The initial day of jury selection concluded in New York for the federal sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces allegations of prolonged abuse.
Mr. Combs, 55, has entered a not guilty plea on all charges, asserting that any encounters were consensual. However, prosecutors allege he coerced victims into drug-fueled sex parties through threats and violence over several years.
“Come on up, don’t be shy,” Judge Arun Subramanian remarked as the first group of potential jurors entered the courtroom.
As seen during pre-trial hearings, Mr. Combs appeared older; his once jet-black hair is now grey. Following the judge’s directive, he switched from prison attire to civilian clothes for his trial appearance.
Members of the media congregate outside the Southern District of New York Federal Court.
They had already completed a thorough questionnaire regarding their eligibility to serve prior to their arrival.
After an extensive day filled with written and verbal inquiries from the judge, prosecution, and defense, 19 potential jurors were identified.
Jury selection was scheduled to continue today, with only those potential jurors requested for follow-up questioning required to be present.
Judge Subramanian indicated he anticipates evidence presentation to commence on May 12.
Mr. Combs faces a charge of racketeering conspiracy under the federal statute known as RICO, previously utilized to target organized crime but now applied in sexual abuse cases, including those against R&B artist R. Kelly.
This statute enables government attorneys to depict a broader narrative of criminal activity rather than focusing solely on isolated sex crimes.
Should he be convicted, the former rap producer and global icon—often credited with bringing hip-hop into mainstream culture—could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Reports indicate that he declined an eleventh-hour plea deal.
Over the years, Mr. Combs—also known by various stage names including Puff Daddy and P Diddy—has accumulated significant wealth not only from his musical endeavors but also through ventures in the liquor industry.
Brian Steel, attorney for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, arrives as jury selection starts.
He was apprehended by federal authorities in New York in September 2024 and has faced multiple denials of bail.
Currently, Mr. Combs is held at Brooklyn’s notorious Metropolitan Detention Centre, a facility criticized for issues related to vermin and decay, in addition to violence.
Central to the prosecution’s case is his relationship with former girlfriend, singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who is anticipated to be a key witness in the trial.
A troubling surveillance video from 2016, widely aired by CNN last year, shows Mr. Combs physically assaulting Ms. Ventura at a hotel.
It remains uncertain how much of the CNN footage will be presented to jurors as evidence, as the quality has been a point of contention between the opposing legal teams; however, Judge Subramanian has ruled that at least some portions will be admissible.
Yesterday, one potential juror was dismissed by the judge after referring to the video as potentially “damning.”
Another was excused after mentioning that his wife, a former attorney, had discussed taking depositions related to a deadly crowd surge at an event organized by Mr. Combs in 1991.
Read more: Sean Combs – the rise and fall of a man called Diddy
“She found his behavior disturbing; she does not like him,” the man stated.
‘Perfect storm’
In 2023, Ms. Ventura filed a civil lawsuit claiming Mr. Combs subjected her to over a decade of coercion through physical force and drugs, in addition to a 2018 sexual assault.
This case was swiftly settled out of court, but a series of similarly sensational sexual assault allegations against the Grammy winner from both women and men subsequently emerged.
Industry observers are watching Mr. Combs’s case as a potential turning point in the music industry, which has largely evaded the #MeToo reckoning that has affected Hollywood, aside from the case of Kelly.
Caroline Heldman—co-founder of the Sound Off Coalition, which addresses sexual violence in music—stated that Mr. Combs’s case exemplifies a broader pattern of industry tolerance and cover-up of abuse.
“In the music industry, I believe it’s the perfect storm of how celebrity and power affect individuals, creating a deficit of empathy where standard rules seem inapplicable,” she commented.
The proceedings are estimated to last between eight and ten weeks.
