Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial has experienced a delay in its commencement. The jury selection process for Combs, aged 55, was scheduled to conclude on Friday but has been postponed at the request of the rapper’s legal team. Concerns were raised by Combs’ lawyers that jurors may withdraw over the weekend.
Throughout the past week, the judge has been meticulously interviewing potential jurors individually to ensure impartiality, reducing the initial pool of 45 down to a panel of 12 with additional alternates. Some jurors were disqualified due to personal connections to the case or prior experiences with abuse.
One juror, who disclosed being a victim of attempted rape three years ago, was excused after expressing doubts about Combs potentially evading jail time through financial means. Another juror was dismissed for working at HBO, which released a critical documentary about the rapper earlier this year, and acknowledged feeling disturbed by footage of Combs’ actions toward his ex-girlfriend.
Prosecutors aimed to conclude jury selection by Friday to prevent any delays in delivering opening statements on Monday. However, Judge Subramanian granted the defense’s request for assurance in avoiding the need to repeat jury selection. Each legal team will have the opportunity to strike several jurors from the pool, ultimately forming the 12-member jury with potential replacements.
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