Sean “Diddy” Combs attends an album launch celebration for his The Love Album: Off The Grid album on Sept. 15, 2023, in New York Metropolis.
Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Photographs
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Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Photographs
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 data of the allegations towards Combs and their capability to stay neutral in gentle of Combs’ presumed innocence — which some jurors struggled with, given the case’s excessive profile.
Choice started Monday within the federal District Courtroom 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 have interaction 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 short lavatory break in the course of the first morning of jury choice and the choose resisted, Combs spoke up. “I am a bit nervous at this time, 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 obtained questionnaires forward of this week’s proceedings, which included issues like whether or not they would have the ability to talk about 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 courtroom, the choose requested numerous follow-up questions — particularly associated to jurors’ data of the allegations towards Combs.
Many jurors introduced up each the legal prices and the a number of dozen civil lawsuits towards Combs. “It is throughout social media,” one potential juror instructed the choose. Repeatedly, jurors raised the identical instance: the surveillance video launched by CNN final yr 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 stated the video could possibly be thought-about “damning proof,” whereas one other referred to as it “stunning” and “scary.” After 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 data of the surveillance footage stated they’d nonetheless have the ability to stay neutral and would solely learn by the proof offered in courtroom. (Combs’ legal 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 in the course of 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 stated they felt biased towards rich celebrities, like Mr. Combs, who could imagine they’re above following the regulation. Others have been dismissed for traditional 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 continues 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, Decide Subramanian reminded jurors that they need to chorus from studying or listening to any info associated to the case exterior of the courtroom and that they can not talk about the trial with anybody. Opening statements will start on Monday, Might 12. The trial is anticipated to final eight weeks.
