Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial adjourned due to sick juror; testimony resumes Friday
The hip-hop mogul is charged with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
This story may contain accounts and descriptions of actual or alleged events that some readers may find disturbing.
This is week six of testimony in the trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs.
Latest headlines:
- Court is adjourned for the day due to a sick juror
- Court discusses plan for today after juror reports illness
- Jury sees more messages between Combs and Ventura before court adjourns
- Combs contacted Cassie Ventura after 2016 hotel attack: 'Call me now'
- Defense says their case presentation could last 2-5 days
- Juror issues again discussed after court adjourns
Sean Combs trial reaches an end with mixed verdict
The highly anticipated trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached an end.
The jury found Sean Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious charge.
The jury found Combs guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura) and guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution (in connection with his ex-girlfriend who testified under the pseudonym "Jane").
He was found not guilty of both charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion in connection with Ventura and "Jane."
Combs was accused of being the ringleader of an alleged enterprise that "abused, threatened and coerced women" into prolonged, drug-fueled sexual orgies with male prostitutes, which he called "freak-offs," and then threatened them into silence. Combs has said that all of the sex was consensual and that while his relationships sometimes involved domestic violence, he wasn't engaged in trafficking.
Combs' lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said Combs was simply part of the swinger lifestyle and that he "vehemently denies the accusations made by the SDNY."
Summary witnesses to take the stand as prosecution expects to rest case this week
The racketeering and sex trafficking trial of Sean Combs begins a sixth week of testimony today with a pair of summary witnesses meant to help the jury organize the hundreds of exhibits they have seen so far.
We've been told it is possible that Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, will make another appearance early this week, as he did last Friday.
The last substantive witness for the prosecution is expected to be a former assistant to Combs, Brendan Paul.
Prosecutors have said they expect to rest their case as soon as Wednesday and no later than Friday. There will be no court proceedings Thursday, which is the Juneteenth federal holiday.
Judge upholds decision to dismiss juror ahead of week 6 of testimony
Judge Arun Subramanian declined on Monday to change his mind about juror No.6, upholding his decision to remove the juror and replace him with an alternate.
“The record raised serious concerns as to the juror’s candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury,” Subramanian said. “There’s nothing the juror could say at this point to put the genie back in the bottle.”
The first alternate juror is a 57-year-old architect from Westchester.
The judge said he took seriously the defense concern about race -- juror No.6 is Black -- but he said, “this jury does not raise those concerns.” He also said it is “inappropriate to consider race” in deciding whether the juror’s responses to questions about where he lived were appropriate.
At the conclusion of court on Friday, Judge Subramanian dismissed juror No.6 over what he said were "inconsistencies" in statements the juror made about where he lived, saying that the alleged inconsistencies raised questions about the juror's candor and ability to follow instructions.
Testimony to resume today; prosecution could rest their case this week
Testimony in the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs will resume on Monday for its sixth week.
Federal prosecutors have said that they expect to rest their case no later than Friday and possibly as soon as Wednesday.
Read updates from Week 5
Catch up on everything from Week 5 of the Sean Combs trial, including testimony from the former Combs girlfriend who appeared under the pseudonym "Jane."