The jury in the high-profile s£x trafficking trial of music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has officially started deliberations, marking a critical phase in a case that has gripped public attention for months.
The 12-member panel — consisting of eight men and four women — is now tasked with weighing the evidence and determining whether Combs is guilty of the serious charges brought against him.
Deliberations began after nearly seven weeks of courtroom proceedings that included emotional testimonies and intense cross-examinations.
Combs, 55, faces multiple felony counts, including s£x trafficking and racketeering conspiracy — charges that could result in a life sentence if he is convicted.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented testimony from more than 30 witnesses, including former partners like Cassie Ventura and a woman identified only as “Jane.”
These witnesses described how they were allegedly coerced into s£xual acts and drug-fueled encounters under the guise of business or personal relationships.
Prosecutors also submitted surveillance footage — including a widely discussed video of Combs allegedly assaulting Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016 — as part of their evidence.
In contrast, Combs’ legal team argued that the relationships and situations described were consensual. His lawyers claimed that the prosecution exaggerated details from his private life to fit a narrative of criminal conduct.
Notably, Combs chose not to testify in his own defense, and his team called no witnesses, maintaining that the burden of proof rests entirely on the state.
Before sending the jury to deliberate, Judge Arun Subramanian gave instructions on how to evaluate conflicting testimony and reminded them of the legal thresholds required for conviction.
The jurors will now decide if the prosecution met its burden beyond a reasonable doubt.
Combs, who has been in federal custody since his arrest in September 2024, awaits the jury’s verdict, which will determine his fate in one of the most consequential legal battles of his career.
