A Black male juror was excused from Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial after “inconsistent” answers about where he lives. Combs’ lawyers opposed the decision, claiming in a motion filed over the weekend that “Combs would be substantially prejudiced by the dismissal.”
On Monday, the judge made his decision final, telling Juror No. 6 to bounce.
And his living situation is wild.
According to Variety, the juror claimed on a questionnaire that he, his fiancée and his daughter lived in the Bronx. But after the trial began, he allegedly told another juror during a break, that he’d moved to New Jersey with his girlfriend.
When questioned about his living situation the juror claimed that he had an apartment in the Bronx where he stays during the week, but he also spends time with his daughter and her mother in New Jersey. Oh, at one point he also claimed that he lived with an aunt but didn’t mention her again when questioned about where he resides.
Because the juror never explained his complex living situation (assuming that any of what he said was true,) Judge Arun Subramanian said there were too many “inconsistencies” between the juror’s answers in the court transcripts, which could be an attempt to “shade answers” or “be deceptive” just to get on the jury.
“There are serious questions about the juror’s candor and the juror’s ability to follow the court’s instructions,” Subramanian said, Variety reports. The judge added that there are six alternate jurors on standby to preserve the “integrity” of the court. “Removal of the juror is required, in this court’s view.”
Xavier Donaldson, one of Combs’ lawyers, objected the judge’s decision noting that it’s “very, very common” for New Yorkers to move around the city and New Jersey. Donaldson added that the court was “equating inconsistencies with lying.”
“I do believe he will be able to follow instructions,” Donaldson said, adding that Juror No. 6 has been “awake — I can’t say they all have been awake.”
Wait, have jurors in the Diddy trial been falling asleep? Or does he mean “awake” in the righteous sense of the word?
Who knows.
It appears that Diddy’s lawyers were upset because they were losing a Black male juror from the Bronx (assuming that he actually lives in the Bronx) and the hope, I’m sure, was that this juror was going to be sympathetic to Diddy’s plight. But I could be completely wrong.
Donaldson noted that this jury was a diverse group and he didn’t want to lose that diversity over miscommunication.
“That part is important to me and my client,” Donaldson said, adding that dismissing the juror would be “a step backward.”
“I don’t generally play the race card unless I have it in my hand,” Donaldson said.
The prosecution was like, “Look, fam. It’s great that the jury is diverse but ol boy can’t seem to figure out where he lives and that’s why we have alternates.” I’m paraphrasing but you get the point.
Variety notes that this is the sixth week of the trial and the prosecution should be finished calling its case this week. The defense will then have a chance to call witnesses. If found guilty of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution, Diddy could face life in prison.
See the latest reactions to the case below.
