The jury in the high-profile federal trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs returned to court on Tuesday with a partial verdict, announcing they had reached decisions on four of the five charges against him but remained deadlocked on the most serious count, racketeering.
The partial decision was delivered late Tuesday afternoon at the federal courthouse in New York after two days of intense deliberations. The jury’s inability to agree on the racketeering charge, which carries a potential life sentence, means deliberations will resume on Wednesday.
Combs, 55, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges — including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for the purpose of prostitution — sat in court with his head bowed and hands folded, flanked by his legal team. His lawyers occasionally placed reassuring arms around him as the tension in the courtroom mounted.
Judge Arun Subramanian confirmed that while the jury had reached unanimous verdicts on four counts, they were locked on the racketeering charge. Jurors reportedly told the court that their positions were firm and no further discussion could sway them.
Despite the deadlock, Judge Subramanian encouraged the panel to keep working toward a consensus, leaving open the possibility of a so-called “Allen charge” — a controversial judicial instruction that urges jurors in the minority to reconsider their stance for the sake of reaching a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors urged the court to use it, though defence attorneys expressed concern that it could unfairly pressure jurors into changing their votes.
The jury is expected to return Wednesday and could potentially continue deliberating into July 3, even as the court typically recesses ahead of the July 4 holiday.
Over the past two months, jurors have listened to testimony from 34 witnesses, including former employees, male escorts, federal agents, and several ex-girlfriends of the music mogul. The case, one of the most high-profile celebrity trials in recent years, has gripped the entertainment industry and legal watchers alike.
Legal analysts say the deadlock on the racketeering charge was always likely. According to Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor, racketeering is a complex offence that requires proving the existence of an ongoing criminal enterprise involving at least two crimes over several years.
“That was always going to be the most challenging charge for prosecutors to get a conviction on,” Mintz told the BBC. “It’s a very complicated charge, typically used in organised crime prosecutions, so it’s not surprising that it’s giving the jury the most difficulty.”
The verdicts on the four remaining charges, which have yet to be revealed publicly, could significantly impact Combs’ future, depending on how the jury ultimately rules.
Sean Combs — also known by a series of monikers over his career including Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and Love — is a titan of the music and fashion industries. He founded the Sean John clothing line, appeared in reality TV shows, and was recently named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.
In 2023, he released The Love Album: Off The Grid, earning his first solo Grammy nomination in years.
Chioma Kalu
Follow us on:
