Jury to maintain deliberating after deadlocking on most critical cost

The jury within the trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs will maintain deliberating after reaching a partial verdict, however deadlocking on essentially the most critical cost confronted by the hip-hop mogul.

On the federal court docket in New York, the 12 jurors introduced they’d agreed on 4 of the 5 counts, however had been unable to resolve on the racketeering cost, which carries a potential life jail time period.

The ambiance was tense because the rapper sat with head bowed, arms folded in his lap. His attorneys often put their arms round him. Deliberations will resume on Wednesday morning.

Mr Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible to all 5 prices, together with intercourse trafficking, racketeering and transportation to have interaction in prostitution.

At round 16:30 EDT on Tuesday (20:30 GMT), the jury introduced they’d reached a verdict on 4 of the 5 counts, after two days of deliberations.

Decide Arun Subramanian heard arguments from each the prosecution and the defence on how you can proceed, earlier than urging the jurors to maintain making an attempt.

The prosecution urged the decide to make use of an Allen cost, which is a set of directions given to a hung jury to press its members to achieve a unanimous determination.

Allen prices are controversial, as some imagine they’ll put undue stress on juries, forcing them to vary their stances or cave to see stress – particularly when their opinion is within the minority.

The foreperson ultimately despatched a observe to the decide saying the jury had completed for the day.

They may return on Wednesday, and will probably proceed on 3 July – when the court docket is often closed forward of the 4 July public vacation.

Over the previous two months, the jury has heard from 34 witnesses, together with ex-girlfriends, former staff of Mr Combs, male escorts and federal brokers.

The defendant, who has additionally passed by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love, is a widely known determine within the music business.

In 2023, he launched his fifth file The Love Album: Off The Grid and earned his first solo nomination on the Grammy awards. He additionally was named a International Icon on the MTV Awards.