NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 15: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends Sean “Diddy” Combs Album Launch Get together For “The Love Album: Off The Grid” on September 15, 2023 in New York Metropolis.
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Pictures
conceal caption
toggle caption
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Pictures
Decide Arun Subramanian completed questioning almost 100 potential jurors for the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs intercourse trafficking trial on Wednesday. For 3 days, the choose requested the jury pool about their private experiences with matters like sexual assault and home violence, their information 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 prices of intercourse trafficking, transporting to interact in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy; he has pleaded not responsible.
The rapper, producer and businessman appeared in courtroom for all three days of jury questioning, typically embracing his attorneys as he entered the courtroom. When considered one of his attorneys requested a quick lavatory break in the course of the first morning of jury choice and the choose resisted, Combs spoke up. “I am a bit of nervous at present, 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 to 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 in direction of Combs or his alleged victims. In courtroom, the choose requested quite a lot of follow-up questions — particularly associated to jurors’ information of the allegations in opposition to Combs.
Many jurors introduced up each the felony prices and the a number of dozen civil lawsuits in opposition to Combs. “It is throughout social media,” one potential juror advised the choose. 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 lodge hallway in 2016. One juror stated the video might be thought of “damning proof,” whereas one other known 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 impression on the jury choice course of.
Many jurors who had information of the surveillance footage stated they’d nonetheless be capable to stay neutral and would solely be told by the proof offered in courtroom. (Combs’ felony indictment features a description of the lodge incident. His protection attorneys tried and did not get the video thrown out as proof. Prosecutors plan to introduce a model of the video in the course of the trial.) Different jurors have been dismissed for admitting they may lean in favor of the alleged victims, typically due to their very own experiences with sexual assault. Some jurors stated they felt biased in opposition to rich celebrities, like Mr. Combs, who might consider 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 a listing of individuals and locations which can be related to the case, although the capability of their involvement continues to be unknown. A few of the names on the record included high-profile celebrities like Michael B Jordan, Mike Myers, Lauren London, Michelle Williams of Future’s Baby, 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 right down to the 12 who will serve on the trial, plus six alternates. Earlier than adjourning the courtroom, Decide Subramanian reminded jurors that they need to chorus from studying or listening to any data associated to the case exterior of the courtroom and can’t focus on the trial with anybody. Opening statements will start on Monday, Could 12. The trial is predicted to final eight weeks.
