celebrities like Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, Lauren London, Michelle Williams of Future’s Youngster, Yung Miami and Child Cudi.
By Wednesday afternoon, 45 jurors had been chosen to maneuver ahead. On Friday, the prosecution and the protection will slim that quantity all the way down to the 12 who will serve on the trial, plus six alternates. Earlier than adjourning the courtroom, Choose Subramanian reminded jurors that they need to chorus from studying or listening to any data associated to the case outdoors of the courtroom and that they can’t focus on the trial with anybody. Opening statements will start on Monday, Could 12. The trial is anticipated to final eight weeks.