Jury reaches verdict on four out of five counts in Sean ‘Diddy' Combs sex trial
Judge Arun Subramanian said he had received a note at 4.05pm indicating the jury had reached a partial verdict. The note said the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the racketeering conspiracy charge because there were jurors with 'unpersuadable views' on both sides.
Judge Subramanian noted that juries had a right to deliver a partial verdict, but he said that given that deliberations had only started on Monday, he would rather they continued for now. The jury was eventually dismissed for the day.
Combs' lawyers surrounded him at the defence table soon after the note was sent to the court. The hip-hop mogul appeared morose as they explained to him what was happening.
At one point, lead defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo stepped away from the huddle, returned with a piece of paper and handed it to Combs, who read it solemnly.
Meanwhile, prosecutors were at their table glued to their phones and laptop computers.
Assistant US attorney Maurene Comey suggested the judge give the jury a modified version of what is known as an Allen charge — instructions encouraging them to keep deliberating after reaching an impasse.
Racketeering conspiracy — count one on the jury's verdict sheet — is the most complicated of the charges against Combs because it requires the jury to decide not only whether he ran a 'racketeering enterprise', but also whether he was involved in committing some or all of various types of offences, such as kidnapping and arson.
The charge falls under Rico — the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act — which is best known for being used in organised crime and drug cartel cases.
The jury has been deliberating since Monday. Earlier on Tuesday they asked to review critical testimony from one of the prosecution's most important witnesses: the hip-hop mogul's former longtime girlfriend Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura.
Jurors requested the testimony about 75 minutes into their second day of weighing charges that Combs used his fame, wealth and violence to force two girlfriends into drug-fuelled sex marathons with male sex workers known as 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights'.
The panel of eight men and four women asked for Ms Ventura's account of Combs beating, kicking and dragging her at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 — an assault captured on now-infamous security camera footage.
They also asked to see Ms Ventura's testimony about an incident in which she said Combs accused her of taking drugs from him and kicked her off of their yacht at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 2013. On their way back to the US, she said, he threatened to release explicit videos of her having sex.
The jury's testimony request came soon after Combs' lawyers and prosecutors began the day haggling with Judge Subramanian over a jury question left over from the end of the first day of deliberations on Monday.
Jurors wanted clarification about what qualifies as drug distribution, an aspect of the racketeering conspiracy charge that will help determine whether Combs can be convicted or exonerated on the count.
Judge Subramanian said he would remind jurors of the instructions he gave them on that part of the case before they started deliberating on Monday.
Combs' lawyers had pushed for a more expansive response, but prosecutors argued — and Judge Subramanian agreed — that doing so could end up confusing jurors more.
On Monday, the panel deliberated for more than five hours without reaching a verdict.
Defence lawyers contend that prosecutors are trying to criminalise Combs' swinger lifestyle and that, if anything, his conduct amounted to domestic violence, not federal felonies.
Combs, 55, could face 15 years in prison to life behind bars if he is convicted of all charges.
After pleading not guilty, Combs chose not to testify as his lawyers built their arguments for acquittal mostly through lengthy cross-examinations of dozens of witnesses called by prosecutors, including some of Combs' former employees who took the witness stand reluctantly only after being granted immunity.
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Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Diddy's ‘phantom fixer' breaks her cover for 1st time in months just hours after rapper ex-boss cleared of racketeering
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SEAN 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff looked relieved as she broke cover for a day out with friends the morning after the rap mogul was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking. Exclusive photographs and video obtained by The U.S. Sun show Kristina Khorram, 38, chatting with pals in Los Angeles just hours after her former boss was found guilty of prostitution - but cleared of the other three more serious charges. 10 Kristina Khorram, Sean 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff, is seen in LA on Thursday morning Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram was all smiles as she headed to a pilates session after Diddy's trial in New York came to a close Credit: The US Sun 10 Khorram appeared to be having a debrief with her girlfriends for more than an hour after the class Credit: The US Sun She was seen wearing black yoga pants, Hoka sneakers, and an orange bag, as she smiled while texting on her cell phone before joining pals for a pilates class. Khorram, known as "KK" throughout the trial, did not take the stand during Combs' trial but was a key figure mentioned throughout the legal proceedings as being his "right-hand woman." Witnesses gave testimony claiming she helped to assist and cover up his crimes, but she has never been charged with anything. She also previously publicly denied "aiding and abetting the sexual assault of anyone," in