Diddy misplaced a key juror Thursday (June 13) in his federal intercourse trafficking and racketeering case after the court docket eliminated a Black male panelist for deceptive statements about the place he lives.
The juror, recognized as Juror #6, had advised the court docket throughout jury choice that he lived within the Bronx along with his fiancée and daughter.
Nevertheless, throughout a non-public dialogue with the decide, he later said that he had moved to New Jersey along with his girlfriend and had been there for a number of weeks.
When pressed once more, he claimed to spend 4 to 5 days every week in New York. The conflicting accounts prompted the prosecution to request his elimination, citing a “lack of candor.”
The decide agreed, saying the juror’s shifting story instructed he was attempting to remain on the panel by shading the reality.
“There’s no cause to lie until you’re attempting to get onto the jury,” the decide mentioned, including that the inconsistencies have been “inconsistent” and that the juror “mustn’t return on Monday.”
The choice instantly drew pushback from Diddy’s protection staff, who argued that the elimination may injury the racial steadiness of the jury.
The primary panel consists of 5 Black jurors, 4 white jurors, two Hispanic jurors, and one Asian juror. Of the six alternates, 4 are white and two are Black.
Legal professional Xavier Donaldson, representing Diddy, warned that eradicating Juror #6 may ship the flawed message about range within the courtroom.
“There have been points with the illustration of African American and Hispanic jurors on this District,” Donaldson mentioned. “We’ve taken a step with this jury; now we’re taking a step backward.”
Donaldson additionally argued that the juror’s residing state of affairs was common and mustn’t have been grounds for dismissal.
The decide, nonetheless, maintained that the elimination was essential to protect the integrity of the trial and known as on the usage of one of many alternate jurors.
The prosecution declined to elaborate additional however rejected the concept that race performed a job within the choice.
Diddy is going through 5 federal costs, together with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of intercourse trafficking by power, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transporting people for prostitution.
The trial, now in its fourth week, continues Monday (June 16) with the remaining jurors.
