The jury in the P Diddy trial sent a note to the judge, Arun Subramanian, this afternoon, telling him they were ‘concerned’ about one of their members
The trial of Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs in New York City has taken yet another wild turn, with members of the jury telling the judge that one of them “cannot follow” their instructions.
On Monday, jurors deliberating in the P Diddy trial sent a note to the courtroom. The prosecution initially reviewed the note before passing it on to defence attorney Marc Agnifilo.
Combs himself was briefly brought back into the courtroom to read the note, and then everyone waited for Judge Arun Subramanian to return.
The note, which filled about a third of a lined sheet of paper, expressed concern about Juror No. 25, stating, “We have a juror, No. 25, who we are concerned cannot follow your honor’s instructions.”
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This note followed a more routine one, in which the jury informed the judge that they had chosen Juror No. 5 as their foreperson.
The foreperson requested to speak with the judge or have Juror No. 25 interviewed.
In response, the judge sent a note reminding all jurors of their duty, saying: “I received your note. I remind every juror of their duty to deliberate and their obligation to follow my instruction on the law. With that instruction in mind, please continue deliberating.”
Earlier in the day, the alternate jurors in the case were dismissed , reports the Mirror US. After reading the instructions to the jury, the judge told the alternates they were free to leave, but asked them to remain reachable in case they were needed due to any emergencies that might arise during jury deliberations.
He expressed his gratitude for their service, saying, “It’s the very least I can do for your immense service in this case.”
The selection of the jury kicked off on May 5 but was a drawn-out process. Ultimately, 12 jurors and six alternates were chosen, although one juror was let go during the trial and replaced with an alternate.
It’s uncertain whether the jury’s worries about a particular member would lead to their removal. However, if they are dismissed, an alternate would likely be brought in, requiring them to return to the Daniel Patrick Moynihan courthouse for the day.
Judge Arun Subramanian devoted most of the morning to instructing the jury, issuing several cautions. “Actions may speak louder than words,” he advised.
The judge also reminded them to consider the reliability of witnesses, including those granted immunity or testifying under pseudonyms.
Regarding Diddy’s decision not to testify, Judge Subramanian explained that this was his right. “The defendant had no responsibility to testify, and he did not. You must not attach any significance to that,” he stated.
Jurors are permitted to stay as late as they want today, beyond the court’s usual 5pm closure. Nevertheless, there’s no time limit on deliberations, which could persist for multiple days or, in theory, weeks.
Diddy is facing five charges spanning three federal indictments, including sex trafficking, conspiracy racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. Diddy has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges levelled against him.
Furthermore, he strongly refutes any allegations of misconduct, including those brought forward in civil lawsuits.
Jury drama is par for the course in high-profile cases. Earlier this month, the conclusion of the Harvey Weinstein rape retrial, which resulted in a mixed verdict, demonstrated just how unpredictable a jury can be.
Several jurors reported what they termed as “playground stuff,” indicating some petty squabbles.
In the end, after Weinstein pleaded not guilty, the jury found him guilty on one charge and acquitted him on another. A third charge resulted in a mistrial.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
