Black Male Juror in Diddy Trial Dismissed Over Inconsistencies in State Where He Lives

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Following a week filled with debates between prosecutors and the legal team of rap mogul Sean “Diddy”, one juror in his sex trafficking and racketeering trial was removed after the judge overseeing the case in the Southern District of New York revealed inconsistencies regarding the juror’s residence. The judge stated that the juror demonstrated a lack of honesty towards the court.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: “Yesterday morning, Judge Arun Subramanian kicked Juror Number 6 off the panel due to doubts about his honesty and whether he misled us to get selected as a juror. There was confusion over where he actually lives – either in New York, which is within the jurisdiction of the Southern District of New York, or in New Jersey, where he apparently resides with his girlfriend. Initially, during jury selection, he claimed to live in New York, but it was later heard that he mentioned living in New Jersey at some point. When questioned about it, he admitted that he stays in his Bronx apartment during the week and spends weekends in New Jersey with his daughter and her mother.

Subramanian stated that there are significant concerns about whether the juror was truthful and if they could adhere to the court’s guidelines. He highlighted that anyone who appears to have a personal bias should not serve on a jury. In his opinion, the juror in question should be dismissed from this case.

The removal of the juror represents another success for federal prosecutors. Last week, the main prosecutor Maurene Comey petitioned for the dismissal of a juror due to what she termed as “insincerity.” Defender Dion Combs and his team are protesting and have submitted a request for a retrial for the third time, arguing that the dismissed juror shares the same gender and ethnicity as the defendant. In a letter to the judge, written by the entire defense team, they expressed that the inconsistencies shown by the juror regarding residence were “probably entirely innocent.

In considering the government’s proposal, it should be viewed in context with the entire timeline of this investigation and trial. Regrettably, when scrutinized within that framework, it appears more likely that this motion is not a genuine effort to question the juror’s honesty but rather an attempt to exploit a chance to remove another African-American defendant from the jury.

The substitute juror taking over for Juror No. 6 is a 57-year-old man, an accountant residing in Westchester County, New York, who identifies as Caucasian.

Over the weekend, I’ve found myself pondering about another jury member involved in our case, specifically over any discussions he might have had with a fellow juror. On Friday, Judge Subramanian grilled him and even took his phone into custody. So far, no decision has been reached regarding his possible dismissal from the jury, as we wait anxiously for updates on Monday morning.

Combs was apprehended in September and is currently standing trial on five federal charges. The trial, which began on May 5, is now in its sixth week. Among the allegations are racketeering as part of a conspiracy scheme, two counts of sex trafficking through force, deceit, or coercion, and two counts of arranging transportation for prostitution. He has maintained his innocence by pleading not guilty to all charges.

As a gamer putting on my detective hat, I’ve been following this trial closely. It was initially slated for an eight-week run, and surprisingly enough, it seems like we’re right on schedule, even with some unexpected hiccups along the way. The prosecution was supposed to rest their case today, and Judge Subramanian has been vocal about his desire to get this case to the jury as soon as possible. Ideally, he wants everything wrapped up before the Independence Day holiday.

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2025-06-16 18:54