Jury Selection in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sex Trafficking Trial Delayed Until Monday

New York, USA — The final stage of jury selection in the high-profile federal racketeering and sex trafficking trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has been postponed until Monday, just before opening arguments are set to begin.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian granted a request from Combs’ defense team to delay the last round of juror selection, despite objections from federal prosecutors. The process, which is expected to last less than an hour, will finalize a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates from a pool of 45 prospective jurors.

Combs, 55, who has pleaded not guilty, was arrested in September and has since remained in custody without bail at a federal detention center in Brooklyn. The trial, which could last up to two months, centers around allegations that Combs used his power and influence in the music industry to sexually abuse women over a 20-year period, from 2004 to 2024.

Prosecutors have charged the Bad Boy Records founder with racketeering, sex trafficking, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and other crimes. If convicted on all counts, Combs faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison and could spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Key to the prosecution’s case are graphic allegations involving what they describe as “Freak Offs”—drug-fueled orgies in which women were allegedly forced to have sex with male sex workers while Combs recorded them. The indictment also accuses Combs of physical abuse, including choking, hitting, kicking, and dragging victims, sometimes by their hair. In one instance, he is alleged to have dangled someone from a balcony.

A pivotal piece of evidence is a 2016 video showing Combs assaulting a longtime girlfriend in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. The footage, which surfaced last year on CNN, led to public backlash. Combs later issued an apology, stating, “I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.”

Many potential jurors questioned this week said they had seen the video, and some were dismissed from the jury pool for being too emotionally impacted to remain impartial.

Defense attorneys argue the case attempts to criminalize sexual encounters between consenting adults. They acknowledge that Combs struggled with substance abuse but say he has since sought treatment.

On Monday, prosecutors will be permitted to strike six potential jurors, while Combs’ legal team will be allowed 10 peremptory challenges. Lawyers are not required to provide reasons for excluding jurors during this phase.

The final jury is expected to be seated by Monday afternoon, with opening arguments likely to follow shortly thereafter.