May 5, 2025
The trial is expected to last two months, with an expected May 12 start
The jury selection for the federal trial against Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has been in jail since September 2024 on multiple charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, starts May 5, while the expected start of the trial is May 12. According to USA Today, prospective jurors will gather in a New York City courtroom to be assessed by prosecutors and defense attorneys to determine the best people to see their side of the case. Diddy has been charged with two counts of sex trafficking, two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, and one count of racketeering. Attorneys for Diddy rejected a plea deal offered by prosecutors on May 2. Terms for the proposed deal were not disclosed, but he pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance in 2024. The arrest took place after federal raids were conducted at his homes in Miami and Los Angeles in March 2024.
Prosecutors added a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charge after claiming that the Bad Boy founder coerced alleged victims through intimidation and drugs to take part in parties labeled “freak offs.”
After denying a motion to postpone the trial for two months, Judge Arun Subramanian stated that Diddy’s attorneys had enough time to prepare. “It is unclear why there isn’t sufficient time to prepare.”
So now, a gathering of 150 potential jurors has been summoned to try to pare it down to a jury of 12, with alternates.
TMZ has reported that the jury selection will be difficult for both sides, although prosecutors have an edge. Public perception based on media reports and the reputation of Diddy’s attitude over the years may work against him, as well as the anticipated showing of the Cassie video, which aired on CNN last year, that shows Diddy assaulting his former girlfriend. Although he made a public apology, the severity of what was seen may still be etched in people’s minds.
But defense attorneys may be able to get some sympathetic people on the jury who, outside of the Cassie video (which isn’t included in the charges against Diddy), will want other proof. Race will probably play a part in the selection, as will the selection of men and women based on who they think would be more sympathetic to the No Way Out artist.
The trial is expected to last two months, so some potential jurors may not want to commit for that length of time. Both sides will also have to consider the biases for and against such a major celebrity, as they may have views based on who is on trial rather than hearing all the evidence and defense presented at trial.
In TMZ’s “Downfall of Diddy” documentary, a mock jury did say that their thought process began and ended with the video they saw of Cassie.
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