Diddy juror booted over 'lack of candor' as mogul's lawyers accuse prosecutors of racism: Live trial updates

By GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, CHIEF U.S. REPORTER and DANIEL BATES AT THE DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN FEDERAL COURTHOUSE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 13:36 BST, 16 June 2025 | Updated: 14:54 BST, 16 June 2025

A black juror has been dismissed from the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex-trafficking and racketeering trial after the defense vigorously opposed the move.

Diddy shook his head on Friday as judge Arun Subramanian said he was inclined to let the juror be dismissed and replaced by one of the alternates after the man gave gave inconsistent statements about his residency.

The disgraced mogul’s lawyers said they would demand a mistrial if the state’s request to have the juror dismissed over inconsistent statements was granted.

A 57-year-old white man will replace juror #6.

The prosecution is expected to wrap up their case over the next days. They say they charged the rapper with sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy because he used threats, drugs and violence to force women into unwelcome sexual experiences and used his employees and associates to help him get what he wanted.

Diddy, 55, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.

Juror #6 is dismissed as judge admonishes Diddy lawyers for suggesting racism

Judge Arun Subramanian ruled on Monday morning that juror #6, a black man, will be dismissed from the jury and replaced with an alternate.

The judge said he had ‘concerns about his candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel.’

The defense over the weekend had argued there was no valid basis for the dismissal and it would discriminatory to dismiss the juror.

‘All of this was part of a coordinated effort to try to destroy one of the most successful black men in American history,’ Diddy’s lawyers said in a letter.

Juror #6 is a 41-year-old black man who works in communications at a correctional facility.

The juror who will replace him is a 57-year-old white accountant from Westchester County.

On Monday, the judge said: ‘The defense raised concerns about replacing an African American juror with a white one… . The Court takes this seriously- but further questioning is inappropriate and might negatively impact the jury. This is why we have alternates.’

The judge admonished Diddy’s attorneys for making the juror dismissal issue about race, saying it would be ‘improper’ to make the decision based on the juror’s races.’

The judge said Diddy ‘has not got the right to a boutique jury’ that mirrors his own race.

Diddy didn’t seem phased and stretched his arms in the air as the judge spoke.

All the explosive testimony from inside Diddy courtroom on Daily Mail’s podcast The Trial

To hear all the explosive testimony from singer Cassie Ventura and the other witnesses in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ trial, tune in to Daily Mail’s hit podcast The Trial.

From sworn testimony to video evidence and the rapper’s every subtle move, our team of journalists take you inside the courtroom of the world’s biggest celebrity case.

Daily Mail has been following Diddy’s downfall from the very beginning. Join us as we hear from experts involved in the case, and members of the rapper’s inside circle.

LISTEN: Diddy call ex his ‘crack pipe’ after freak off on Tuesday

In a newly-released voice note from played to the court on Tuesday, Diddy told Jane: ‘Baby [I] had a great time.

‘You are the crack pipe. That’s my new name for you, or shall I call you CP.’

When asked about the comment, Jane said it referenced addiction ‘to her ex.’

In a voice note from Jane to Diddy played to the court, she is heard telling him: ‘Crack pipe is so real for both of us….definitely stay in the light, have a good celebration for you.

‘I had so, so, so much fun with you. Turks was incredible, being close with you. I’m so happy. I’m definitely going to rest up…’

Summary witness takes the stand

Ananya Sankar, a paralegal for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, was the first witness called to the stand by the prosecution on Monday.

She is telling the court about text messages she reviewed that were obtained from a cellphone.

Summary witness DeLeassa Penland is expected to take the stand after Sankar.

She will testify about the 2016 filmed assault on Cassie Ventura at an LA hotel.

The third witness Monday will be Brendan Paul, a former assistant of Diddy’s.

The key man hanging over the Diddy trial that no one’s talking about

Every day, the rapper, 55, who is currently standing trial in New York on sex trafficking charges, is supported at court by his loyal mother Janice.

Even most of his seven children attended the opening statements as a group, with some of his sons in regular attendance.

Yet if there is one man who haunts the trial, it is his late father, Melvin Combs – who may even explain how Diddy came to land in such hot water.

Judge notes issue with ANOTHER juror

Judge Arun Subramanian said on Monday morning that an unspecified issue arose on Friday with a juror.

He said he will deal with it at the end of the day.

It comes after juror #6 was dismissed over inconsistent statements about his place of residency.

All the celebrities mentioned in Diddy trial so far

Diddy’s ex-assistant Capricorn Clark exposed the mogul’s list of celebrities enemies and many other A-listers have come up in testimony.

The trial has even inspired deep fake videos that use AI-generated images to falsely claim that certain celebrities, such as Oprah and Jennifer Lawrence, have been mentioned in the mogul’s sex-trafficking case.

Here is a list of all the celebrities talked about in the trial so far:

Michael Jordan’s response to being named in twisted Diddy roleplay fantasy with Shaq

Testifying under a pseudonym, ‘Jane’ revealed Diddy’s twisted NBA role play where he casted himself as Jordan, her as Kobe Bryant and the male escort she slept with as Shaquille O’Neal.

How P Diddy’s alleged crimes began in the 80s – and the disturbing reason he was called ‘Puff’

DEEP DIVE delves into Diddy’s 30-year reign of excess and debauchery in unprecedented detail, starting with his ‘crazy’ fits of rage as a student in the 1980s that earned him the disturbing ‘Puff’ nickname.

Contained within hundreds of pages of civil court documents are the horrifying details of his tempestuous relationship with Cassie Ventura – which ultimately led to the floodgates opening.

Among the many allegations contained within the papers are claims that Diddy filmed fellow A-list celebrities taking drugs and having sex with prostitutes. In many cases, the name of the celebrities involved have been kept anonymous by court order.

Read the interactive story here:

Juror #6 could be booted from Diddy trial after ‘inconsistencies’ in his statements

Judge Arun Subramanian said on Friday that juror #6 should be dismissed because of inconsistencies in his statements about his place of residency.

These changes suggested an ‘effort to try to get onto the jury’ the judge said.

‘In the robing room he said the daughter lived in New Jersey. Then he said, in The Bronx, with his aunt. In the voir dire he said he lived with his girlfriend – who lives in New Jersey. These are inconsistencies,’ the judge said.

‘The reason we have alternate jurors is if questions arise. Where there’s a question like this, removal of the juror is required. The juror will be dismissed, he should not return on Monday.’

Diddy shook his head after the judge made the comments.

His lawyers had suggested prosecutors wanted the juror out because he was black and strongly opposed the juror’s dismissal.

The defense then said over the weekend they plan on demanding a mistrial if the juror is dismissed.

Judge Subramanian said he will make a ruling Monday morning.