a statement to CNN. Read more on Diddy WHAT WENT WRONG How $10m case against Diddy collapsed after prosecutors got greedy An eyewitness told The U.S. Sun that Khorram went to a late morning pilates class on Thursday for an hour before grabbing a smoothie with two friends at nearby SunLife Organics. "The trio then headed back down to Sunset Plaza, and Kristina appeared very animated as they spoke for more than an hour, her friends seemed very supportive," they said. Just 24 hours before, a jury decided to only convict Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution - each has a maximum 10-year prison sentence and no minimum. He has been acquitted of racketeering conspiracy, which carried a life sentence, and two counts of sex trafficking. Combs has been behind bars for ten months since his arrest in September 2024, and his bail was denied ahead of a sentencing hearing. Khorram began working for Combs in 2013 as a senior executive, according to her now-deleted LinkedIn profile, and was promoted to her top role in 2020. Diddy faces just two years in jail after overhyped prosecution but could still go BROKE, says lawyer She has been named in at least three civil lawsuits filed against Combs, which accuse her of knowing about his violent and criminal behavior and enabling it. "If anybody is gate-keeper, Kristina would know everything," a source previously told the New York Post. Combs and Khorram were last seen together at the rapper's Star Island mansion in Miami as the scandal began to unfold, and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023. Khorram was seen in a white robe sitting on a day bed with the stressed star while she was on her cell phone amid the drama. She later stopped working for him, and he settled Ventura's suit. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone." Kristina Khorram in a statement The U.S. Sun can confirm Khorram is now based in Los Angeles, but it is not known where she is now working. Despite being named by witnesses involved in the scandal, the prosecution decided not to call Khorram during the trial. Her lawyer has declined interview requests on her behalf, stating that Khorram cannot "tell her story until the criminal trial is over and the civil cases are resolved," according to CNN. 10 Sean Combs pictured with Kristina Khorram in an Instagram photo before his arrest Credit: Instagram 10 Khorram's friends seemed supportive as they all spent time catching up at Sunset Plaza after the trial Credit: The US Sun 10 Combs' former right-hand woman was out enjoying a smoothie after the class with two friends Credit: The US Sun 10 Sean 'Diddy' Combs reacts to the verdicts of the five counts against him in this courtroom sketch Credit: Reuters Khorram also declined to comment this week on the judge's verdict in the criminal case when approached by The U.S. Sun. However, she previously told CNN in a statement, "For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss. "These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone," Khorram continued. "The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault." Khorram was compared to Jeffrey Epstein's "madam" Ghislaine Maxwell by producer Lil' Rod Jones in his $30 million suit, in which he accused Combs of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Jones named Kristina Khorram as a defendant, who has denied any wrongdoing, while Combs' attorney Erica Wolff branded the complaint "pure fiction." Although a judge recently rejected many of Jones's claims, he did not dismiss the allegations against Combs or Khorram. He said the lawsuit includes several specific examples of incidents Combs allegedly "recruited or enticed Jones to solicit and perform sex acts with commercial workers" and allegedly "transported Jones across state and international borders to do so." Meanwhile, Combs fell to his knees on Wednesday when the verdict was read out in a Manhattan courtroom. The U.S. Sun obtained a letter from the prosecution sent to Judge Arun Subramanian regarding the star's sentence. They say the guideline sentence for him is just 51 to 63 months [five and a half years maximum], and he has already been behind bars for nine months. It reads, "The Government notes, however, that the Guidelines applicable at sentencing may be higher than this preliminary calculation. "The Government has not had adequate time to carefully consider all potentially applicable Guidelines provisions." Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the verdict. He described it as "nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history." 10 Kristina Khorram was seen wearing a white vest top and black yoga pants Credit: The US Sun 10 She beamed as she headed to a friend's car carrying a bottle of water, a smoothie, and her cell phone Credit: The US Sun
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Diddy's ‘phantom fixer' breaks her cover for 1st time in months just hours after rapper ex-boss cleared of racketeering
SEAN 'Diddy' Combs' former chief of staff looked relieved as she broke cover for a day out with friends the morning after the rap mogul was cleared of racketeering and sex trafficking. Exclusive photographs and video obtained by The U.S. Sun show Kristina Khorram, 38, chatting with pals in Los Angeles just hours after her former boss was found guilty of prostitution - but cleared of the other three more serious charges. 