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The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs began in New York City on Monday, May 5, following his September 2024 arrest on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution.
The process began with jury selection on Monday, with opening arguments set to start Monday, May 12. Diddy, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied the allegations against him.
The music mogul appeared in court as jury selection started, wearing a sweater over a white collared shirt with gray pants, per the Associated Press. (Judge Arun Subramanian previously said that Diddy could wear casual clothing for the duration of the trial rather than his jail uniform.)
Before voir dire (preliminary juror examinations) began on Monday, Diddy turned down a plea deal, which might have shortened his potential prison sentence if he agreed to plead guilty. When the judge asked him on Thursday, May 1, if he rejected the prosecution’s offer, Diddy replied, “Yes, I do.”
Diddy was arrested last year after numerous accusers came forward with allegations of sexual assault. In November 2023, his ex-girlfriend Cassie filed a lawsuit against him, alleging that he sexually and physically abused her during their relationship, which lasted off and on from 2007 to 2018. Diddy denied her claims, and the duo settled out of court one day later.
In May 2024, CNN published a surveillance video from 2016 that showed Diddy kicking and grabbing Cassie, now 28, in a hotel. The rapper later apologized in an Instagram video, saying, “My behavior on that video is inexcusable. I take full responsibility for my actions in that video. “I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now. … I’m not asking for forgiveness. I’m truly sorry.”
In April, prosecutors filed a motion saying that the person mentioned in the indictment under the alias “Victim-1” would be testifying under her own name. Multiple outlets reported at the time that “Victim-1” is Cassie, but she has not publicly confirmed her involvement in the trial.
Keep scrolling for daily updates from inside the courtroom:
May 5
As jury selection began, the judge opened with a joke about Diddy’s numerous nicknames and quipped that the list of potential jurors is as long as the famously extensive Lord of the Rings novels.
Us Weekly can confirm several potential jurors said they had seen news reports about the CNN video that showed Diddy hitting Cassie in 2016 while they were still dating. One woman described a still image from the video as “damning evidence” and was removed from consideration.
At one point, Diddy also requested a bathroom break, per the AP, telling the judge, “I’m sorry, your honor, I’m a little nervous today.”
Multiple celebrities were named as people who might be mentioned during the trial, and potential jurors were asked to say whether they were familiar with them. Some of the names mentioned were Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, Kanye West, Kid Cudi and Destiny’s Child singer Michelle Williams, though it was not specified how they could be relevant to the proceedings.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
