Sean “Diddy” Combs admitted he was a “little nervous” in the run-up to his criminal trial, as the hip-hop mogul looked into the eyes of the potential jurors who will render a verdict on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges against him.
The Bad Boy Entertainment founder made the confession to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian earlier this week after his team asked for a quick bathroom break during the first day of questioning potential jurors on their backgrounds.
Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York have claimed that for decades, Combs used his billion-dollar empire as a criminal enterprise that included acts of arson, bribery, kidnapping and the sex trafficking of two girlfriends between 2009 and 2024. Combs has denied the accusations and pleaded not guilty to the five felony charges against him.
Combs has forged ahead with a speedy trial, rejecting a plea deal from prosecutors disclosed last month. He’s beefed up his already stacked criminal defense team, adding three more attorneys to his all-star roster, including Young Thug’s attorney Brian Steel, who helped secure the Atlanta rapper a favorable deal in a separate RICO case last October.
Detained without bail since his September arrest, Combs has undergone a drastic change in appearance. The 55-year-old’s hair is completely grey and he sports a matching goatee. Instead of his usually perfectly-tailored power suits, imposing dark sunglasses and heavy diamond accessories, Combs only has access to five button-down shirts, five pants, five sweaters, and two laceless dress shoes. Standing up in court, Combs’ slacks slightly sagged because he’s unable to wear a belt, as it could be used as a potential weapon.
But despite his initial nerves, Combs appeared to be in good spirits throughout the week. He hugged and chatted with his attorneys and waved to his self-described “godbrother,” music producer Charlucci Finney, who arrived at court wearing a “Free Puff” hoodie.
Here are the main highlights from this week’s jury selection:
Final Jury Selection Delayed
After prosecutors and Combs’ defense team agreed to meet Friday morning to whittle the remaining 43 jurors down to 12 jurors and six alternates, the final section was postponed until Monday morning.
Both Judge Subramanian and Combs’ lawyers expressed concern that some jurors could get “cold feet” over the weekend and would ask to be excused from the high-profile celebrity case. Both sides will select the final jury members on Monday before immediately delivering opening arguments.
Combs was actively involved in the jury selection process, whispering and conferring with his attorneys. He shook his head in disapproval when a potential juror admitted to watching a recent documentary about him, laughed when one man admitted he’d struggle going the full trial without using marijuana, and nodded when he approved of certain people, including a 30-year-old woman who was arrested for shoplifting a wand from Harry Potter World.
Celebrity Names
Usually an uneventful process, jury selection made headlines within the first few minutes of the first juror sitting down. Before potential jurors entered the courtroom, they were given a lengthy list of names, entities and places that may be mentioned in the trial. Jurors were asked to review the list in case they had a personal connection to the person, company, or venue.
The first juror told Judge Subramanian that he recognized Michael B. Jordan and Mike Myers from the list, later clarifying he didn’t know the actors personally, only that they were famous.
Throughout the day, jurors continually mentioned they recognized Jordan’s name. Rolling Stone confirmed that Jordan will not be called as a witness in the trial. Rolling Stone also learned that Jordan and Combs’ ex-girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura spent time together in 2015 and he’s referenced in Ventura’s November 2023 lawsuit against Combs.
During a break in Combs’ relationship with the R&B singer, Ventura “began a flirtatious relationship with an actor” — now revealed to be Jordan — in 2015, according to her lawsuit. When Combs found out, he allegedly “called the actor and threatened him.”
“The actor proceeded to call Ms. Ventura and tell her, ‘you really need to call [Mr. Combs],’” Ventura’s lawsuit alleged. (A rep for Jordan declined to comment on the record. Combs previously denied accusations in Ventura’s lawsuit, which was settled within a day of its filing.)
Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Yung Miami, Destiny Child’s Michelle Williams, actress Lauren London, songwriter Dallas Austin, former Bad Boy Entertainment CEO Harve Pierre, and Danity Kane’s Aubrey O’Day and Dawn Richard were also mentioned, though it’s unclear what role, if any, the notable names may play in the trial. (Kid Cudi, Richard and O’Day have already been tied to accusations and lawsuits involving Combs.)