10 10 She was seen wearing black yoga pants, Hoka sneakers, and an orange bag, as she smiled while texting on her cell phone before joining pals for a pilates class. Khorram, known as "KK" throughout the trial, did not take the stand during Combs' trial but was a key figure mentioned throughout the legal proceedings as being his "right-hand woman." Witnesses gave testimony claiming she helped to assist and cover up his crimes, but she has never been charged with anything. She also previously publicly denied "aiding and abetting the sexual assault of anyone," in a statement to CNN. An eyewitness told The U.S. Sun that Khorram went to a late morning pilates class on Thursday for an hour before grabbing a smoothie with two friends at nearby SunLife Organics. "The trio then headed back down to Sunset Plaza, and Kristina appeared very animated as they spoke for more than an hour, her friends seemed very supportive," they said. Just 24 hours before, a jury decided to only convict Combs of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution - each has a maximum 10-year prison sentence and no minimum. He has been acquitted of racketeering conspiracy, which carried a life sentence, and two counts of sex trafficking. Combs has been behind bars for ten months since his arrest in September 2024, and his bail was denied ahead of a sentencing hearing. Khorram began working for Combs in 2013 as a senior executive, according to her now-deleted LinkedIn profile, and was promoted to her top role in 2020. She has been named in at least three civil lawsuits filed against Combs, which accuse her of knowing about his violent and criminal behavior and enabling it. "If anybody is gate-keeper, Kristina would know everything," a source previously told the New York Post. Combs and Khorram were last seen together at the rapper's Star Island mansion in Miami as the scandal began to unfold, and his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura filed a lawsuit against him in November 2023. Khorram was seen in a white robe sitting on a day bed with the stressed star while she was on her cell phone amid the drama. She later stopped working for him, and he settled Ventura's suit. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone." Kristina Khorram in a statement The U.S. Sun can confirm Khorram is now based in Los Angeles, but it is not known where she is now working. Despite being named by witnesses involved in the scandal, the prosecution decided not to call Khorram during the trial. Her lawyer has declined interview requests on her behalf, stating that Khorram cannot "tell her story until the criminal trial is over and the civil cases are resolved," according to CNN. 10 10 10 10 Khorram also declined to comment this week on the judge's verdict in the criminal case when approached by The U.S. Sun. However, she previously told CNN in a statement, "For months, horrific accusations have been made about me in various lawsuits regarding my former boss. "These false allegations of my involvement are causing irreparable and incalculable damage to my reputation and the emotional well-being of myself and my family. "I have never condoned or aided and abetted the sexual assault of anyone. Nor have I ever drugged anyone," Khorram continued. "The idea that I could be accused of playing a role in – or even being a bystander to – the rape of anyone is beyond upsetting, disturbing, and unthinkable. That is not who I am and my heart goes out to all victims of sexual assault." Khorram was compared to Jeffrey Epstein's "madam" Ghislaine Maxwell by producer Lil' Rod Jones in his $30 million suit, in which he accused Combs of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Jones named Kristina Khorram as a defendant, who has denied any wrongdoing, while Combs' attorney Erica Wolff branded the complaint "pure fiction." Although a judge recently rejected many of Jones's claims, he did not dismiss the allegations against Combs or Khorram. He said the lawsuit includes several specific examples of incidents Combs allegedly "recruited or enticed Jones to solicit and perform sex acts with commercial workers" and allegedly "transported Jones across state and international borders to do so." Meanwhile, Combs fell to his knees on Wednesday when the verdict was read out in a Manhattan courtroom. The U.S. Sun obtained a letter from the prosecution sent to Judge Arun Subramanian regarding the star's sentence. They say the guideline sentence for him is just 51 to 63 months [five and a half years maximum], and he has already been behind bars for nine months. It reads, "The Government notes, however, that the Guidelines applicable at sentencing may be higher than this preliminary calculation. "The Government has not had adequate time to carefully consider all potentially applicable Guidelines provisions." Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the verdict. He described it as "nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution in what will go down as the most expensive prostitution trial in American history." 10 10
NBC News
20 hours ago
- NBC News
Sexual assault survivors say Sean 'Diddy' Combs verdict a 'step back' for #MeToo movement
Moments after Sean 'Diddy' Combs was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges on Wednesday, a celebration erupted outside the Manhattan federal courthouse. Supporters and influencers sported homemade merch, sprayed baby oil on each other and cheered 'Free Puff!' But for some sexual assault survivors and advocates, the verdict delivered what they described as a devastating 'step back' for the #MeToo movement, which gained prominence in 2017 after producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of assault. The former Hollywood mogul was among a handful of powerful men who were convicted as part of a broader cultural reckoning against sexual harassment and assault. 'It is heartbreaking,' Kaja Sokola, a former model from Poland who was one of three women who testified in Weinstein's May retrial. 