Diddy Trial Verdict Looms as Jury Splits on Racketeering Conspiracy
Real talk—why is the jury still hung up on Diddy’s racketeering charge? After a brisk second day of deliberations, jurors reconvened Tuesday afternoon to report they’d hit a verdict on four of the five counts in the federal case against the hip-hop mogul, while the racketeering conspiracy count remains a deadlock. Deliberations kicked off Monday, and by Tuesday morning the panel asked the judge for transcripts related to Cassie’s testimony about those so-called “freak-offs,” because prosecutors only need to prove a single instance of force, fraud or coercion to secure a sex trafficking conviction on that front.
Cassie’s side of the story was a marquee moment on the stand. According to court filings, she described several encounters where Diddy allegedly steered escorts into explicit sessions using texts and financial promises. Jurors zeroing in on those transcripts suggests they’re parsing every “freak-off” reference like it’s a clue in a true-crime docuseries. Meanwhile, they haven’t requested any records on Jane Doe’s testimony, so it’s anyone’s guess where they lean on that second sex trafficking allegation.
On the mens rea side, prosecutors appear to have scored big under the Mann Act, arguing Diddy transported male escorts across state lines for prostitution. Witness testimony, bank statements and travel logs were all laid out in court, and jurors signaled they were satisfied with that theory—at least on the four resolved counts. But RICO, the big kahuna of the indictment, is proving stickier. The government painted a portrait of a coordinated enterprise allegedly spanning fraud, coercion and money laundering. Defense attorneys countered that these were isolated business disputes, not criminal rackets.
The looming Independence Day holiday might be the jury’s motivator to wrap things up. They’re set to return Wednesday for more back-and-forth, and if they remain split on racketeering, the judge could declare a mistrial on that count alone. Until then, Diddy’s future hangs in the balance. He was seen hugging family in the courthouse halls, whispering that he loves them and he’ll be okay—toned-down confidence or nerves? Jury room tea leaves are anyone’s guess.
Anyway, that’s the deal. Do with it what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ.com
People Magazine
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