The dark side of Diddy’s infamous White Parties
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, accused of over 120 sexual assault charges, rose to fame in the late 1990s for his influence in music and his star-studded parties.
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Jury selection in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing sex-crimes trial enters a homestretch after nearly 40 potential jurors were selected.
Prosecutors and attorneys for the embattled hip-hop mogul, 55, reconvened in Manhattan court on May 7 to continue their interviews of prospective jurors in the high-profile legal proceeding. Jurors have been questioned one by one by Judge Arun Subramanian, the prosecution and the defense to determine their qualifications to serve.
Lawyers previously said they planned to question as many as 150 potential jurors, with each questionnaire lasting 20-30 minutes. On May 5, Subramanian deemed 19 qualified to serve, while 16 jurors were selected on May 6. Federal prosecutors need to identify 45 qualified jurors to continue with opening statements.
Jurors on May 6 were repeatedly asked if they, a family member, or a friend had been a victim of sexual assault, sexual harassment, or domestic violence, and whether they or a loved one had been charged or accused of such crimes.
During his final pretrial hearing on May 2, Combs confirmed he turned down a potential plea deal in the case.
A judge previously rejected a request from the rapper’s legal team to delay the start of the trial. Combs could spend the rest of his life in prison if convicted.
How does jury selection work in a case like this? Attorneys on both sides need to approve a group of 45 prospective jurors to ultimately select the 12 final jurors who will sit for the case alongside six alternates.
While it looks like they could clear that 45-juror bar on April 7, prosecutors signaled the jury many be selected on April 9. They asked to perform peremptory strikes then – using a tool later in the week that allows lawyers to remove a potential juror without any cause, according to multiple reports. Lawyers don’t get unlimited strikes, and they’re not allowed in all courts.
One person who won’t be selected for the jury: A woman who works at HBO who had moved forward in the jury selection process. Combs’ lawyers previously objected to her being included because the media company recently released a documentary titled “The Fall of Diddy.”
The judge had denied the request because the potential juror didn’t work on the film. But when Combs’ lawyers raised the request again, the judge agreed after prosecutors consented.
The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings.
USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom.
By the end of court proceedings on May 6, 39 prospective jurors had faced questions, with 16 moving forward in the process, including 10 men and six women.
Their ages ranged from 38 to 87, and their occupations included an American Airlines pilot, social worker, kitchen designer, physician assistant and more. Three mentioned liking hip-hop music. Some in the group said they get news from The New York Times and NBC, while others cited YouTube and other social media platforms.
One of the jurors who faced the longest questioning on May 6 was a man who told the court he had multiple run-ins with police in his early teens and twenties, including what he described as stop-and-frisk incidents and one instance of assaulting a police officer.
Although prosecutors said the man could struggle to be unbiased after negative experiences with police, Combs’ defense argued he has grown and changed, including the man’s current employment at New York’s transit department. The judge ruled that he could move forward.
Another man, a pilot for American Airlines, said he was worried about being biased against Combs due to details he had previously heard about allegations against the rapper.
Combs’ team took issue with the comment, but the judge hit back that jurors knowing about Combs’ celebrity and seeing previous media coverage of his charges is simply part of a case this prominent.
One potential juror was dismissed on May 6 after sharing that he was arrested seven years ago for possession of marijuana. “If I asked you not to use marijuana during the trial, would that be hard for you?” Subramanian asked.
The man responded that it would be a difficult request for the case, and the last time he used marijuana was the previous night. After the man was dismissed and left the proceedings, Combs’ defense joked in the courtroom that jurors shouldn’t use marijuana during the trial.
Another potential juror was dismissed after revealing he had read a USA TODAY article about the selection process on May 5. Saying he knew he shouldn’t have clicked the link, he admitted he did anyway and spent a few minutes reading. Prosecutors argued the decision showed an inability to follow instructions.
Nicole Westmoreland of Westmoreland Law LLC is the latest lawyer to join Combs’ legal team after filing a notice of attorney appearance with the court on May 6.
Combs’ defense team was already led by attorneys Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos. Both are founding partners at Agnifilo Intrater. Geragos is “particularly experienced in defending and investigating allegations of sexual misconduct,” according to the firm’s website.
Brian Steel, who represented Young Thug in the rapper’s RICO trial, is also working with Combs, as are attorneys Alexandra Shapiro, Xavier R. Donaldson, Anna Maria Estevao and Jason Driscoll.
Combs will argue at his sex trafficking trial that women who took part in his elaborate sex parties did so willingly, but his lawyers will face an uphill battle trying to undermine the credibility of accusers who say the hip-hop mogul forced them to participate.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office say that for two decades, he used his business empire to lure women into his orbit with promises of romantic relationships or financial support and then used violence and threats to obligate them to take part in days-long, drug-fueled sexual performances known as “Freak Offs” with male sex workers.
“The defense has quite the uphill battle ahead,” said Heather Cucolo, a New York Law School professor. “There was a clear power dynamic, and that power dynamic is going to be a main focus and a main issue here.”
Lawyers for Combs have said prosecutors are improperly trying to criminalize a consensual “swingers” lifestyle in which he and his longtime girlfriends sometimes brought a third person into their relationships.
Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling suit that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry.
He was arrested in September and has been charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all five counts.
His indictment emerged alongside dozens of separate civil suits suggesting a pattern of abusive behavior and exploitation spanning decades, including accusations of rape, sexual assault and physical violence.
How long will Diddy’s trial be?
Assuming all parties can agree on 45 jurors by the end of the May 7 session, the prosecution and defense will spend May 8-9 preparing for opening statements, which begin May 12.
Is Diddy in jail?
Despite repeated attempts at bail, Combs was ordered to remain in custody at the Special Housing Unit in Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of trial — a ruling his legal team has challenged in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He’s been jailed since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024.
Contributing: Patrick Ryan and Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
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