Diddy trial update: Jury selection nears end ahead of May 12 opening statements

Jury selection in the federal s*x trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs is approaching its final stage.

According to a report in The Independent, a pool of 45 qualified prospective jurors was secured for the trial of the rapper. The selection process involved screening potential jurors for impartiality by Judge Arun Subramanian, given the high-profile nature of the case and Combs' celebrity status.

They were repeatedly asked if they, a family member, or a friend had been a victim of s*xual assault, s*xual harassment, or domestic violence, and whether they or a loved one had been charged or accused of such crimes, per USA Today.

The final phase-where lawyers use peremptory strikes to select 12 jurors and 6 alternates-will take place on Friday, May 9. The opening statements are set for May 12, 2025.

Combs was reportedly charged with racketeering, s*x trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Here is what we know.

When was Sean “Diddy” Combs arrested? Everything we know about his case

According to a report in AP News, Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in September 2024 at a hotel in Manhattan, New York, by federal agents on charges of s*x trafficking and racketeering.

At the time of his arrest, his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo ,said:

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal."

Combs faces multiple lawsuits filed by women who allegedly faced various forms of abuse, primarily s*xual assault, r*pe, and coercion at his hands. He has also been accused of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing women into s*xual activities from 2021 to 2024, using firearms or threats of violence, running a criminal enterprise, reported CBS News.

During a raid at his Los Angeles home, police discovered supplies that they said he used in orgies which were known as, “freak offs,” including drugs and more than 1000 bottles of baby oil.

More than 100 men and women from across the US have filed lawsuits against the rapper.

According to a report in CBS News, his indictment stated that Combs "engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals," which was "verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual."

He has been accused of assaulting women repeatedly over many years by “striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them.” His legal issues reportedly began in 2023 when he was sued by his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura.

He has been held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest. If convicted, he could face life in prison. This will eventually mark a dramatic fall for the 55-year-old rapper whose decades-long career as a producer, rapper, and entrepreneur has been overshadowed by the recent allegations.

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