Diddy’s team and prosecutors clash over juror questions as trial set to begin

The upcoming sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs is already running into major difficulties, even before the trial officially begins. One of the biggest disagreements between Diddy’s lawyers and federal prosecutors is about how potential jurors should be selected, particularly what questions they should be asked and how detailed those questions should be.

Warning: the following involves accusations of sex trafficking, racketeering, arranging travel for prostitution, and drug use.

Diddy’s legal team proposed a detailed 72-question survey designed to uncover any biases that potential jurors might have, per NBC. The survey asked about personal experiences, such as whether they or someone they knew had been affected by sexual assault, sexual abuse, or domestic violence. It also asked for their opinions on drug use and wealthy individuals. 

Prosecutors argued that the survey was too long and invasive. They believed that such personal and sensitive topics should only be discussed in person with the judge, if necessary, rather than in a written questionnaire. They were concerned that asking these questions upfront could unfairly sway jurors before the trial even started.

The Diddy team is already debating over questions for jurors

The disagreement led to a lot of back-and-forth between the two sides. Diddy’s lawyers argued that potential jurors should have the option to answer sensitive questions either in writing or out loud, saying that written responses might make people more comfortable and honest.

Eventually, prosecutors suggested a compromise: adding an option to the survey that would let jurors indicate if they preferred to discuss these topics in person instead of writing their answers down. The final version of the questionnaire has not been made public. The jury selection process will happen in several stages.

First, potential jurors will fill out the questionnaires. Then, the court will review their answers and share them with both the prosecution and Diddy’s defense team. The process is made even more complicated by the fact that both sides have hired jury consultants.

These experts will carefully analyze the responses to spot any biases or reasons why a juror might not be suitable for the case. They will also flag issues that might need further discussion during in-person questioning. A major part of their job will be examining potential jurors’ social media activity to see if they have already formed opinions about Diddy, the case, or related events.

Given Diddy’s fame, the consultants will pay close attention to whether jurors’ views are influenced by his music, public image, or past scandals. They will also look for any strong beliefs jurors might have about wealth, power, the music industry, or drug use.

The trial is set to begin on May 12th and is expected to last between eight and ten weeks. Diddy is accused of pressuring women into participating in sexual encounters involving drugs. Prosecutors claim he organized these encounters and sometimes recorded them, allegedly using drugs to make his victims more compliant.

One important piece of evidence will be a video that appears to show Diddy attacking his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura. While Diddy’s lawyers argue that the video has been altered and is unreliable, the judge has ruled that it can be shown to the jury, which could create a serious problem for the defense.