jury selection
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The sex trafficking trial for Sean “Diddy” Combs takes place this week, and on Monday (May 5), the jury selection process was underway. Diddy’s charges include sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution.
As reported by NPR, jury selection kicked off Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial on Monday in what is expected to be one of the more explosive cases heard in New York in some time. The longtime music executive and business mogul has been accused of several heinous crimes, and several individuals have launched lawsuits accusing Combs of committing acts of violence, intimidation, and more.
The jury selection process will reportedly take one week to complete, and opening statements are scheduled to be heard by U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian on May 12. Initially arrested on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, prosecutors filed a superseding indictment last and tacked on two additional charges: sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and the aforementioned transporting charge.
Diddy’s legal team requested a two-month delay for the trial as they wanted more time to respond to last month’s indictment. Judge Subramanian denied the request. It is expected that several witnesses and victims who allege Combs harmed them will take the stand. And unlike many trials of this magnitude, the trial will not be shown on television.
Combs faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges. The transporting to engage in prostitution count carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
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Photo: Julia Beverly / Getty
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Source: Fulton County PD / Fulton County Sheriff’s Department
The moment of truth for Young Thug and his YSL associates is drawing near. A judge will commence seating the jury for the YSL RICO trial this week.
11Alive has exclusively confirmed that a County Clark magistrate will begin assigning jury seats Wednesday, (Nov. 1.) Even though this process was originally scheduled for later this month, Judge Ural Glanville has moved it up in alignment with the Georgia Speedy Trial law. According to Reuters, the legislation says, “Criminal defendants in Georgia can request that their trial begin in the weeks after they are indicted, as long as jurors are available to hear the case.”
It is no surprise that the “Lifestyle” rapper is eagerly awaiting the chance to defend his name. The jury selection process has been time consuming to say the least. It originally started in January and took the majority of this year to finalize. All the while Young Thug has remained behind bars as he awaits trial; he was originally arrested in May 2022.
He has been denied bond several times with his last attempt being in June. His legal team claims the time behind bars has had a glaring effect on his health. “This lifestyle has caused physically harm to Mr. Williams,” his lawyer stated during a hearing in June, according to 11Alive.
Georgia prosecutors allege that YSL is a gang with Young Thug serving as its leader. Young Thug has plead not guilty to the charges.
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