Jury deliberations in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial got off to a rocky start when jurors expressed “concern” over whether one of the 12 could “follow” the judge’s instructions.
Eight weeks into the blockbuster trial, the jury finally started to deliberate Monday on the case. Judge Arun Subramanian spent two hours reading through jury instructions in the morning before the jurors began deliberating at 11.30 a.m. Just over an hour later, the group sent a note to the judge: “We are concerned that Juror 25 cannot follow your honor’s instructions.”
Subramanian said he was unclear whether “cannot” meant the juror refuses to follow the instructions or cannot understand them. After giving both sides 10 minutes to propose a response, the judge opted to use the government’s language, telling the panel to keep deliberating and to let him know if the issue persisted.
During jury selection, Juror 25 revealed he works as a scientist, obtained a degree in neuroscience, and lives in Manhattan with his domestic partner, who is a graphic designer.
Diddy faces five federal counts of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution. He’s pleaded not guilty.
The snag later seemed to be smoothed over. Four hours after the initial note, the group sent two others, indicating deliberations were in full swing.
In the first note, the jurors asked a question to better understand the drug distribution act listed under the racketeering conspiracy charge. The jurors asked a question referring to page 37 of 60 of the jury instructions, perhaps suggesting the group was making progress.
The second note said they were finishing at 5 p.m. Monday and will start at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, Diddy requested to bring certain books into the courthouse. The judge allowed it. The music mogul later displayed two books that he took into the courtroom: “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale and “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor.
The rapper walked into the courtroom in a canary yellow sweater with a smile before hugging his attorneys. His mother and children sat in the second pew behind the defendant.
