Diddy Trial: Jury Deliberations Resume Tuesday

Jury deliberations began Monday in the high-profile federal sex trafficking and racketeering trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs in Manhattan federal court, following seven weeks of testimony. The jury, consisting of eight men and four women, is tasked with deciding Combs’ fate on five felony counts: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. A conviction on the most serious charges could result in a life sentence. 

The jury began deliberating around 11:30 a.m. EDT after receiving over two hours of legal instructions from U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian. These instructions outlined the legal framework for the charges, emphasizing that prosecutors must prove Combs’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and that jurors are the “sole and exclusive judges of the facts” without bias or prejudice.

Approximately 10 minutes into deliberations, the jury sent a note confirming they had selected a foreperson, fulfilling their first procedural task.

About 70 minutes into deliberations, at around 12:40 p.m., the jury sent a second note expressing concern about Juror No. 25, stating they were “concerned [the juror] cannot follow your honor’s instructions.” The note did not specify which instructions were at issue, and the juror’s identity remained anonymous, as is common in high-profile cases to prevent harassment. 

After discussions with prosecutors and Combs’ defense team, Judge Subramanian opted not to question the juror or replace them with an alternate. Instead, he sent a note back reminding the jury of their obligation to follow his instructions and to continue deliberating. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo advised caution, suggesting the judge avoid probing further to prevent escalating the issue, noting, “We can always ratchet it up. We can’t ratchet it down.”

Later in the afternoon, the jury sent two more notes. One, received around 5:00 p.m., addressed a question about the racketeering charge, specifically whether someone could be found guilty of drug distribution if another person requested drugs. The second note confirmed the jury’s intent to end deliberations for the day at 5:00 p.m. and resume at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday. 

Judge Subramanian announced he would respond to the drug-related question on Tuesday after both sides had time to consider their responses overnight.