For seven weeks, a jury in Manhattan has listened as prosecutors laid out a legal intercourse trafficking and racketeering case towards Sean “Diddy” Combs. They heard his ex-girlfriends and different witnesses ship bombshell accounts of violence and drug-fueled sexual marathons. The jury is ready to start deliberations on Monday (June 30).
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In the end, they need to determine whether or not Combs was operating a legal enterprise, as the federal government says, or residing a swinger life-style, per his protection. His lawyer insists that the approach to life included leisure drug use and, regrettably, home violence. The reply will decide the way forward for one of many largest music moguls and cultural figures of the previous 4 many years.
If convicted, Combs, 55, would face 15 years to life in jail. Right here’s what to learn about Diddy’s case forward of jury deliberations.
What Prices Are The Jury Weighing Towards Diddy?
The three-time Grammy Award winner has pleaded not responsible to 5 felony expenses. They embrace: one depend of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of intercourse trafficking by drive, fraud, or coercion; and two counts of transportation to have interaction in prostitution.
Prosecutors say Combs coerced girls into abusive intercourse events involving employed male intercourse employees. They alleged he ensured their compliance with medication like cocaine and threats to their careers. He additionally, per the federal government, silenced victims by means of blackmail and violence that included kidnapping, arson, and beatings.
“He’s the chief of a legal enterprise. He doesn’t take no for a solution,” Assistant U.S. Legal professional Christy Slavik mentioned in her closing arguments on Thursday.
In the meantime, Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, portrayed the Dangerous Boys Data founder because the sufferer of overzealous prosecutors. The protection legal professional mentioned the federal government exaggerated parts of Diddy’s life-style and leisure drug use to deliver expenses that resulted in what he known as a “pretend trial.”
What Is Racketeering?
Probably the most critical cost, racketeering conspiracy, alleges that Combs ran a legal enterprise for twenty years. He allegedly relied on bodyguards, family employees, private assistants, and others in his orbit to facilitate and canopy up crimes. Federal prosecutors introduced the cost beneath the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Congress handed the federal regulation in 1970 with the declared function of concentrating on organized crime, however its use has been extra widespread.
To show the cost, prosecutors should present that an enterprise existed and was concerned in a sample of racketeering exercise. On this case, that alleged exercise contains kidnapping, arson, bribery, and intercourse trafficking.
Key Items Of Proof For Diddy’s Jury To Take into account
Early within the trial, prosecutors confirmed jurors the 2016 safety video of Sean Combs beating and kicking his former longtime girlfriend, Cassie, at a Los Angeles lodge. The R&B singer testified that the assault passed off as she was making an attempt to depart one of many sexual encounters. Witnesses say Combs referred to the acts as “freak-offs” or “lodge nights.” Jurors noticed quite a few specific clips of such encounters, some involving Cassie and others involving a later girlfriend. She later testified beneath the pseudonym “Jane.”
Each exes took the stand. Cassie testified over 4 days that she participated in tons of of freak-offs with paid intercourse employees whereas she and Combs had been in a relationship from 2007 till 2018. She mentioned she typically felt like she didn’t have a selection. She sued Combs in 2023, alleging years of abuse. He settled for $20 million inside hours, and dozens of comparable lawsuits adopted. Many are nonetheless pending.
In the meantime, Jane testified over six days that she was romantically concerned with Combs from 2021 till his September arrest at a New York lodge. She, too, felt pressured to have intercourse with the employed strangers in multiday intercourse marathons whereas Combs watched.
Moreover, testimony additionally included hours of textual content message exchanges. A few of these texts, which a Homeland Safety Investigations agent learn aloud, concerned Combs or different folks in his orbit. In all, 34 folks took the stand, all of them known as by the prosecution. Sean Combs didn’t testify.
How Will Jury Deliberations Work?
Decide Arun Subramanian will give jurors directions on Monday (June 28) earlier than sending them off to deliberate contained in the Manhattan federal courthouse. The jury of eight males and 4 girls should unanimously determine whether or not every depend is responsible or not responsible. Which means all 12 jurors should agree. If jurors don’t attain an settlement, they might come again and say they’re deadlocked.
Historically, the choose would then encourage them to proceed deliberating, but when they’ll’t attain a consensus, the choose would determine whether or not to declare a mistrial.
Whereas it stays unclear which approach the jury is leaning, it’s price noting that Diddy has beforehand had luck within the courtroom. In 2001, he was acquitted in reference to a nightclub taking pictures for which his artist Shyne received a 10-year sentence.
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Related Press Employees contributed to this report by way of AP Newsroom.
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