Diddy Trial Jury Seated As Opening Statements Loom
I assume you’re not exactly following every courtroom update, so let me simplify: Sean “Diddy” Combs’ high-profile misdemeanor trial moved one step closer to reality today when all 18 jurors—12 regulars and 6 alternates—were officially sworn in and told to ignore the Twitter storms. According to TMZ and corroborated by Reuters, Judge Lewis Kaplan assembled a diverse panel in Manhattan Supreme Court, ensuring a balance of age, gender and background. The seated jury counts seven men and five women, with ages ranging from their late 20s to early 60s. Prosecutors hailed the group as impartial; defense lawyers nodded through the doping of questions aimed at rooting out anyone who might have formed an opinion from the endless gossip sites.
This trial stems from a 2022 complaint in which an alleged victim—identifying herself as “Candy” in court papers—claimed Diddy engaged in non-consensual acts during a 2001 studio session. Combs has pleaded not guilty, insisting that everything was consensual and motivated by false memory. Courtside reports from the Associated Press and People Magazine note that both sides will tackle the issue of consent right off the bat. Opening statements are scheduled for Monday morning, May 13, and are expected to last several hours, with prosecutor Kristy Parker laying out her narrative first, followed by defense lead attorney Benjamin Brafman dismantling the state’s timeline.
In true TMZ fashion, they caught Combs arriving in a crisp gray suit, offering a fleeting nod to cameras before stepping under Judge Kaplan’s stern gaze. Seating the alternates was also a headline moment: three men and three women, all instructed to stay off social media and keep Monday mornings free—just in case one of the main jurors needs replacing mid-trial. The judge emphasized that leaks from this case could jeopardize the fairness of subsequent proceedings, hinting at contempt charges for anyone caught sharing deliberation details with the press.
Legal analysts at Reuters point out that trials of this nature turn on witness credibility and the jury’s interpretation of roughly two decades-old testimony. If you thought this would be a quick celebrity courtroom cameo, think again: experts predict weeks of testimony, cross-examinations, and sidebars about intimate text messages. Combs has publicly denied any wrongdoing and portrayed this as a smear campaign, while prosecutors insist social media outrage won’t sway a properly vetted jury.
That’s the gist—you’re now caught up on every juror’s squat and blink. Glad I could simplify that legal puzzle for you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, Reuters, Associated Press, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
