Studying Time: 3 minutes
Now that 12 jurors and 6 alternates have been chosen, opening arguments within the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs are prepared to start.
Already in the present day, we’ve realized that the pool has been whittled down from 45 potential jurors, and Decide Arun Subramanian has offered the media with an inventory of numbers signifying the 18 who survived the method.
Diddy lawyer Marc Agnifilo accused the prosecution of demonstrating bias within the choice course of, noting that seven Black jurors had been “struck” on the DA’s request.
Based on TMZ, Decide Subramanian denied the protection’s problem and decided that the jurors weren’t dismissed on racial grounds.
The celeb trial of the century will get underway
It’s been a very long time since a star trial garnered this a lot media consideration.
The 2022 Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial got here closest in recent times — however the stakes are a lot larger right here.
Depp and Heard had been in court docket for a civil case, whereas Diddy is in felony court docket going through life in jail on intercourse trafficking and racketeering fees.
And like a macabre model of It’s a Fantastic Life, Diddy’s complete life might be subjected to scrutiny as either side attempt to make their case with regard to the defendant’s character (or lack thereof).
The scandalous life and instances of Diddy might be held up for evaluate
Already, Decide Subraimian allowed into proof video of Combs allegedly assaulting then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura.
The mogul shouldn’t be on trial for the assault, and his protection argued that it was irrelevant to the trial’s proceedings.
However the decide decided that the footage is related to the prosecution’s arguments regarding Diddy’s temperament and impulsivity.
Cassie may also take the stand sooner or later. She’s one among greater than 20 witnesses the prosecution intends to name.
Cassie and Diddy dated on and off for greater than a decade, starting in 2007.
It’s unclear in what order the witnesses might be referred to as, however it’s a secure wager that she’ll be one of many first. Cassie is presently eight months pregnant together with her third baby.
The trial is anticipated to final for 2 months, so getting Cassie on the stand in a well timed style is probably going a prime precedence for the prosecution.
Within the meantime, either side are scheduled to supply their opening arguments in the present day.
The protection is anticipated to argue that every one of Diddy’s sexual encounters had been consensual. And primarily based on what they revealed in pretrial hearings, they may additionally argue that Diddy was so incapacitated by medication and alcohol that he couldn’t have dedicated the crimes of which he’s been accused.
We’ll be watching the trial intently, and we’ll deliver you updates as new data turns into accessible.
