Sean “Diddy” Combs Attends Court to Select a Jury in a Sex Trafficking Case

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs shows up in court as his sex trafficking trial’s jury selection process gets underway.

In his racketeering and sex trafficking trial, Sean “Diddy” Combs made an appearance in court on Friday as jury selection began. A panel of 12 New Yorkers is anticipated to be selected to determine the verdict in this well-known case.

Having entered a not guilty plea to all allegations, the 55-year-old hip-hop entrepreneur is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation for prostitution, all of which are felonies. An extended prison term, possibly even life in prison, could follow a conviction.

When Combs entered Judge Arun Subramanian’s courtroom at the US District Court in Lower Manhattan, he was spotted shaking hands with his defense team while sporting a sweater wrapped over a white shirt.

Judge Subramanian had earlier in the week asked around 100 potential jurors about their personal experiences with sexual assault and their prior knowledge of the case. Both the prosecution and the defense contributed to the final decision that 45 people could serve impartially.

In a painstaking selection procedure that could be vital to the result of the trial, lawyers for both sides are anticipated to take turns selecting jurors from this pool on Friday until a final panel of 12 jurors and six alternates is confirmed.

Born in Harlem, Combs founded the renowned Bad Boy Records. Since his arrest in September, he has been detained at a federal detention center in Brooklyn. He was formerly hailed as a music business powerhouse with strong connections to A-list stars, but his arrest represents a sharp decline in his popularity.

Manhattan US Attorney’s office prosecutors claim that over the course of two decades, Combs exploited his music business to entice women with promises of romance or money, only to force them into protracted, drug-fueled sex sessions known as “Freak Offs.”

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New lawsuits allege that Sean “Diddy” Combs sexually assaulted a 13-year-old using an unidentified “male.”
Combs allegedly used a routine of drugging and blackmailing to keep his victims under control, according to court documents. The violent claims, which go back to the 1990s, include violent crimes such as kidnapping at gunpoint, hurling a Molotov cocktail into a car, and physically abusing victims by pulling, choking, and striking them.

Prosecutors are being accused by Combs’ legal team of trying to criminalize what they call a voluntary “swinger lifestyle.” Plans have been made to cast doubt on the veracity of the women who are anticipated to testify, claiming that their accounts have changed over time and that some of them have financial incentives for coming forward.

The trial is anticipated to last roughly eight weeks, according to Judge Subramanian. A unanimous verdict will be necessary for any verdict, and alternate jurors will be available in case any of the chosen panel members are unable to finish the proceedings.