'A few years ago, we were more aware. Maybe because it was the first wave, people were paying attention to it,' she said. Now, it's 'suddenly started to shift to 'Don't believe all women,' or 'Women are liars.'' Online, many women echoed Sokola's concerns, calling the verdict and public support for Combs disappointing. Others expressed solidarity with witnesses who testified about Combs' alleged behavior, including Cassie Ventura. The R&B singer, who appeared in court while nine months pregnant, accused him of sexual abuse and forced, drug-dazed 'freak offs' with escorts and baby oil. Combs' New York federal trial ended Wednesday after seven weeks of harrowing testimony from 34 witnesses. Prosecutors alleged that Combs leveraged his wealth, power and influence as the head of a 'criminal enterprise' to exploit and sexually abuse women for over two decades. The defense declined to call any witnesses, arguing the government's case was 'badly exaggerated' and that their client was being targeted for his 'swinger' lifestyle. After less than 14 hours of deliberation, the jury seemed to side with Combs' defense team, finding him not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking. The music mogul, however, was convicted of two counts of Mann Act violations for transporting male escorts and former girlfriends, Ventura and 'Jane,' for sex. As the verdict was read in the packed courtroom, Combs fell to his knees in prayer as his family cheered behind him. One of his defense attorneys, Teny Geragos, broke out in tears while another made a fist in triumph. 'It's a great victory for Sean Combs,' defense attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the courthouse. 'It's a great victory for the jury system. You saw that the Southern District of New York prosecutors came at him with all that they had.' Attorney Gerald Griggs, who represents some victims of R. Kelly, the disgraced R&B superstar who was convicted of racketeering and other charges, also said he believes the outcome of Combs' case 'underscores how seriously our system treats allegations of this nature.' 'Regardless of public reaction, due process remains a fundamental right, and every survivor deserves to be heard,' Griggs said. 'This case is a reminder of the ongoing need for transparency, accountability and equal justice under the law.' But the mixed verdict was what former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani described as 'nothing less than a complete and total failure by the prosecution.' Rahmani expressed concern that the case could 'have a chilling effect on other victims coming forward,' noting how Ventura and 'Jane' both had to share explicit details about their relationships with Combs in court. 'They had to relive their trauma in a very public and embarrassing way,' Rahmani said. 'And you better believe other victims will hesitate to do the same if they won't be believed.' Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who studies sexual violence, said that while she's noticed 'hostility' toward survivors and the broader #MeToo movement in recent years, she doesn't think victims are no longer being believed. 'I think we're in a new era where instead of people trying to convince us not to believe survivors, they tell us the survivors deserved it,' she said. 'It's something we need to be careful about, because there's nothing that justifies violently attacking a partner or sexually assaulting a partner.' I think we're in a new era where instead of people trying to convince us not to believe survivors, they tell us the survivors deserved it. -Nicole Bedera, a sociologist who studies sexual violence Some survivors said they believe the jury's decision underscored a sobering new reality that has emerged in the wake of trials such as Johnny Depp and Amber Heard 's,which culminated in 2022 with jurors finding that Heard had defamed her ex-husband by writing in a 2018 op-ed for The Washington Post that she had become a 'public figure representing domestic abuse.' During the trial, she testified in graphic terms about a sexual assault she alleged, as well as allegations of physical abuse. Depp has denied all allegations of abuse. 'It serves as a painful reminder of how often our voices go unheard in a system that should protect us,' Caitlin Dulany, an actress who accused Weinstein of sexual harassment and assault that took place in the mid-1990s but was not part of his criminal trials, told NBC News in a text message. 'We share our truths, hoping for justice, but so often our voices seem to disappear into the void.' UltraViolet, a national women-led justice organization, said it was 'deeply disheartened, but unfortunately not surprised' by the outcome of the Combs case. 'Our criminal justice system failed yet again today. It failed to protect survivors, and it failed to hold accountable serial abusers — often wealthy, powerful men like Diddy,' Arisha Hatch, interim executive director of UltraViolet, said in a statement. 'The legal system is set up in such a way that testifying as a survivor is arduous and emotionally torturous. On top of that, women are routinely not believed in the courtroom.' Still, Combs did not come out of this trial scot-free. He is being held in jail ahead of his October sentencing, where he faces the possibility of years in prison. Several lawsuits are still pending against Combs, and his reputation could be tarnished by the lurid details revealed in court about his past relationships. No matter the outcome of the case, some said the testimonies of Ventura and 'Jane' served as powerful reminders that they are not alone. Attorney Douglas Wigdor, who represented Ventura, said in a statement that his client 'displayed unquestionable strength and brought attention to the realities of powerful men in our orbit and the misconduct that has persisted for decades without repercussion.' Singer Kesha also joined the chorus of people online who praised Ventura for her bravery. The 'Tik Tok' artist previously brought abuse allegations against her former producer Dr. Luke. (He has not been charged with a crime and has denied all of Kesha's allegations. In 2023, the two reached a settlement in his defamation suit over her allegation that he raped her.) 'Cassie, I believe you,' she wrote in a post on X. 'I love you. Your strength is a beacon for every survivor.'
