Deliberations in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial hit snag as one juror apparently can’t follow judge’s instructions
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ bombshell sex-trafficking trial hit a snag Monday just an hour after jury deliberations started — because one juror apparently couldn’t follow the judge’s instructions.
The panelists, eight men and four women, sent a note to Manhattan federal Judge Arun Subramanian around 12:40 p.m. expressing concerns about one of their own.
“We have a juror, ‘Juror 25,’ who we believe cannot follow your instructions,” the note said.
The juror in question is a 51-year-old man with a thick European accent. During jury selection, he revealed he lives in Manhattan with his partner and works as a scientist. He earned a doctorate in molecular biology and neuroscience.
It wasn’t immediately clear exactly what the jury’s note meant, and Subramanian told the panel to keep deliberating for the time being.
Combs, who has been held at a Brooklyn lockup since his September 2024 arrest, was seen smiling and chatting with his attorneys shortly before the note was read, a copy of the self-help book “The Power of Positive Thinking” sitting on the defense table in front of him.
The issue came about an hour after the panel was sent to the jury room at 11:30 a.m. to start weighing the charges against Combs, who has pleaded not guilty.
The Bad Boys Records founder could face up to life in prison if he’s convicted on any of the top three charges he faces.
Jurors must decide whether he’s guilty of one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex-trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Over seven weeks of testimony, the jury heard from 34 witnesses, were shown hundreds of text messages and emails and saw hours of sexually explicit footage of “freak-offs.”
Combs, 55, is accused of forcing his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and a former gal pal “Jane” — who testified anonymously under the pseudonym — to have sex with male escorts while they were on drugs during hours-long “freak-offs.”
Star prosecution witness Ventura testified — while she was eight months pregnant — about how the “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper regularly beat her up and demanded she frequently participate in the sex marathons, even when it made her sick and one time after he allegedly viciously assaulted her.
Jane also testified about Combs pressuring her to constantly partake in the sex events and said he threatened to stop financially supporting her if she didn’t.
The jury was also shown hours of video clips of Ventura and Jane during the “freak-offs” — which were recorded by Combs. The footage was kept from the public and the media because of how graphic it was and to protect the privacy of the two women.
Combs’ lawyers claimed that Ventura and Jane willingly took part in the “freak-offs.” The defense aired dozens of their sexts and loving text messages they sent to Combs to try to prove to the jury that everything was consensual.
Prosecutors also claim the disgraced music mogul carried out a criminal enterprise for 20 years, roping in his employees to help him commit a series of other crimes — like arson, bribery, kidnapping, witness tampering, and drug-related crimes.
Combs’ team claimed the evidence was woefully lacking to prove he ran a racket for decades like some mob boss.
Less than 30 minutes after the jury left the courtroom to begin deliberating, Combs had an extended conversation with his family and then led them in a group prayer — with his kids, other relatives and supporters all joining hands.
Jurors sent out a second note later in the day asking a legal question related to the drug-related allegations in the case.
Subramanian said he would address the jury’s question before deliberations resumed Tuesday morning, by re-reading them a portion of his instructions.
