The jury within the trial of American music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who’s accused of operating a sprawling intercourse trafficking operation, shall be sworn in on Monday earlier than opening statements are delivered by attorneys for each side.
The 55-year-old was arrested final September and faces prices together with racketeering, intercourse trafficking and transportation to have interaction in prostitution. He may face life in jail if convicted.
Mr Combs has pleaded not responsible and denied all allegations in opposition to him.
Dozens of potential jurors have been screened earlier than being whittled right down to 12 – and 6 alternates – forward of Monday.
Mr Combs additionally faces dozens of civil lawsuits from people who accuse him of utilizing his energy to drug, assault, rape, intimidate and silence individuals. He has mentioned the person lawsuits are makes an attempt “for a fast payday”.
The primary week of testimony will embody two witnesses who’re anticipated to talk briefly, prosecutors mentioned, adopted by a 3rd witness who will see extra time on the stand.
How can I comply with the trial?
The court docket is anticipated to be open to the general public, however proceedings won’t be televised or streamed on-line.
Cameras, telephones and digital gadgets are usually not allowed in US federal courtrooms.
The BBC will deliver you reside updates because the jury is seated and opening statements start on Monday straight from the court docket.
The trial proceedings started with jury choice on Monday 5 Could in entrance of US District Choose Arun Subramanian, on the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in decrease Manhattan.
The choose advised jurors the trial itself may final round eight weeks.
How have been jurors chosen?
Dozens of potential jurors have been vetted by the court docket.
The method included potential jurors wanting by a protracted checklist of locations and those that could possibly be talked about throughout trial, with names like Kanye West and Child Cudi.
The “Individuals and Locations” checklist was so lengthy that Choose Subramanian mentioned she “felt like I used to be studying an appendix for Lord of the Rings”.
Potential jurors additionally needed to fill out questionnaires that requested whether or not they had “views about hip hop artists” or “emotions regarding violence, sexual assault”.
The choose reminded the court docket a number of occasions of the significance of selecting a good and neutral jury.
Practically all of the potential jurors had learn information studies of the allegations within the case and plenty of had seen footage of Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a hotel hallway.
What are the fees and allegations in opposition to Diddy?
Within the federal prison case being heard in New York, Mr Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two prices of intercourse trafficking and two prices of transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
Most of the most extreme allegations relate to the racketeering conspiracy cost.
This consists of accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing ladies into sexual actions, typically utilizing firearms or threats of violence.
In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police discovered provides that they mentioned have been supposed to be used in orgies often known as “freak offs”, together with medication and greater than 1,000 bottles of child oil.
Individually, Mr Combs faces a number of lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.
Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer dealing with a few of these circumstances, mentioned that greater than 100 men and women from throughout the US had both filed lawsuits in opposition to the rap mogul or supposed to take action.
In December 2023, a lady identified in court docket papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was “gang raped” by Mr Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She mentioned she was given “copious quantities of medication and alcohol” earlier than the assault.
Mr Combs’ authorized group dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as “clear makes an attempt to garner publicity.”
Sean Combs and Cassie Ventura have been in an on-and-off relationship for greater than a decade [EPA]
Mr Combs’ present authorized points started in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also called Cassie, for violent abuse and rape.
That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed quantity a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs sustaining his innocence.
Since then, dozens of different individuals have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations courting again to 1991. He denies all of the claims.
His controversial historical past with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN leaked CCTV footage from 2016 showing Mr Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a lodge hallway flooring.
He apologised for his behaviour, saying: “I take full accountability for my actions in that video. I used to be disgusted then after I did it. I am disgusted now.”
What has Diddy mentioned in regards to the prices in opposition to him?
In an announcement to the BBC in regards to the federal prison prices, Mr Combs’ lawyer mentioned: “Mr Combs and his authorized group have full confidence within the info and the integrity of the judicial course of.
“In court docket, the reality will prevail: that Mr Combs by no means sexually assaulted or trafficked anybody – man or girl, grownup or minor.”
Diddy’s attorneys later filed a movement to dismiss one a part of the federal indictment during which he’s accused of transportation to have interaction in prostitution. His group argued he was being unfairly focused because of his race.
In a listening to in New York per week earlier than the trial formally started, his attorneys advised the court docket that the rapper led the “lifestyle” of a “swinger” and was not a criminal.
They mentioned he thought it was “applicable” to have a number of intercourse companions, together with intercourse staff.
On the similar listening to, prosecutors revealed that Mr Combs had rejected a plea deal.
Mr Combs’ attorneys have persistently denied the allegations made in opposition to him within the civil lawsuits, describing them as “sickening” and suggesting they have been made by “people on the lookout for a fast payday”.
How lengthy may Diddy spend in jail if he’s discovered responsible?
A number of US judges have criticised the harmful circumstances which inmates face on the Metropolitan Detention Heart. [Getty Images]
If convicted on the racketeering cost, Mr Combs faces as much as life in jail.
He faces one other statutory minimal sentence of 15 years if he’s discovered responsible of intercourse trafficking.
Transportation for functions of prostitution carries a most sentence of 10 years.
Mr Combs has been held on the Metropolitan Detention Heart in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.
Critics describe the jail as overcrowded and understaffed, with a tradition of violence.
His attorneys argued for his launch, citing the jail’s “horrific” conditions, however a New York federal choose denied the bail request, describing Mr Combs as a “critical flight danger”.
Prosecutors beforehand alleged that Mr Combs had broken prison rules by contacting potential witnesses.
They accused him of “relentless efforts” to “corruptly affect witness testimony”.
A choose granted Mr Combs permission to put on non-prison clothes throughout his trial relatively than the jumpsuits he wears in jail.
When he appeared in court docket for jury choice, the rapper wore a blue sweater and white shirt with glasses on his head.
How did ‘Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs turn into profitable?
Mr Combs – who has additionally passed by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – emerged within the hip-hop scene within the Nineties.
His early music profession success included serving to launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace – aka Biggie Smalls, or The Infamous B.I.G.
His music label Dangerous Boy Information turned probably the most necessary labels in rap and expanded to incorporate Religion Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.
Mr Combs additionally had a prolific enterprise profession exterior of music, together with a take care of British drinks firm Diageo to advertise the French vodka model Cîroc.
In 2023, he launched his fifth report The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination on the Grammy awards. He additionally was named a International Icon on the MTV Awards.
[BBC]
Get all the newest trial updates on the BBC Sounds ‘Diddy on Trial‘ podcast obtainable wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
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