“A Damning Piece of Evidence”
It was nearly impossible to find jurors who hadn’t seen or read some news regarding Combs and his criminal case. Even those who said they don’t typically follow celebrity news said they had been exposed to reports through a TMZ-obsessed spouse, group chats with friends, doom scrolling on social media, and “water cooler talk” among colleagues.
At least two potential jurors admitted they reacted on social media to memes about Combs, with one woman saying she had liked a post of a comedian joking about the dozens of bottles of baby oil found in Combs’ homes that were allegedly used during freak-offs.
When pressed by both prosecutors and Combs’ defense team on what exactly they had heard or read about the case, many jurors said they’d seen hotel surveillance video footage of Combs attacking Ventura in 2016. One prospective juror described it as a “damning piece of evidence” before she was struck from the pool for cause. The video is expected to play a dominant role during the trial. Combs’ lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said it was the “most important” piece of evidence and objected to potential jurors who had seen the video and formed a negative opinion about Combs from it.
Yet all jurors who will be sworn in on Monday told the court they could put everything they might have heard about the case out of mind and be unbiased as they listened to the government’s evidence against Combs.
‘Victim-3’ M.I.A.
Combs secured a last-minute win when prosecutors said they no longer planned to present certain evidence related to a woman identified as Victim-3 in the indictment. Earlier this year, Combs filed a motion to preclude some of that evidence from trial, arguing it “has no bearing on the charged offenses.”
It’s unclear the exact scope of Victim-3’s role in the case. However, she was mentioned in January’s superseding indictment under the transportation to engage in prostitution charge. Prosecutors also claimed that Victim-3’s experience fell under the racketeering count and that Combs allegedly coerced her into sexual acts.
This week, prosecutors flagged to the judge that despite Victim-3 saying she would testify under her real name, they were suddenly having trouble getting in touch with the woman, as well as her lawyer. It’s still unclear whether Victim-3 will testify in court.
Judge Scolds and Cracks Jokes
Subramanian did his best to keep the atmosphere light, cracking jokes and riffing with potential jurors. When one juror said she was arrested for shoplifting from Harry Potter World, an amused Subramanian asked what she had taken. “A wand,” she replied.
Subramanian took a more serious tone when he scolded Combs’ defense team after prosecutors complained about comments that celebrity attorney Mark Geragos made on his podcast 2 Angry Men with TMZ’s Harvey Levin. Geragos — whose daughter Teny is co-lead counsel for Combs — has not formally entered the criminal case, but is said to be advising Combs. During the podcast episode, Geragos said the prosecutorial team — six women — seemed like they were “prosecuting a cause.”
During a private conversation on Tuesday, Subramanian admonished Geragos, warning him against making further similar comments. “I think referring to the prosecution in this case as a ‘six-pack of white women’ is outrageous,” Subramanian said, according to a transcript obtained by the New York Post. “This would not be tolerated in any court from any lawyer anywhere across the nation.”
Subramanian warned that he’d continue to listen to the podcast in case Geragos made any other incendiary remarks, but Geragos was unbothered. “As long as you subscribe, I’m all for it,” Geragos responded.
The Week Ahead
Following the conclusion of jury selection first thing Monday morning, opening statements will kick off what is expected to be an intensive eight-week trial. During the first week, days will begin at 9:00 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., before being shortened to 3 p.m. in the following weeks.
Prosecutors have not disclosed the names of witnesses who will be testifying, but they did inform the court they were expecting to put “two short witnesses” on the stand first, with one of those witnesses described as a male escort. A third “time-sensitive” witness will follow and their testimony is expected to take up the remainder of the first week. It’s unconfirmed who the third witness is, but prosecutors have built a significant portion of their case around Victim-1 a.k.a. Ventura, who is several months along in her third pregnancy.
Ventura’s bombshell sex trafficking lawsuit against Combs from November 2023 served as a roadmap for prosecutors, with many incidents alleged in her lawsuit being mirrored in the indictment. She alleged that throughout her decade-long relationship with Combs, he was controlling and physically abusive. She claimed Combs forced her to have sex with male sex workers in days-long, sexually-fuelled encounters that Combs called “freak-offs.”
Combs denied Ventura’s accusations and quickly settled the lawsuit within 24 hours.
