When is Diddy’s trial and what are the costs?

The jury within the trial of American music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who’s accused of working a sprawling intercourse trafficking operation, might be sworn in on Monday earlier than opening statements are delivered by attorneys for either side.

The 55-year-old was arrested final September and faces fees together with racketeering, intercourse trafficking and transportation to interact in prostitution. He may face life in jail if convicted.

Mr Combs has pleaded not responsible and denied all allegations in opposition to him.

Dozens of potential jurors had been screened earlier than being whittled right down to 12 – and 6 alternates – forward of Monday.

Mr Combs additionally faces dozens of civil lawsuits from people who accuse him of utilizing his energy to drug, assault, rape, intimidate and silence folks. He has stated the person lawsuits are makes an attempt “for a fast payday”.

The primary week of testimony will embrace two witnesses who’re anticipated to talk briefly, prosecutors stated, adopted by a 3rd witness who will see extra time on the stand.

The courtroom is anticipated to be open to the general public, however proceedings won’t be televised or streamed on-line.

Cameras, telephones and digital gadgets are usually not allowed in US federal courtrooms.

The BBC will convey you reside updates because the jury is seated and opening statements start on Monday straight from the courtroom.

The trial proceedings started with jury choice on Monday 5 Might in entrance of US District Decide Arun Subramanian, on the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse in decrease Manhattan.

The decide informed jurors the trial itself may final round eight weeks.

Dozens of potential jurors had been vetted by the courtroom.

The method included potential jurors wanting via a protracted record of locations and those who could possibly be talked about throughout trial, with names like Kanye West and Child Cudi.

The “Folks and Locations” record was so lengthy that Decide Subramanian stated she “felt like I used to be studying an appendix for Lord of the Rings”.

Potential jurors additionally needed to fill out questionnaires that requested whether or not they had “views about hip hop artists” or “emotions regarding violence, sexual assault”.

The decide reminded the courtroom a number of instances of the significance of selecting a good and neutral jury.

Almost all of the potential jurors had learn information stories of the allegations within the case and plenty of had seen footage of Mr Combs kicking his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura in a resort hallway.

Within the federal felony case being heard in New York, Mr Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two fees of intercourse trafficking and two fees of transportation to interact in prostitution.

Lots of the most extreme allegations relate to the racketeering conspiracy cost.

This contains accusations of kidnapping, drugging, and coercing ladies into sexual actions, generally utilizing firearms or threats of violence.

In a raid on his Los Angeles mansion, police discovered provides that they stated had been supposed to be used in orgies often known as “freak offs”, together with medicine and greater than 1,000 bottles of child oil.

Individually, Mr Combs faces numerous lawsuits accusing him of rape and assault.

Tony Buzbee, a Texas lawyer dealing with a few of these circumstances, stated that greater than 100 men and women from throughout the US had both filed lawsuits in opposition to the rap mogul or supposed to take action.

In December 2023, a girl recognized in courtroom papers as Jane Doe alleged that she was “gang raped” by Mr Combs and others in 2003, when she was 17. She stated she was given “copious quantities of medicine and alcohol” earlier than the assault.

Mr Combs’ authorized workforce dismissed the flurry of lawsuits as “clear makes an attempt to garner publicity.”

Mr Combs’ present authorized points started in late 2023 when he was sued by Ms Ventura, also called Cassie, for violent abuse and rape.

That lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed quantity a day after it was filed, with Mr Combs sustaining his innocence.

Since then, dozens of different folks have filed lawsuits accusing Mr Combs of sexual assault, with accusations relationship again to 1991. He denies all of the claims.

His controversial historical past with Ms Ventura resurfaced in 2024, when CNN leaked CCTV footage from 2016 displaying Mr Combs kicking his ex-girlfriend as she lay on a resort hallway ground.

He apologised for his behaviour, saying: “I take full accountability for my actions in that video. I used to be disgusted then once I did it. I am disgusted now.”

In a press release to the BBC in regards to the federal felony fees, Mr Combs’ lawyer stated: “Mr Combs and his authorized workforce have full confidence within the information and the integrity of the judicial course of.

“In courtroom, the reality will prevail: that Mr Combs by no means sexually assaulted or trafficked anybody – man or lady, grownup or minor.”

Diddy’s attorneys later filed a movement to dismiss one a part of the federal indictment through which he’s accused of transportation to interact in prostitution. His workforce argued he was being unfairly focused on account of his race.

In a listening to in New York per week earlier than the trial formally started, his attorneys informed the courtroom that the rapper led the “life-style” of a “swinger” and was not a felony.

They stated he thought it was “acceptable” to have a number of intercourse companions, together with intercourse staff.

On the identical listening to, prosecutors revealed that Mr Combs had rejected a plea deal.

Mr Combs’ attorneys have persistently denied the allegations made in opposition to him within the civil lawsuits, describing them as “sickening” and suggesting they had been made by “people in search of a fast payday”.

If convicted on the racketeering cost, Mr Combs faces as much as life in jail.

He faces one other statutory minimal sentence of 15 years if he’s discovered responsible of intercourse trafficking.

Transportation for functions of prostitution carries a most sentence of 10 years.

Mr Combs has been held on the Metropolitan Detention Heart in Brooklyn, New York, since his arrest on 16 September 2024.

Critics describe the jail as overcrowded and understaffed, with a tradition of violence.

His attorneys argued for his launch, citing the jail’s “horrific” circumstances, however a New York federal decide denied the bail request, describing Mr Combs as a “critical flight danger”.

Prosecutors beforehand alleged that Mr Combs had damaged jail guidelines by contacting potential witnesses.

They accused him of “relentless efforts” to “corruptly affect witness testimony”.

A decide granted Mr Combs permission to put on non-prison clothes throughout his trial slightly than the jumpsuits he wears in jail.

When he appeared in courtroom for jury choice, the rapper wore a blue sweater and white shirt with glasses on his head.

Mr Combs – who has additionally passed by the names Puffy, Puff Daddy, P Diddy, Love, and Brother Love – emerged within the hip-hop scene within the Nineteen Nineties.

His early music profession success included serving to launch the careers of Mary J Blige and Christopher Wallace – aka Biggie Smalls, or The Infamous B.I.G.

His music label Dangerous Boy Data grew to become one of the crucial vital labels in rap and expanded to incorporate Religion Evans, Ma$e, 112, Mariah Carey and Jennifer Lopez.

Mr Combs additionally had a prolific enterprise profession outdoors of music, together with a cope with British drinks firm Diageo to advertise the French vodka model Cîroc.

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.

Get all the newest trial updates on the BBC Sounds ‘Diddy on Trial‘ podcast accessible wherever you get your BBC podcasts.