Diddy Trial Day 2: Jury Selection Continues

The federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs continued Tuesday in Manhattan federal court at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in New York City, marking the second day of jury selection. 

The jury selection process, overseen by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, faced hurdles as attorneys struggled to build a pool of 45 qualified prospective jurors. Six of the first seven potential jurors screened on May 6 were dismissed, slowing progress toward seating a jury of 12 with six alternates.

Notable Dismissals: A woman was excused after admitting a “slightly negative” view of Combs due to prior media exposure about the case, reflecting challenges in finding impartial jurors given the case’s high profile. Another woman, who worked for an avocado import company, was struck for cause due to a potential bias toward law enforcement, as her relatives were officers. She acknowledged that this could influence her judgment.

A prospective juror who used marijuana daily was excused after Judge Subramanian questioned his ability to abstain during the trial, despite his honesty. The judge noted, “He is honest, I’ll say that,” prompting light laughter in the courtroom.

A man from the Bronx, whose nephew was a juvenile gang member who shot a police officer, was retained despite the prosecution’s attempt to remove him for language-related reasons. The defense, including attorney Mark Geragos, successfully argued to keep him in the pool, highlighting strategic juror retention efforts.

Combs, aged 55, appeared engaged during the proceedings, wearing a sweater over a white collared shirt and grey slacks (permitted by Judge Subramanian instead of jail attire). He smiled at jurors’ responses, such as when one woman humorously remarked, “I wish I did,” about recognizing celebrity names.