Diddy Trial Put On Pause Wednesday

Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial in Manhattan was halted Wednesday when a juror experienced vertigo en route to the courthouse, prompting a pause in proceedings. 

Judge Arun Subramanian informed the court that the juror's partner reported the sudden illness, and as the juror was a regular member, the trial could not continue that day. The prosecution inquired whether the juror’s condition was temporary or permanent, and Judge Subramanian said he would have the deputy confirm but believed it was a sudden issue. The government argued there was no basis to excuse the juror, while Combs’ defense requested a sealed sidebar to discuss further.

Additionally, a separate juror issue emerged earlier in the week. On June 16, Juror No. 6 was dismissed for inconsistent residency statements. In a letter filed Monday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office addressed concerns about a second juror, who may have discussed jury service with a former colleague. The prosecution opposed the defense’s push to remove this juror, rejecting any link to Juror No. 6’s dismissal, but agreed to further questioning.

On June 17, Judge Subramanian issued a stern warning to both sides after information from a sealed proceeding about the second juror leaked to the media, violating a gag order requested by the defense. He emphasized that lead attorneys, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey and defense attorney Marc Agnifilo, were accountable for their teams’ conduct, warning that further violations could lead to contempt charges. Subramanian stressed this was the only warning, demanding both sides confirm compliance with court rules.