Latest news with #juryselection
New York Times
12-05-2025
- New York Times
Live Updates: Jury Selected in Sean Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial
The jury was supposed to be selected on Friday, but the judge had concerns that jurors would get 'cold feet' over the weekend and drop out of the trial. Before opening statements on Monday, 12 jurors and six alternates were sworn in, selected after Judge Arun Subramanian grilled them on what they had already seen and heard about the allegations against Sean Combs. There are eight men and four women on the jury. Among the six alternates, two are women and four are men. The jurors range in age from their 30s to their 70s. They live in Manhattan, the Bronx and Westchester County. The panel includes a massage therapist, an investment analyst, a deli clerk at Gristedes, a dietary aide at a nursing home and a retiree who used to work for JPMorgan. The panel was supposed to be selected on Friday, but the judge had concerns that jurors would get 'cold feet' over the weekend and drop out of the trial, so he decided to delay the selection until Monday morning. Over three days of questioning from the judge overseeing the case, potential jurors described the extent of their exposure to the allegations of sexual abuse and violence that have trailed Mr. Combs over the past year and a half. Some were excused from the jury pool if they betrayed bias against Mr. Combs or the prosecution. But familiarity with the allegations against him was not disqualifying. Several jurors who were chosen said that they had seen footage of him assaulting his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, in an incident at the center of the government's sex-trafficking case. Judge Arun Subramanian ruled last month that some footage of the assault could be shown at trial. One juror who was selected declared that he would be a 'blank slate entering this courtroom.' Another juror said she knew very little about the case. 'I didn't hear nothing,' she said during jury selection. 'All I know was he was arrested.' The jurors are anonymous, meaning their names will not be disclosed in public court. They will not be sequestered, so it is entirely up to them to shield themselves from the media coverage and other chatter about the case.
Fox News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Diddy faces life behind bars in sex trafficking, racketeering trial
incoming update… Sean 'Diddy' Combs' jury panel was not finalized Friday, despite the original trial schedule. Diddy's legal team was concerned about jurors getting cold feet over the weekend, and Judge Arun Subramanian agreed. The prosecution opposed this decision, wanting to narrow down the pool of 43 to 12 jurors, six alternates and three extras on Friday. 'This doesn't necessarily signal a struggle to seat the jury; it's more about being cautious and setting the trial up for a smooth start with minimal disruptions,' criminal defense lawyer Jo-Anna Nieves told Fox News Digital. 'It's a thoughtful and fairly common precaution.' Criminal defense attorney Eric Faddis added, 'It's normal for different phases of the trial to take longer than expected, but apparently at least one of the 45 potential jurors remaining has recently asked to be removed from this controversial, high-profile case.' The jury pool will be finalized before opening statements. Diddy's trial will likely last eight weeks. Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrived at court in New York City on Monday, May 12, for opening statements. Before they begin, the defense and prosecution will finalize the jury panel of 12 jurors and six alternates. Diddy walked into the courtroom at 8:52 am wearing a khaki sweater over a white shirt with khaki pants. He hugged each of his attorneys before making a heart with his hands and blowing a kiss towards his family seated in the courtroom. The rapper's mom, Janice Combs, along with his six kids are supporting Diddy from the 2nd row. Diddy was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution in a federal indictment unsealed Sept. 17. He has maintained his innocence. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison. Authorities allege Diddy ran a criminal enterprise through his businesses, including Bad Boy Entertainment, Combs Enterprises and Combs Global, among others. He used "firearms, threats of violence, coercion and verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse" to fulfill his sexual desires, according to prosecutors. The prosecution and defense have estimated the disgraced music mogul's trial to last eight weeks, ending around the 4th of July. Sean "Diddy" Combs' mother Janice Combs arrived at court to support the rapper amid his sex-trafficking trial. She was joined by his sons and daughters. The family has attended Diddy's court hearings leading up to trial. Janice previously defended Diddy in a statement shared with Fox News Digital. "It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies," Janice Combs wrote in October. "To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence." She pleaded, "My son is not the monster they have painted him to be, and he deserves the chance to tell his side. I can only pray that I am alive to see him speak his truth and be vindicated." Jury selection is a completely private process, not available for the public to watch. The defense and prosecution are often looking for people who have little to no knowledge of what has gone on in the case so far, as to keep away biases. Combs appeared anxious on the opening day of jury selection. After requesting a bathroom break at one point, he told the judge, "I'm a little nervous today." While the public isn't allowed to watch the jury selection take place, court documents submitted ahead of trial shed light on what the defense and prosecution might be looking for in a potential juror. For Sean 'Diddy' Combs' case, his defense team submitted a proposed questionnaire ahead of his May 5 sex-trafficking trial. His lawyers want the potential jurors to be questioned on their views regarding sex, drugs and violence, according to a letter filed to Judge Arun Subramanian. The prosecution criticized Diddy's proposed 72-question survey, claiming it was too long and asked questions not relevant to the allegations. Prospective jurors received the questionnaire ahead of the May 5 start date so that jury