Jury reaches partial verdict in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial, deadlocked on top count

MANHATTAN (CN) — A federal jury has reached a partial verdict in the sex trafficking case of hip hop icon Sean “Diddy” Combs, but remains deadlocked on the case’s top count of racketeering.

At 4:05 p.m. on Tuesday, the 12 jurors sent a note to the court indicating that they had come to an agreement on the sex trafficking charges against Combs.

“We are unable to reach a verdict on Count 1, as we have jurors with unpersuadable opinions on both sides,” said the note, read aloud by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, a Joe Biden appointee.

As it stands, only the jurors know what’s on their verdict sheet. Subramanian elected not to take their partial verdict, instead deciding to encourage the jury to continue arguing on the top count by reminding them of their duties as jurors.

“I ask at this time that you keep deliberating,” the judge said.

Just two days into deliberations, neither the prosecutors nor the defense saw it necessary to hang the jurors so soon.

“This is a remarkably efficient jury,” remarked Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo.

The jurors will return on Wednesday to try to break the deadlock. They’ll have to decide whether Combs engaged in an organized crime enterprise by determining his role in a litany of suggested crimes including kidnapping, arson, bribery, witness tampering, forced labor, sex trafficking, prostitution and drug distribution. To convict that count, jurors needed to find members of Combs’ enterprise committed at least two instances of those predicate acts.

Tension filled the courtroom when the note came in on Tuesday afternoon. As Combs’ lawyers stood above him, intensely huddled in conversation, the 55-year-old sat at the defense table in his all-white prison garb.

With his head down and his hands folded on his lap, he appeared to pray as his legal team strategized around him. At one point, two of his lawyers hugged.

For the past two months, jurors heard testimony from two of Combs’ ex-girlfriends — the R&B singer Cassie Ventura and an Instagram model referred to as “Jane” — who both recalled feeling pressured into participating in the Bad Boy CEO’s ecstasy-fueled hotel sex parties.

According to them, Combs hired male escorts to put on protracted erotic performances with them as Combs watched, masturbated and intermittently recorded on a phone or iPad.

The routine was referred to by Ventura as “freak offs,” while anonymous witness Jane said they were called “debauchery” or “hotel nights.” Both women said the events would last for hours, sometimes across multiple days.

They also testified that Combs used psychological intimidation, violent physical force and financial dependence to pressure them into participating.

Jurors also heard from Daniel Phillip, a male stripper whom Combs paid to drench Ventura in baby oil and have sex with her, as well as rapper Kid Cudi, who testified that Combs torched his Porsche 911 convertible in 2012 with a Molotov cocktail.

The jury has been deliberating for more than 12 hours since Monday. If they don’t make progress to break the deadlock, prosecutors could try the racketeering charge again in the future.

Combs could face life in prison if convicted on that charge.

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