Diddy Trial Judge Alarmed Over Juror's Mystery Text, Fears Case Talked About Outside Court

A juror in Sean "Diddy" Combs'federal trafficking trial has raised alarm after receiving an unsolicited message from an unknown sender asking if he was "juror number six," prompting US District Judge Arun Subramanian to express concern over potential misconduct.

The juror, who reported the mysterious text on Friday, June 13, could face dismissal. According to TMZ, the individual could not identify the sender, and the judge now fears the trial may have been discussed outside of court, a violation of protocol.

Subramanian instructed the juror not to speak about the case with anyone outside the panel and to refrain from consuming news related to the proceedings.

Prior Scrutiny Over Juror's Residence

This latest development follows previous concerns over juror No. 6's eligibility, after conflicting statements about whether he lived in the Bronx or New Jersey. Lead prosecutor Maurene Comey had requested the juror be removed due to "a lack of candor."

The judge echoed that concern, saying he had doubts "about his candor and whether he shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel." Residency is critical in this case, as jurors must live in Manhattan, the Bronx, or parts of the Hudson Valley, all within the Southern District of New York.

While the defense initially objected to removing the juror, the court plans to dismiss him Monday morning, June 16. One of Combs' attorneys, Alexandra Shapiro, pushed back on the move, calling it a "thinly veiled effort to dismiss a Black juror." Another lawyer, Xavier Donaldson, argued that dismissing the 41-year-old Black man, one of only two Black male jurors, would diminish the panel's diversity.

Jurors Shown Graphic 'Freak Off' Videos in Court

Also on Monday, jurors were shown explicit footage from Combs' alleged "freak off" sex parties. The videos, reportedly recorded in 2012, included two clips lasting 11 minutes and a third running nearly 40 minutes. Only excerpts were shown in court.

One female juror reportedly "winced" while watching a 20- to 30-second clip, while another appeared visibly uncomfortable, placing her hand to her head. Though jurors wore headphones, courtroom observers could still hear music and faint sounds resembling groaning, per reports.

The footage allegedly showed a 2012 encounter involving Combs' ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and two male escorts at the Trump International Hotel in New York. Although it's unclear if Ventura appeared in the videos shown, court records link her to that incident.

Ventura has previously testified that she felt coerced into participating in the parties. A former escort, Shawn Dearing, told the court that Ventura's demeanor during their final encounters suggested she was participating "to please him." He added, "I can tell when the energy was different."

Combs, who faces charges of trafficking, racketeering, and prostitution-related offenses, pleaded not guilty. His trial began in May.

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Diddy, Diddy Trial, Sean Combs