The jury in the high-profile federal trial of rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs reported Tuesday it had reached a verdict on four of five criminal counts but remained deadlocked on the most serious charge—racketeering conspiracy.
After two days of deliberations, the 12-member panel sent a note to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian stating it could not agree on the racketeering conspiracy count, citing “unpersuadable views” among jurors on both sides.
Despite the partial verdict, Subramanian instructed the jury to continue deliberating on the unresolved charge, reasoning with prosecutors and Combs’s defense team that it was too early to accept a split decision. Deliberations are set to resume on Wednesday.
Combs, 55, faces allegations that he used his celebrity status, financial power, and threats of violence to coerce two former girlfriends into participating in drug-fueled sex parties with male sex workers, events described in court as “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.”
If convicted on all counts, the Bad Boy Records founder could be sentenced to a minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.
The racketeering conspiracy charge, listed as count one on the jury’s verdict sheet, is the most complex. It requires jurors to determine not only whether Combs led a criminal enterprise but also whether he was responsible for a range of alleged offenses, including kidnapping and arson. The charge falls under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a statute often used in cases involving organized crime and drug cartels.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Combs appeared in court as his attorneys explained the jury’s note. His mother and several of his children were present in the courtroom. After the jury was dismissed for the day, Combs blew a kiss and tapped his heart toward his family, then paused to tell his mother, “Love you” and “I’ll be alright,” before being led from the room by marshals.
Jurors requested to review key testimony from Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, Combs’s former longtime girlfriend, including her account of a 2016 assault at a Los Angeles hotel—an incident captured on security camera footage—and her claims that Combs threatened to release explicit videos of her after accusing her of stealing drugs at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013.
They also asked to see testimony from Daniel Phillip, a stripper who described Ventura as visibly terrified after allegedly being assaulted by Combs in a New York hotel between 2012 and 2014.
“Her whole entire body was shaking, like she was terrified,” Phillip testified, adding that Ventura tried to reassure him by saying, “It’s OK. I’m fine. I’ll be OK.”
Earlier in the week, the jury sought clarification on what constitutes drug distribution as it relates to the racketeering conspiracy charge. Subramanian responded by reiterating the instructions he had previously given.
During closing arguments last week, prosecutors argued that Combs “used power, violence, and fear to get what he wanted,” and that jurors needed only to find that one of the alleged “freak-offs” was coerced to convict on the trafficking charges. Prosecutors also pointed to text messages in which an alleged victim said she feared that Combs would stop paying her rent if she refused to participate.
Combs’s defense team countered that the sexual encounters were consensual and that there was no conspiracy, arguing that his employees were unaware of any wrongdoing and that any drugs procured were for Combs’s personal use. They said that if anything, his conduct amounted to domestic violence, but not federal felonies. Combs chose not to testify, relying on cross-examination of prosecution witnesses to make the case for acquittal.
Combs has been held in federal custody in Brooklyn since his arrest in September 2024. The jury began deliberations on Monday, with the first note from the foreperson expressing concern that one juror might not be following the judge’s instructions. Subramanian reminded the panel of their obligation to deliberate and adhere to the law.
The trial, which has drawn significant public and media attention, will continue on Wednesday as the jury resumes efforts to reach a unanimous verdict on the remaining racketeering conspiracy charge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From NTD News
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