Diddy trial: Judge delays jury variety because of ‘cold feet’ considerations – National | Globalnews.ca

The ultimate level of jury variety for the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs used to be postponed till early subsequent week forward of the hole arguments over considerations that some jurors may get “cold feet” prior to the high-profile case starts.

Prosecutors allege that Diddy, 55, used his repute and tool on the most sensible of the hip-hop global to sexually abuse girls from 2004 to 2024. He pleaded now not responsible after his September arrest and has remained held with out bail at a federal lockup in Brooklyn.

Judge Arun Subramanian granted the defence legal professionals’ request to lengthen the remaining step in jury variety till Monday, May 12, when either side will slender down the pool of 45 attainable jurors to 12 and 6 alternates.

Subramanian expressed worry that if jurors have been decided on prior to the weekend, they may develop apprehensive and drop off the panel prior to the trial starts Monday.

The determination got here after a possible juror despatched an e-mail to invite the court docket to be left off the panel for “issues of personal well-being,” the defence printed.

The defence stated placing potential jurors may take as low as 10 to 15 mins, so why now not do it on Monday when they’re going to be provide. The jurors weren’t required to be within the Manhattan court on Friday, however Diddy used to be there.

Prosecutors objected, pronouncing the entire procedure may get obstructed if a number of jurors panic after being selected and come to a decision they don’t wish to participate in a high-profile trial that’s anticipated to remaining two months.

Potential jurors have been requested questions previous this week to lend a hand the pass judgement on and legal professionals resolve in the event that they may well be truthful and unbiased. They have been additionally wondered to make sure they may come to a decision the case at the details — even after seeing specific movies of sexual process that some may in finding aggravating.

On May 12, prosecutors might be authorized to strike six potential jurors from the jury whilst defence legal professionals are allowed 10 moves prior to the jury is finalized. The procedure is predicted to take as much as an hour.

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Diddy’s lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, informed Subramanian Friday that Diddy dedicated “domestic violence” in his dating with one of the most accusers this is anticipated to testify on the trial, in keeping with NBC News.

Agnifilo stated the defence crew plans to “take the position that there was mutual violence” in Diddy’s dating with an accuser recognized within the indictment as “Victim-1.”

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Diddy’s attorney stated his crew plans to argue that “there was hitting on both sides, behaviour on both sides” that constituted violence, in keeping with the hole.

“It is relevant in terms of the coercive aspects, we are admitting domestic violence,” Agnifilo informed the pass judgement on.

Prosecutors additionally printed Friday that they’ve now not controlled to get in contact with the accuser recognized as Victim-3 of their indictment, or her attorney.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey stated her crew could have a “final answer” quickly on whether or not they’re going to name Victim-3 to the stand.

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Diddy faces an indictment that incorporates descriptions of “Freak Offs,” that are outlined within the court docket document as “elaborate and produced sex performances that Combs arranged, directed, masturbated during, and often electronically recorded.”

Numerous witnesses have come ahead to accuse Diddy of terrorizing other folks into silence by means of choking, hitting, kicking and dragging them, in keeping with prosecutors. One indictment alleges that Diddy dangled any individual from a balcony.

Although dozens of women and men have alleged in court cases that Diddy abused them, this trial will spotlight the claims of 4 girls.

One of them is Diddy’s former female friend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, whom the rapper used to be stuck on digital camera beating and dragging down a Los Angeles lodge hallway in 2016.

After CNN aired the video remaining 12 months, Diddy apologized, pronouncing, “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”

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Ventura filed a lawsuit in past due 2023 pronouncing Diddy had subjected her to years of abuse, together with beatings and rape when they met in 2005.

Her lawsuit, which presented the primary public account of the “Freak Offs” described within the indictment, used to be settled in an afternoon. Four months later, federal investigators raided Diddy’s houses in Los Angeles and Miami and faced him at a non-public airport in Florida, seizing 96 digital units. They additionally discovered 3 AR-15-style rifles with defaced serial numbers.

Diddy used to be indicted remaining September. He has been held in a federal prison in Brooklyn after judges dominated that he can be a risk to intimidate witnesses and sufferers if launched.

The 17-page indictment towards Diddy accuses him of the usage of workers to facilitate his crimes thru acts that integrated kidnapping, arson and bribery.

Diddy is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two fees of intercourse trafficking and two fees of transportation to interact in prostitution. If he’s convicted on all counts, he has the possible to stay in the back of bars for existence.

Diddy has endured to disclaim all the fees the federal government has introduced towards him after his September 2024 arrest.

— With recordsdata from The Associated Press

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