The jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial said on Tuesday that it has reached a verdict on four of five counts against the hip-hop superstar.
The partial decision remained undisclosed after jurors were told to continue deliberating on the most serious charge which has courted disagreement, racketeering conspiracy. A guilty decision could see Combs spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Prosecutors, Combs’ defence team and Judge Arun Subramanian agreed that after just two days of deliberations, it was too soon to give up on reaching a verdict on all counts.
So rather than taking a partial verdict, Subramanian instructed the jury to continue weighing the remaining charge. Deliberations are set to continue throughout Wednesday.
The developments came late on Tuesday afternoon, when the jury submitted a note saying it was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the racketeering conspiracy charge because there were jurors with “unpersuadable" views on both sides.
Racketeering conspiracy is the most complicated charge because it requires the jury to decide not only whether Combs ran a “racketeering enterprise,” but also whether he was involved in committing such offences, which include things like kidnapping and arson.
In less than 13 hours of deliberations however, the jury did reach a verdict on two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The latter concerns allegations of arranging to fly the women and sex workers across state lines.
If there is a conviction, the sex trafficking charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life. Transportation to engage in prostitution carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The remaining charge, the most serious offence Combs, 55, is accused of – racketeering conspiracy – carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The hip hop mogul appeared sombre after hearing about the jury note as his lawyers spoke with him. At one point, he solemnly read a piece of paper that attorney Marc Agnifilo handed to him.
After the jury came in for instructions and then exited the room, a subdued Combs sat in his chair for a few minutes. As he stood to leave, he faced his relatives and supporters in the audience, blew a kiss and tapped his heart, as he frequently has done at the start and end of each day.
Then he paused before his mother and exchanged a few words, telling her, “Love you” and “I’ll be all right.” Marshals then led him from the room.
Combs, better known as Diddy, pleaded not guilty on all charges. His lawyers argue that prosecutors are trying to criminalise the artist’s swinger lifestyle and that, if anything, his conduct amounted to domestic violence, not federal felonies.
