By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER, Related Press
NEW YORK (AP) — The jury has reached a verdict Wednesday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ intercourse trafficking trial in New York Metropolis on the third day of deliberations.
The decision has but to be introduced in court docket.
Along with intercourse trafficking, Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy and transporting intercourse staff throughout state traces.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not responsible. His legal professionals acknowledge he could possibly be violent and will have been a foul boyfriend. However they deny that he’s finished something to warrant the costs towards him.
If convicted, he may spend the remainder of his life in jail.
The court docket mentioned a verdict had been reached after Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared buoyant arriving within the courtroom Wednesday morning, a distinction to his temper a day earlier after he discovered that the jury at his intercourse trafficking trial had reached a yet-to-be-disclosed verdict on all however one of many 5 expenses the hip-hop mogul faces.
Combs smiled and clasped his palms collectively within the air towards his household and supporters earlier than hugging a number of of his legal professionals and sitting right down to await the end result of the jury’s third day of deliberations.
A short time later, Combs, his head bowed, stood a number of toes from his household for lower than a minute as they sat with their heads bowed in prayer. As they did on Monday, Combs and relations then applauded earlier than he was led from the courtroom by U.S. marshals. The household later obtained in a van and left the courthouse.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Decide Arun Subramanian ordered the jury to proceed its closed-door discussions for a 3rd day after the panel of eight males and 4 ladies mentioned it was unable to achieve consensus on the highest rely: racketeering conspiracy.
The decide agreed with prosecutors and Combs’ protection staff that lower than 13 hours of deliberations was too quickly to surrender on reaching a verdict on all counts.
The jury’s resolution on the opposite expenses — two counts of intercourse trafficking and two counts of transportation to have interaction in prostitution — stays beneath wraps for now.
In a observe to the court docket late Tuesday, the jury mentioned “unpersuadable opinions on each side” amongst some jurors had prevented the group from reaching a unanimous verdict on the racketeering conspiracy cost.
Racketeering conspiracy is probably the most difficult cost within the trial and carries a possible most sentence of life in jail.
The intercourse trafficking cost carries a compulsory minimal sentence of 15 years in jail and a most sentence of life. Transportation to have interaction in prostitution carries a most sentence of 10 years in jail.
The disclosure of the jury observe concerning the partial verdict appeared to place protection attorneys and their consumer in a dour temper even earlier than it was learn in open court docket by the decide.
Eight protection legal professionals shaped a half-circle behind Combs as the grins and lighthearted temper that accompanied the arrival of different jury notes over two days appeared absent because the attorneys contemplated the chance that jurors had reached settlement on counts that carry the heaviest sentencing penalties.
Combs appeared morose as his legal professionals spoke with him. At one level, the hip-hop mogul solemnly learn a bit of paper that legal professional Marc Agnifilo handed to him.
After the jury got here in for directions after which exited the room, a subdued Combs sat in his chair for a couple of minutes. As he stood to go away, he confronted his relations and supporters within the viewers, blew a kiss and tapped his coronary heart, as he regularly has finished in the beginning and finish of every day.
Then he paused earlier than his mom and exchanged just a few phrases, telling her, “Love you” and “I’ll be all proper.”
Marshals then led him from the room.
Earlier of their deliberations the jury requested to evaluate testimony from Cassie, the R&B singer who was Diddy’s former longtime girlfriend, in addition to from Daniel Phillip, a male stripper Diddy is accused of paying to have intercourse with Cassie.
Prosecutors say Combs coerced two girlfriends into drug-fueled intercourse marathons with male intercourse staff.
Attorneys for the Dangerous Boy Data founder contend prosecutors try to criminalize Combs’ swinger life-style. They are saying his conduct, if something, amounted to home violence, not federal felonies.
Combs, who selected to not testify.
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