How Diddy is discreetly reaching out to jurors in sex-trafficking trial

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs seems to be making an effort to connect with the potential jurors who will determine his fate in his upcoming sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan.

The rapper, 55, repeatedly nodded and smiled at the individuals being questioned during the jury selection process this week. 

He has been observed expressing his agreement or disagreement with certain jurors by nodding affirmatively or shaking his head in disapproval, subtly indicating his feelings towards each individual.

For example, he nodded in agreement when a female black juror shared that her sister had struggled with a crack addiction during the crack epidemic in New York, likely referring to the 1980s or 90s. This juror was deemed suitable to proceed to the next stage after affirming that she could remain impartial during deliberations.

After she left the room, Diddy turned around and looked to the public gallery where his friend Charlucci Finney, an executive music producer, was sitting. Finney, who was wearing wristbands and a cap which said ‘Free Puff’ when he walked into court, shook his head and then Diddy shook his head in response.

As the selection process went on, Diddy smiled when a black female juror said she didn’t know any people on the list of celebrities who may come up in the case but ‘I wish I did.’

There was more nodding from Diddy when a black male juror was called: the man said that he worked as a kitchen designer and would lose his commissioned work if he served on the jury but he could ‘survive’ on his base pay. This time Diddy looked back at Finley in court and got a nod in response. The juror was allowed to continue on to the next stage.

Diddy nodded repeatedly again when a female juror talked about her Catholic faith and said that if she served on the jury she would have ‘the life of somebody in your hands’, adding: ‘That’s the hard part for me’. She said: ‘I think I could do it but it’s something I have to be very sure that person is (guilty).’

The woman was excused after telling the court that she had stomach issues which the judge said might disrupt the trial.

Jury selection resumed for a second day in the sex trafficking trial as a federal judge and lawyers worked Tuesday to find a dozen New Yorkers who believe they can be fair despite any opinions they may have developed about the music mogul.

By lunchtime on Tuesday, six jurors had been approved for the next stage of the process and seven had been struck. 

The challenges of choosing a jury in such a high profile case became apparent when one juror, a white man, took a long pause when asked if he could ignore the video of Diddy beating up his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016, which he had seen.

Prosecutors say Combs exploited his fame and fortune to sexually abuse women and destroy young lives while defense attorneys say he engaged in sexual activity with consenting adults.

The majority of prospective jurors questioned on Tuesday morning were disqualified after lawyers for Combs and prosecutors cited flaws in their answers to questions designed to see if they can be fair and unbiased.

Several who were eliminated from the jury pool had seen or heard media reports related to the case, including some who said they saw a video in which Combs was hitting and kicking one of his accusers in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.

Judge Arun Subramanian was seeking to build a pool of 45 prospective jurors from which a panel of 12 jurors and several alternates can be chosen. Nineteen were chosen on Monday and six more by noon Tuesday.

Opening statements are scheduled to be presented on March 12 for a trial projected to last up to two months.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with leading a racketeering conspiracy from 2004 to 2024 that resulted in various crimes, including kidnapping, arson, bribery and sex trafficking.

The Bad Boy Records founder has been held without bail since his arrest at a Manhattan hotel last September.