Juror on Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial dismissed by judge
A juror in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial has been dismissed.
The 55-year-old rapper is more than a month into his federal trial for charges including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking but last week, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey requested one of the jurors be dismissed for a "lack of candour".
And while US District Judge Arun Subramanian had initially said on Friday (13.06.25) he was unsure an inquiry was needed, on further review, he has concluded the 41-year-old man had given inconsistent answers regarding his residency, having alluded to living in both the Bronx and New Jersey.
The judge said he had "concerns about his candour and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel.'
The trial is taking place in Manhattan, meaning jurors must be residents of the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx, and parts of the Hudson Valley.
The judge has dismissed the juror and he will be replaced with an alternate, a 57-year-old architect from Westchester County, who is white.
The defense had argued against the juror's dismissal, with one of Combs' attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, claiming the attempt to have him removed was a "thinly veiled effort to dismiss" a Black member of the panel, and another lawyer, Xavier Donaldson arguing dismissal would make the jury less diverse.
The identity of the jurors - eight men and four women - are not being made public, but their ages range from their 30s to their 70s. Six alternates were also chosen, of which four are men and two women.
The Bad Boy records founder has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
If convicted, he faces between 15 years and life in prison.
Earlier this month, the judge warned Diddy to stop "nodding" in the direction of the jury after he was allegedly seen doing so during the testimony of Bryana Bongolan, a friend of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
During a lunch break while the jury were out of the court room, Judge Subramanian told Combs' attorneys: "I was very clear there should be no facial expressions to the jury, and I could not have been clearer.
"There was a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury ... [This was] absolutely unacceptable ...
"This can't continue or I will give a limiting instruction you won't like, or other measures including barring your client from the courtroom. Do you understand?"
Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the judge it will not happen again.
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Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped. Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former personal assistant hasa testified at the hip-hop mogul's sex trafficking trial that he often bought drugs for his boss and set up hotel rooms for sex parties known as "wild king nights." Prosecutors hope Friday's testimony by Brendan Paul, who worked for Combs from late 2022 through March 2024, will help them prove their racketeering conspiracy charge against Combs. Prosecutors say Combs used his businesses' resources to coerce women into ecstasy-fueled sexual performances with male sex workers. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five criminal counts. His lawyers call the sexual activity consensual. The Bad Boy Records founder, a former billionaire who elevated hip-hop in American culture, could face life in prison if convicted. Prosecutors are winding down their case after six weeks, with defence witnesses expected to testify next week. Paul, testifying under immunity from prosecutors, said he bought Combs about $US4200 ($A6500) of marijuana and hundreds of dollars of ketamine during his employment. Jurors saw a text message in which Paul asked Combs' security staff to be reimbursed for his drug purchases. They also saw a February 14, 2024 text message in which Combs wrote "You get me zans," which Paul said was a request to procure Xanax without a prescription. Paul said Combs ultimately obtained Xanax elsewhere, and used cocaine and ecstasy in his presence. Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Brian Steel, Paul said procuring drugs was a minor part of his job, and he thought the drugs were solely for Combs' personal use. "You were not some drug mule?" Steel asked. "Absolutely not," Paul said. Paul also said that before three or four "wild king nights," he stocked hotel rooms with lubricant, baby oil, liquor and a Gucci pouch filled with hard drugs. When Combs was done, Paul said he would put on gloves and clean up to avoid being billed by hotels for damage. Paul said he was charged with cocaine possession after being arrested on March 25, 2024, at Miami-Opa Locka airport in Florida while traveling to the Bahamas with Combs and other staffers. He said he put the cocaine in his bag after finding it while cleaning Combs' room that day, but forgot about it and did not tell law enforcement where it came from. Asked by prosecutor Christy Slavik why he kept silent, Paul said, "Loyalty." Paul said the cocaine charge was dropped.
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A juror in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial has been dismissed. The 55-year-old rapper is more than a month into his federal trial for charges including racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking but last week, lead prosecutor Maurene Comey requested one of the jurors be dismissed for a "lack of candour". And while US District Judge Arun Subramanian had initially said on Friday (13.06.25) he was unsure an inquiry was needed, on further review, he has concluded the 41-year-old man had given inconsistent answers regarding his residency, having alluded to living in both the Bronx and New Jersey. The judge said he had "concerns about his candour and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel.' The trial is taking place in Manhattan, meaning jurors must be residents of the Southern District of New York, which includes Manhattan, the Bronx, and parts of the Hudson Valley. The judge has dismissed the juror and he will be replaced with an alternate, a 57-year-old architect from Westchester County, who is white. The defense had argued against the juror's dismissal, with one of Combs' attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, claiming the attempt to have him removed was a "thinly veiled effort to dismiss" a Black member of the panel, and another lawyer, Xavier Donaldson arguing dismissal would make the jury less diverse. The identity of the jurors - eight men and four women - are not being made public, but their ages range from their 30s to their 70s. Six alternates were also chosen, of which four are men and two women. The Bad Boy records founder has pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution. If convicted, he faces between 15 years and life in prison. Earlier this month, the judge warned Diddy to stop "nodding" in the direction of the jury after he was allegedly seen doing so during the testimony of Bryana Bongolan, a friend of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura. During a lunch break while the jury were out of the court room, Judge Subramanian told Combs' attorneys: "I was very clear there should be no facial expressions to the jury, and I could not have been clearer. "There was a line of questioning where your client was nodding vigorously and looking at the jury ... [This was] absolutely unacceptable ... "This can't continue or I will give a limiting instruction you won't like, or other measures including barring your client from the courtroom. Do you understand?" Combs' lawyer Marc Agnifilo told the judge it will not happen again.
