Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ fame posed challenges throughout jury choice : NPR

Choose Arun Subramanian completed questioning practically 100 potential jurors for the Sean “Diddy” Combs intercourse trafficking trial on Wednesday. For 3 days, the choose requested the jury pool about their private experiences with matters like sexual assault and home violence, their data of the allegations towards Combs and their skill to stay neutral in mild of Combs’ presumed innocence — which some jurors struggled with, given the case’s excessive profile.

Choice started Monday within the federal District Court docket for the Southern District of New York. Combs, who has been in custody since his arrest final September, faces prices of intercourse trafficking, transporting to have interaction in prostitution and racketeering conspiracy; he has pleaded not responsible.

The rapper, producer and businessman appeared in court docket for all three days of jury questioning, usually embracing his attorneys as he entered the courtroom. When certainly one of his attorneys requested a short rest room break throughout the first morning of jury choice and the choose resisted, Combs spoke up. “I am slightly nervous right now, your honor,” he defined.

Combs, whose hair has grayed considerably throughout his time at a Brooklyn jail, sported a darkish sweater over a collared white shirt for the proceedings. He seemed on as potential jurors swore beneath oath and answered questions.

The jury pool had obtained questionnaires forward of this week’s proceedings, which included issues like whether or not they would be capable of talk about issues of a sexual nature with different jurors, whether or not they or anybody near them has undergone sexual harassment coaching and whether or not they’ve already developed any biases towards Combs or his alleged victims. In court docket, the choose requested a lot of follow-up questions — particularly associated to jurors’ data of the allegations towards Combs.

Many jurors introduced up each the prison prices and the a number of dozen civil lawsuits towards Combs. “It is throughout social media,” one potential juror advised the choose. Many times, jurors raised the identical instance: the surveillance video launched by CNN final yr that reveals Combs violently kicking, hitting and dragging his ex-girlfriend, the singer Cassie Ventura, in a Los Angeles lodge hallway in 2016. One juror mentioned the video may very well be thought-about “damning proof,” whereas one other referred to as it “stunning” and “scary.” After one more juror who talked about the video exited the courtroom, Combs’ lead protection legal professional, Marc Agnifilo, expressed his frustration over the video’s influence on the jury choice course of.

Many jurors who had data of the surveillance footage mentioned they’d nonetheless be capable of stay neutral and would solely be told by the proof introduced in court docket. (Combs’ prison indictment features a description of the lodge incident. His protection attorneys tried and did not get the video thrown out as proof. Prosecutors plan to introduce a model of the video throughout the trial.) Different jurors had been dismissed for admitting they could lean in favor of the alleged victims, typically due to their very own experiences with sexual assault. Some jurors mentioned they felt biased towards rich celebrities, like Mr. Combs, who might consider they’re above following the legislation. Others had been dismissed for traditional causes like medical exemptions, lack of English language proficiency and scheduling conflicts.

Jurors had been additionally proven an inventory of individuals and locations which might be related to the case, although the capability of their involvement remains to be unknown. Among the names on the listing included high-profile celebrities like Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, Lauren London, Michelle Williams of Future’s Youngster, Yung Miami and Child Cudi.

By Wednesday afternoon, 45 jurors had been chosen to maneuver ahead. On Friday, the prosecution and the protection will slender that quantity all the way down to the 12 who will serve on the trial, plus six alternates. Earlier than adjourning the courtroom, Choose Subramanian reminded jurors that they need to chorus from studying or listening to any info associated to the case exterior of the courtroom and that they can not talk about the trial with anybody. Opening statements will start on Monday, Might 12. The trial is predicted to final eight weeks.