Jury reaches verdict on 4 of 5 counts in Diddy trial but is told to keep deliberating
Share this @internewscast.com

NEW YORK (AP) — In Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial, the jury announced Tuesday that they have decided on four of the five charges against the hip-hop icon. However, the results remain confidential as they continue to deliberate the major charge, which is racketeering conspiracy.

Prosecutors, Combs’ defense lawyers, and Judge Arun Subramanian collectively agreed that after only two days of jury discussions, it was premature to abandon reaching a verdict on all charges. Instead of accepting a partial decision, Subramanian instructed the jury to keep discussing the unresolved charge. Deliberations are set to resume on Wednesday.

The situation developed late Tuesday when the jury communicated via a note indicating their difficulty in reaching a unanimous decision on the racketeering conspiracy charge, noting the presence of “unpersuadable views” from jurors on both sides.

After hearing about the note, Combs appeared morose as his lawyers explained to him what was happening. At one point, lead defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo stepped away from the huddle, returned with a piece of paper and handed it to Combs, who read it solemnly. The hip-hop mogul ‘s mother and several of his children returned to the courtroom.

Combs stood with his hands in pockets as jurors came into the courtroom for the judge’s guidance.

“It is your duty as jurors to consult with one another and to deliberate with a view to reaching an agreement,” Subramanian told them, recapping an instruction he’d read before deliberations began.

Jurors are weighing charges that Combs used his fame, wealth and violence to force two girlfriends into drug-fueled sex marathons with male sex workers known as “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.”

He has pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers contend prosecutors are trying to criminalize Combs’ swinger lifestyle and that, if anything, his conduct amounted to domestic violence, not federal felonies.

Combs, 55, could face 15 years in prison to life behind bars if he is convicted of all charges.

Racketeering conspiracy — count 1 on the jury’s verdict sheet — is the most complicated of the charges because it requires the jury to decide not only whether he ran a “racketeering enterprise,” but also whether he was involved in committing some or all of various types of offenses, such as kidnapping and arson.

The charge falls under RICO, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. It is best known for being used in organized crime and drug cartel cases.

Earlier Tuesday, the jury asked to review critical testimony from one of the prosecution’s most important witnesses: the hip-hop mogul’s former longtime girlfriend Cassie, the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura.

The panel of eight men and four women asked for Cassie’s account of Combs beating, kicking and dragging her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 — an assault captured on now-infamous security camera footage.

They also asked to see Cassie’s testimony about an incident in which she said Combs accused her of taking drugs from him and kicked her off of their yacht at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 2013. On their way back to the U.S., she said, he threatened to release explicit videos of her having sex.

In addition, the jury asked for Cassie and stripper Daniel Phillip’s testimony about her jumping into his lap at a New York City hotel after. Phillip testified that he suspected Combs had been slapping and slamming her around an adjacent room.

“Her whole entire body was shaking, like she was terrified,” said Phillip, who was at the hotel for a sexual encounter with Cassie sometime between 2012 and 2014.

Phillip testified that he told her she was in real danger. Cassie, he said, “basically tried to convince me that it was OK: ‘It’s OK. I’m fine, I’ll be OK.’”

Tuesday’s court session began with the lawyers and judge considering the jury’s request late Monday for clarification about what qualifies as drug distribution, an aspect of the racketeering conspiracy charge.

Subramanian ultimately reminded jurors of instructions he’d already given on that part of the case.

On Monday, the panel deliberated over five hours. Barely an hour into the closed-door discussion, the foreperson sent a note complaining that there was one juror “who we are concerned cannot follow your Honor’s instructions.”

The judge responded to that first note by reminding jurors of their duties to deliberate and their obligation to follow his instructions on the law.

At the trial, Combs chose not to testify as his lawyers built their arguments for acquittal mostly through lengthy cross examinations of dozens of prosecution witnesses, including former Combs employees who testified reluctantly and only after being granted immunity.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Iraq War flashbacks? Experts say Trump’s Iran buildup signals pressure campaign, not regime change

Experts Dismiss Iraq War Comparisons: Trump’s Iran Strategy Aimed at Pressure, Not Regime Change

As the United States intensifies its military presence in the Middle East…
Lethal kinetic strike in black and white unclassified footage

US Military Targets Suspected Drug Vessel in Pacific, Resulting in 3 Fatalities

The United States military has announced the elimination of three individuals it…
High school senior facing more than 300 felony charges in alleged sextortion scheme targeting minors: reports

High School Senior Accused of Over 300 Felony Charges in Alleged Sextortion Scheme Involving Minors: Reports

An 18-year-old high school senior in Pennsylvania is facing serious legal trouble,…
Creepy men spotted lurking in Lindsey Pelas' backyard in LA

Unwanted Intruders: Lindsey Pelas Encounters Suspicious Activity in Her LA Backyard

A well-known social media influencer found herself dialing the police twice within…
Pima County sheriff warns in NBC interview DNA tech issues in Nancy Guthrie case may take ‘months’ to resolve

DNA Technology Challenges Stall Progress in Nancy Guthrie Case, Pima County Sheriff Reveals

TUCSON, Ariz. — In the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy…
Potential US military strikes on Iran could target specific individuals, pursue regime change: report

Report Suggests US Military Strikes on Iran May Focus on Key Figures and Regime Change

Recent reports suggest that the United States is contemplating military actions against…
Iranian regime squares off against student protesters in the streets of Tehran

Iranian Authorities Confront Student Demonstrators Amidst Tensions in Tehran Streets

In Tehran on Saturday, confrontations between Iranian regime enforcers and student demonstrators…
Carjacking Chicago: Shooting, crime spree from Lakeview to South Side ends with 2 dead; Marquese Hill and teen charged

Chicago Crime Wave: Carjacking Spree from Lakeview to South Side Leaves 2 Dead; Suspects Marquese Hill and Teen Arrested

CHICAGO (WLS) — A teenager and an adult man have been charged…
Iran president says Tehran won't 'bow' as war tensions mount -- and US continues largest military buildup since Iraq invasion

Iran’s President Asserts Defiance Amid Rising Tensions and U.S. Military Expansion

On Saturday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian firmly declared that Tehran would resist…
Pittsburgh Pirates legend Bill Mazeroski dies at age 89

Baseball Icon and Pittsburgh Pirates Legend Bill Mazeroski Passes Away at 89

Bill Mazeroski, forever immortalized for delivering the most iconic home run in…
Exiled Iranian princess Noor Pahlavi speaks out on protests, hopes for regime change: 'Never been this close'

Iran on the Brink: Princess Noor Pahlavi Voices Hope for Revolutionary Change Amidst Unprecedented Protests

Noor Pahlavi’s heart aches as she witnesses the ongoing suffering of the…
The court says no to Trump: Supreme justices choose the Constitution on tariffs

Supreme Court Upholds Constitution Over Trump in Landmark Tariff Decision

In a decisive move, six U.S. Supreme Court justices have countered Donald…