Diddy's sex trafficking trial kicks off with jury selection
What's the story
The trial of hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs is scheduled to commence in New York on Monday.
Jury selection will begin in the morning and may take several days. Opening statements and the start of testimony are expected next week.
He faces sex trafficking and racketeering charges spanning two decades.
The 17-page indictment against Combs says he abused his power and resources to coerce women into drug-fueled sexual performances, which he called "Freak Offs."
Manipulation and violence
Combs's alleged tactics to control victims revealed
Per the indictment, Combs wielded his influence to control and manipulate women, promising to boost their entertainment careers or discard them if they didn't comply.
The indictment also alleges that Combs and his associates turned to violence when their demands weren't met, including beatings, kidnapping, and arson.
In one case, he allegedly dangled someone from a balcony.
Defense
Combs denies charges, claims consensual encounters
Combs and his lawyers deny the charges, claiming any group sex was consensual.
They argue there was no coercion involved and the alleged incidents do not amount to a criminal racket.
The trial is expected to continue for at least eight weeks.
One incident of violence likely to feature in the trial has been acknowledged by Combs himself: a 2016 security camera recording of him beating up his former girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie, in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.
Defense statement
Combs's attorney acknowledged toxic relationships, defended consent
Notably, Combs's attorney Marc Agnifilo admitted Combs was "not a perfect person" and confessed to drug use and toxic relationships.
However, he defended that all sexual activity between Combs, Cassie, and others was consensual.
Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit in late 2023 claiming years of abuse by Combs, including beatings and rape.
Past incidents
Combs's history of legal issues
Notably, this is not Combs's first brush with the law.
He was charged in 1999 for assaulting an Interscope Records executive but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and took an anger management class.
He was acquitted of all charges later that year in a nightclub shooting incident involving his then-girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez.
In 2015, he was charged with assaulting someone with a weight-room kettlebell at UCLA, but prosecutors dropped the case.