New Juror Scandal Rocks Diddy Trial
Time to slice through the courtroom tension: here’s the bottom line. A fresh juror crisis has erupted in Sean “Diddy” Combs’s high-profile sex assault case after one of the jurors reported a mysterious text message that hints at outside chatter about the trial. The move has Judge Arun Subramanian on high alert, sparking concerns of potential juror misconduct that could force another reshuffle.
The incoming juror approached the bench last Friday with an unusual revelation: he’d received a text from an unknown number asking if he was “Juror No. 6.” That juror number had already made headlines when Judge Subramanian dismissed the original occupant over discrepancies about his residence. According to court documents obtained by People Magazine, the text arrived late in the evening and the juror insisted he didn’t recognize the cellphone number. TMZ insiders confirm the judge drilled him on every detail—from timestamp to phone carrier—seeking to determine if anyone was leaking courtroom developments or sowing confusion.
Defense and prosecution both watched closely as Judge Subramanian weighed the implications. Combs’s legal team argues any outside communication could undermine the jury’s impartiality, while the district attorney’s office stresses the importance of a clean panel to secure a fair verdict. The jury isn’t sequestered; members return home daily but have strict instructions—no case discussions, no media updates, no social feeds on the trial. The new text raises the specter that someone may be bending or breaking those rules, which, if confirmed, would breach the judge’s explicit gag order.
This incident follows last Monday’s dramatic ejection of Juror No. 6 after he provided conflicting addresses during voir dire, prompting Judge Subramanian to declare, “I can’t have a juror with inconsistent testimony about where he lives.” The court paused testimony to address that removal, and now the same judge has signaled he’ll convene a sidebar to decide the fate of the latest juror after Monday’s proceedings. If he’s dismissed, an alternate juror already vetted by both sides could be sworn in, but any delay risks pushing back closing arguments and the eventual verdict.
Legal analysts from The New York Times caution that repeated jury disruptions can stain a trial’s integrity and allow appellate arguments down the line. For Diddy and his accuser, each hiccup means more uncertainty—and more headlines. With the verdict due in the coming weeks, both camps will be glued to the courtroom doors, waiting to see if the jury stays intact or another member faces the chop.
And there you have it. Make of that what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, People Magazine, The New York Times
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