selection could begin that day. Opening statements will begin on May 12. People interested in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex-trafficking trial and the day-to-day testimony will not be able to watch from home. Federal law prohibits cameras in the courtroom. "Except as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom,' Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53 reads. Diddy has appeared in court a handful of times since his September arrest on federal sex-trafficking crimes. However, only court sketches have been made available to the public following his hearings. These typically depict Diddy, his legal team and often the judge presiding over his case. Cameras are allowed outside of the courthouse, but it's unclear if Combs will be spotted since he will remain behind bars throughout the trial. However, Diddy's mom and children have been seen arriving and leaving from court in photographs and video. Live Coverage begins here
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Diddy Courthouse Gets Fresh Paint As Global Attention Mounts Amid Trial
The courthouse at the center of the Sean "Diddy" Combs sex trafficking trial got a noticeable facelift over the weekend as crews prepared for the intense continued media spotlight in the coming days. TMZ obtained video which shows workers repainting security barricades outside the Federal District Court in Lower Manhattan on Sunday. The crews were touching up areas all over the property, giving the site a cleaner, sharper look ahead of trial proceedings. A fresh coat of black paint was applied to the front-facing barricades, where much of the media has been and will continue to be staged as the world watches. We're told across the street from the courthouse, a public park has been unofficially dubbed "media row," with all major TV networks already staking out camera positions. As you know ... jury selection in Diddy's federal sex trafficking trial began last week and already led to a few memorable exchanges, including one potential juror claiming she felt Diddy could buy his way out of trouble. She was excused with no objection by the prosecution.
Telegraph
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Diddy sex trafficking trial delayed
The beginning of Sean 'Diddy' Combs's sex trafficking trial has been delayed. Jury selection in the trial of Combs, 55, had been due to conclude on Friday, but has been forestalled following a request from the disgraced rapper's lawyers. Combs's team had raised concerns jurors may pull out over the weekend. Over the last week, the judge has questioned prospective jurors one by one to ensure they are fair and unbiased, whittling a pool of 45 down to a panel of 12 from which several alternates can be selected. Several jurors were dismissed owing to personal connections to the case or past experience of abuse. One juror, who said she was the victim of an attempted rape three years ago, was excused after saying Combs could 'possibly buy his way out for jail'. Another was removed because she worked for HBO, which released a critical documentary of the rapper earlier this year, and admitted she found footage of Combs hitting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura 'disturbing' and 'upsetting'. Prosecutors pushed for jury selection to conclude on Friday, citing concerns that it could delay opening statements on Monday. However, Judge Subramanian accepted the defence's request to provide 'certainty you're not going to have to redo jury selection or worse,' Mail Online reported. Lawyers on each side will be allowed to remove several jurors – usually for reasons they do not have to explain. This process will produce the final jury of 12 with potential swap-ins.
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- The Guardian
Final phase of jury selection in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs's sex-trafficking trial postponed
The final phase of jury selection for the racketeering and sex-trafficking trial of the hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been postponed to Monday. In a ruling on Friday morning, Judge Arun Subramanian, who is presiding over the case, decided that jury selection will now wrap up on Monday morning due to concerns that jurors might drop out over the weekend if the panel was finalized on Friday as originally planned. Combs's defense team had requested the delay, but prosecutors had opposed the postponement. When the jury selection resumes on Monday morning, a pool of 45 prospective jurors will be narrowed to 12 jurors and six alternates. This final phase is expected to last less than an hour, with opening statements set to follow afterward. Jury selection began on Monday, and nearly 100 potential jurors were questioned this week to assess their ability to be fair and impartial. Combs, 55, was arrested in September and faces charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has been in custody since his arrest, and has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and has denied all allegations against him. If convicted on all counts, Combs faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison, and could remain behind bars for life. Prosecutors allege that Combs used his fame, power and expansive business empire, with help of aides and associates, to engage in or attempt to engage in a variety of crimes over several decades including sex trafficking, kidnapping, forced labor, arson, bribery, enticement to engage in prostitution and obstruction of justice. The indictment alleges that Combs directed so-called 'Freak Offs' which are described as drugged-up orgies, allegedly arranged with help from Combs's associates, in which women were allegedly forced to have sex with male sex workers while Combs filmed them. Combs's lawyers have said that the prosecutors are trying to criminalize sexual activity between consenting adults, asserting that any group sex was consensual. The trial is expected to feature testimony from at least three, possibly four, accusers, according to Reuters. However, earlier this week, prosecutors informed the court that one of the alleged victims, referred to as 'Victim-3' in court documents, may not testify after all, due to difficulties reaching her lawyer. As of Friday morning, it remains uncertain whether 'Victim-3' will stand the stand. The Associated Press contributed reporting
