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Sean "Diddy" Combs trial: Jury partially reaches verdict and will continue deliberating tomorrow

The panel, comprising eight men and four women, ranging in age from 30 to 74, will continue deliberating this Wednesday, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, the court said.

Sean ' Diddy' Combs reads the jury a note.

Sean ' Diddy' Combs reads the jury a note.AP / Cordon Press.

Agustina Blanco
Published by
Agustina Blanco

On the second day of deliberations in the racketeering and sex-trafficking trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, a federal jury communicated Tuesday that it has reached a verdict on four of the five charges he faces, but has not reached a consensus on the most serious charge: conspiracy to commit racketeering.

The panel, comprising eight men and four women, ranging in age from 30 to 74, will continue deliberating on Wednesday, beginning at 9 a.m. ET, the court said.

The charges against Combs

Combs, 55, faces five counts related to allegations of operating a criminal enterprise that forced women to participate in sexual encounters called "Freak Offs."

  • Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy
  • Count 2: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura)
  • Count 3: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and commercial sex workers
  • Count 4: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 2 (“Jane”)
  • Count 5: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 2 (“Jane”) and commercial sex workers

It is count 1, which remains without a verdict and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, as do counts 2 and 4, which carry a minimum penalty of 15 years. Counts 3 and 5 face a maximum penalty of 10 years each.

Along those lines, the jury notified the court that it had reached a verdict on counts 2, 3, 4 and 5, but is deadlocked on count 1, which requires proving that Combs and a co-conspirator committed at least two criminal acts within a 10-year period, such as kidnapping, arson, bribery, witness tampering, forced labor, sex trafficking, transportation for prostitution or drug distribution.

After receiving this note, Judge Arun Subramanian urged the jury to continue deliberating:

"I received your note informing me that you have reached verdicts on counts 2 through 5, but not on count 1. I ask you at this time to continue deliberating," Subramanian said.

He then allowed the jurors to send a note if they wished to end the day's deliberations, which they did, confirming that they will resume the proceedings tomorrow.

Prosecution and defense during the trial

Both the prosecution and the defense, led by Combs' attorney, Marc Agnifilo, expressed their desire for the judge to instruct the jury to continue deliberating, seeking a unanimous verdict on count 1.

Agnifilo, for his part, proposed that Judge Arun Subramanian summon the jury in person to instruct them, rather than send a written note.

Deliberations will continue Wednesday morning.

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