Sean “Diddy” Combs is gearing up for his upcoming criminal trial, and his legal team is clashing with federal prosecutors over the jury selection process. According to newly obtained legal documents, Diddy’s defense team wants to kick off jury selection on May 5, drawing from a substantial pool of 600 potential jurors.
Prosecutors, however, are advocating for an earlier start date, proposing to begin jury selection on April 21. Diddy’s team is pushing back, arguing that they need more time to prepare his defense adequately. They are requesting that prospective jurors complete written questionnaires, which would be reviewed before finalizing the selection of 12 jurors for the trial.
While Diddy’s camp has yet to disclose the specific questions they wish to ask potential jurors, the prosecutors have stated that any questions should be limited to scheduling conflicts only. Additionally, Diddy is advocating for a sequestered jury selection process, which would allow jurors to be questioned individually, away from the influence of others.
The two sides are also at odds over the trial’s start date. Prosecutors want a jury seated by May 5 for opening statements, while Diddy’s defense is focused on starting jury selection on that date and delaying opening statements until the jury is chosen.
These developments are part of explosive court filings that also allege CNN altered footage related to allegations against Diddy and subsequently destroyed the only known original copy of the video.
Diddy is expected to return to court on Friday to plead not guilty to new allegations outlined in a superseding indictment against him. As the trial date approaches, tensions are mounting, and both sides are preparing for a high-stakes legal battle.
