‘Damning’ video has prospective jurors excused as jury selection begins in Diddy’s trial

Jury selection started on Monday in the federal court in Manhattan for the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs. The process showed how important a video of Combs attacking his former girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, will be in the case. On the first day, many potential jurors were asked about how much they knew about the case and whether they had any biases, especially about the video evidence.

During jury selection, some potential jurors were dismissed for showing biases, such as liking social media posts joking about the case or admitting to past crimes. According to TMZ, the chosen jurors will remain anonymous.

Prosecutors raised concerns about high-profile lawyer Mark Geragos being unofficially involved in the case. Geragos, whose daughter is part of Combs’ legal team, was seen advising the defense and talking about the case on his podcast, 2 Angry Men, which might break rules against public statements that could affect a fair trial.

Diddy’s first day on trial starts with jury selection

Prosecutors pointed out that Geragos’ podcast discussed the Ventura assault video, the prosecution team, and the defense strategy. They asked the judge to remind Geragos of these rules.

Combs, who has been in custody since his arrest in September 2024, was in court wearing regular clothes, which Judge Arun Subramanian allowed. He seemed nervous during the proceedings and admitted to the judge that he was anxious. The judge plans to choose twelve jurors and six alternates within three days, and the trial is expected to last eight weeks.

Potential jurors were given a long list with more than 100 names of people and places that might be connected to the case. The list included famous people like Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, and Kanye West, though none are accused of crimes. The list also included women who have sued Combs, including his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and singer Dawn Richard. Richard’s ongoing lawsuit claims that Combs assaulted her and intimidated her as a witness.

Prosecutors said they were having trouble reaching an important witness called “Victim-3” in the charges and were unsure if she would come to court, even with a legal order. Twelve jurors will decide whether Combs, as federal prosecutors claim, used his power and influence to sexually exploit women for more than twenty years. The five charges focus on accusations that Combs forced women, including Ventura, into sexual situations with male sex workers while under the influence of drugs. These encounters were supposedly recorded and called “freak offs” by Combs.

While the charges do not name specific victims, the accusations against “Victim-1” match what Ventura said in a 2023 lawsuit, which was settled quickly without Combs admitting guilt. The lawsuit, which first brought the alleged sexual encounters to public attention, described years of claimed abuse. Combs has strongly denied all accusations, saying the sexual encounters were consensual.

The prosecution’s case relies heavily on a video from March 5, 2016, showing Combs attacking Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway. Prosecutors say this incident, where Ventura was trying to leave a hotel room, shows Combs using force related to a “freak off” and is strong evidence of sex trafficking. In the video, Combs only wore a towel, and Ventura was barefoot. After CNN showed the video, Combs publicly apologized, calling his actions “inexcusable.”

The defense also brought in Dr. Elie Aoun, a clinical psychiatrist, as an expert witness. Dr. Aoun will testify about the drugs Combs may have taken and their possible effects, such as blackouts and intoxication.