Inside the jury selection process for Sean 'Diddy' Combs' upcoming sex trafficking trial
Shreeaa Rathi | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Apr 29, 2025, 21:18 IST
( Image credit : AP )
This week marks the beginning of jury selection for Shon 'Diddy' Combs' high-profile sex trafficking trial in Manhattan. Prospective jurors will fill out detailed questionnaires, as the court aims to select a panel of twelve jurors alongside six alternates. The opening statements are set for May 12, with the trial anticipated to unfold over the next eight to ten weeks.
Hundreds of New Yorkers are set to report to federal court in Manhattan this week, where they will complete detailed questionnaires as part of the jury selection process for the high-profile sex trafficking trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. The trial, overseen by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, is scheduled to begin jury selection next Monday.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to serious charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. His legal team and federal prosecutors have been sparring over the structure of the voir dire process—particularly the content and format of the questionnaire given to potential jurors.
Prosecutors pushed back against a 72-question survey proposed by Combs’ legal team earlier this month, arguing that the document was overly lengthy and delved into sensitive personal subjects such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, and assault. They maintained that such questions should be addressed in person by the judge—if at all. Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, countered that prospective jurors should have the option to answer those questions privately, either in writing or in a closed setting.
Judge Subramanian agreed that the questions must be asked, emphasizing the discussion was about timing and manner. As a compromise, prosecutors proposed adding a checkbox to allow jurors to indicate if they preferred to address sensitive topics in person. It's unclear whether the final version of the questionnaire includes this option, as it has not been made public.
The court will eventually narrow the pool to 12 jurors and six alternates. According to jury consultant Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, once the questionnaires are submitted, they will be reviewed by both prosecution and defense to determine any biases, financial hardships, or scheduling conflicts that may warrant excusal.
Opening statements are set for May 12, and the trial is expected to run for eight to ten weeks. The case revolves around explosive allegations that Combs orchestrated drug-fueled, sexually exploitative events referred to as “freak offs.” Prosecutors allege he arranged these events, directed them, and at times recorded them, with accusations from “Victim-1” closely mirroring those of his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura.
“You’re going to be exploring everything that could cast the case in a negative light, particularly from the defense's point of view,” said Dimitrius, who has served as a consultant in high-profile cases including the O.J. Simpson trial and Harvey Weinstein’s retrial.
Jury consultants play a pivotal role behind the scenes. In addition to evaluating questionnaires and flagging jurors who may harbor strong opinions, they scour social media to uncover posts or endorsements that suggest preexisting biases. Michael Boucher, another veteran jury consultant, noted that both sides will be keenly interested in whether potential jurors are familiar with Combs' music, his public persona, or the media coverage surrounding the case.
Combs’ celebrity status and controversial history only complicate matters. In November 2023, Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Though the suit was quickly settled privately, a video later released by CNN showed Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016—an incident Ventura had described in her suit. Combs publicly apologized after the video surfaced.
His legal team attempted to prevent the video from being shown in court, arguing it had been manipulated and edited out of sequence. CNN denied any tampering. On Friday, Judge Subramanian ruled that the jury will be allowed to view the footage—delivering a significant setback to the defense.
“That video is going to be very difficult for Combs to overcome,” said Boucher. “Most people will instinctively say, ‘That’s just wrong.’ The defense will have to work very hard to find jurors who might look past it due to emotional reasoning or skepticism.”
With Ventura expected to testify and public scrutiny mounting, both sides face the monumental task of assembling a fair and impartial jury for what could become one of the most closely watched trials in recent memory.
Do you want a visual explainer or infographic on the jury selection process in high-profile federal trials?
Combs has pleaded not guilty to serious charges including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. His legal team and federal prosecutors have been sparring over the structure of the voir dire process—particularly the content and format of the questionnaire given to potential jurors.
Prosecutors pushed back against a 72-question survey proposed by Combs’ legal team earlier this month, arguing that the document was overly lengthy and delved into sensitive personal subjects such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, and assault. They maintained that such questions should be addressed in person by the judge—if at all. Combs’ attorney, Marc Agnifilo, countered that prospective jurors should have the option to answer those questions privately, either in writing or in a closed setting.
Judge Subramanian agreed that the questions must be asked, emphasizing the discussion was about timing and manner. As a compromise, prosecutors proposed adding a checkbox to allow jurors to indicate if they preferred to address sensitive topics in person. It's unclear whether the final version of the questionnaire includes this option, as it has not been made public.
The court will eventually narrow the pool to 12 jurors and six alternates. According to jury consultant Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, once the questionnaires are submitted, they will be reviewed by both prosecution and defense to determine any biases, financial hardships, or scheduling conflicts that may warrant excusal.
Opening statements are set for May 12, and the trial is expected to run for eight to ten weeks. The case revolves around explosive allegations that Combs orchestrated drug-fueled, sexually exploitative events referred to as “freak offs.” Prosecutors allege he arranged these events, directed them, and at times recorded them, with accusations from “Victim-1” closely mirroring those of his former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura.
“You’re going to be exploring everything that could cast the case in a negative light, particularly from the defense's point of view,” said Dimitrius, who has served as a consultant in high-profile cases including the O.J. Simpson trial and Harvey Weinstein’s retrial.
Jury consultants play a pivotal role behind the scenes. In addition to evaluating questionnaires and flagging jurors who may harbor strong opinions, they scour social media to uncover posts or endorsements that suggest preexisting biases. Michael Boucher, another veteran jury consultant, noted that both sides will be keenly interested in whether potential jurors are familiar with Combs' music, his public persona, or the media coverage surrounding the case.
Combs’ celebrity status and controversial history only complicate matters. In November 2023, Ventura filed a lawsuit accusing Combs of years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. Though the suit was quickly settled privately, a video later released by CNN showed Combs assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016—an incident Ventura had described in her suit. Combs publicly apologized after the video surfaced.
His legal team attempted to prevent the video from being shown in court, arguing it had been manipulated and edited out of sequence. CNN denied any tampering. On Friday, Judge Subramanian ruled that the jury will be allowed to view the footage—delivering a significant setback to the defense.
“That video is going to be very difficult for Combs to overcome,” said Boucher. “Most people will instinctively say, ‘That’s just wrong.’ The defense will have to work very hard to find jurors who might look past it due to emotional reasoning or skepticism.”
With Ventura expected to testify and public scrutiny mounting, both sides face the monumental task of assembling a fair and impartial jury for what could become one of the most closely watched trials in recent memory.
Do you want a visual explainer or infographic on the jury selection process in high-profile federal trials?