Jury selection at the start of the federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs was temporarily halted when the hip-hop entrepreneur said he was “a little nervous” and needed to use the restroom.
The trial of Combs, whose successful career has been overshadowed by allegations of abuse, began Monday in New York.
Judge Arun Subramanian questioned about 30 potential jurors on their responses to a questionnaire designed to assess their ability to be impartial and fair in a trial that will feature violent and sexually explicit videos.
Opening statements and the start of witness interviews are scheduled for next week.
The judge outlined to prospective jurors the sex trafficking conspiracy and racketeering charges against Combs, clarifying that he had pleaded not guilty and was presumed innocent.
A similar number of jurors were expected to be questioned Tuesday. Jury selection was not scheduled to conclude until Wednesday.
Combs, 55, stood with his lawyers Monday wearing a sweater over a white collared shirt and gray pants that the judge allowed him to wear in lieu of a prison uniform. He has been in federal custody in Brooklyn since his arrest last September.
His hair and beard were almost completely grey, as dyeing is prohibited in prison.
Unlike other recent high-profile celebrity trials, Combs' case will not be broadcast live because electronic recordings are prohibited in federal courtrooms.
If found guilty on all charges, he could face life in prison.
Several potential jurors noted that they had seen news reports containing a key piece of evidence in the case – a video of the hip-hop mogul beating and kicking one of his accusers in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
One potential juror was dismissed after she described a still from the video as “damning evidence.”
After another juror was dismissed, Combs requested a bathroom break, telling the judge, “Sorry, your honor. I'm a little nervous today.”
The 17-page indictment against Combs alleges that he engaged in racketeering for two decades using
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
