The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial has decided to continue deliberating after reaching a partial verdict, but not on the most serious charge faced by the hip-hop mogul. The 12 jurors at the federal court in New York agreed on four of the five counts, but failed to reach a decision on the racketeering charge, which carries a possible life prison term. The atmosphere was tense as the rapper sat with his head bowed, hands folded in his lap, while his lawyers occasionally put their arms around him. Deliberations will resume on Wednesday morning. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all five charges, including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.
At approximately 4:30 EDT on Tuesday (8:30 GMT), the jury announced they had reached a verdict on four of the five counts after two days of deliberation. Judge Arun Subramanian heard arguments from both the prosecutor and the defense on how to proceed, before urging the jurors to continue their efforts to reach a decision. The prosecutor suggested the judge provide the jury with an Allen charge, which is a set of instructions given to a hung jury to encourage them to reach a unanimous decision. Allen charges are controversial, as some believe they may pressure juries into changing their opinions or giving in to peer pressure, particularly if their viewpoint is in the minority.
The jury foreperson eventually sent a note to the judge, stating that they had finished for the day. They are scheduled to return on Wednesday, with a potential continuation on July 3, which would be a departure from the court’s usual closure in preparation for the July 4 public holiday. Over the past two months, the jury has heard from 34 witnesses, including former girlfriends, ex-employees of Combs, male escorts, and federal agents. Combs, who has been known by other names such as Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love, is a prominent figure in the music industry. In 2023, he released his fifth album, The Love Album: Off The Grid, earning his first solo nomination at the Grammy Awards and being named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20nn0p9xg2o
