A United States federal jury deliberating in the high-profile criminal trial of music mogul, Sean “Diddy” Combs, has reached a verdict on four of the five counts against him but remained deadlocked on the most serious charge, the racketeering conspiracy.
The jurors, in a note sent to the US District Judge overseeing the case, revealed they were unable to reach consensus on Count 1, which alleged that Diddy led a criminal enterprise to engage in sex trafficking and prostitution. “We have jurors with unpersuadable opinions on both sides,” the note read.
Diddy, 55, faces five federal charges: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transporting individuals to engage in prostitution. If convicted on the most severe charges, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Both prosecutors and defense attorneys asked the judge to urge the jury to continue deliberating in hopes of reaching a unanimous decision on the racketeering conspiracy charge. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo requested that the court bring the jury back into the courtroom for an in-person instruction, rather than communicating through a note. “The defense would like the judge to instruct them directly,” Agnifilo stated, as both sides began working on the wording of such an instruction.
Inside the courtroom, a tense atmosphere loomed as Diddy sat encircled by his legal team, reading the jury’s note. Their expressions were described as serious and focused.
The trial captivated national attention, with federal prosecutors accusing Diddy of orchestrating so-called “Freak Offs”, alleged sex parties where women were coerced into engaging in sexual acts with other men. Prosecutors claimed these acts were not isolated incidents, but part of a broader pattern of organised abuse under Combs’ direction.
With verdicts reportedly reached on the remaining four counts, two related to sex trafficking and two to transportation for prostitution, the public and legal community await the jury’s final decision on the racketeering charge, which underpins the entire conspiracy case.
