Diddy trial jurors to continue deliberating after reaching verdict on all but one count
Today, the jurors in Diddy's trial said they'd reached a verdict on four of the five criminal counts against the hip-hop mogul.
In a note to the court just after 4 p.m. ET, the jury said it had made up its mind on the prosecution's two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of t ransportation to engage in prostitution. But on the remaining count — racketeering conspiracy — the panel said it could not get to a unanimous decision because of 'unpersuadable' opinions.
U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian asked the lawyers for suggestions on what to do next. Both sides agreed they'd like jurors to continue deliberating on the racketeering conspiracy charge. Ultimately, Subramanian instructed the jurors to keep talking.
'I remind you of the instructions I gave you yesterday,' Subramanian said. 'You should not hesitate to change an opinion when convinced, weigh your opinion dispassionately, and follow my instructions on the law.'
The upshot: The jurors will be back in the federal courthouse tomorrow for more closed-door deliberations on count 1. We'll keep you updated on all the key developments.
🔎 The view from inside
By Adam Reiss, Chloe Melas, Katherine Koretski and Jing Feng
Diddy looked slightly on edge this morning, though he turned around to face family members, waving and making a prayer hands gesture. He chatted with his mother, Janice Combs, and blew kisses to her.'Relax. It's going to be alright, Ma,' Diddy could be heard telling her. He added: 'I like your shirt, your outfit.'
When the jury's afternoon note came in, the mood in the courtroom became tense. Diddy's defense team formed a tight horseshoe-shaped huddle around their client for over 10 minutes. Diddy looked dejected and stared at the floor, hands folded in his lap. He later appeared to be wiggling his fingers as one of his attorneys whispered into his ear. The music mogul's face was stone cold.
👨⚖️ Analysis: No big shock here
By Danny Cevallos
The partial verdict is not a shocker to me — if the verdicts on counts 2 through 5 are guilty. Anything else on counts 2 through 5 would be a surprise. I expected a relatively quick verdict on all but racketeering conspiracy, in part because that count was always the most complicated. Even the verdict form for count 1 takes up more page space than any of the other counts.
Count 1 was always going to be tough for a jury. It's tough for the attorneys to understand, too.
PSA: Every night during Diddy's trial, NBC's 'Dateline' will drop special episodes of the 'True Crime Weekly' podcast to get you up to speed. 'Dateline' correspondent Andrea Canning chats with NBC News' Chloe Melas and special guests — right in front of the courthouse. Listen here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
22 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Diddy's ‘cosy sweater strategy' and why trial style actually matters
Every morning when we stand in front of our wardrobes choosing what to wear, we make a series of decisions about how we want to present ourselves to the outside world: a tailored suit, for example, is often used to symbolise power. A tracksuit? Not so much. But never does 'a look' convey more than the sum of its parts than when it's worn in the high-stakes environment of a trial. Then it's not fashion, but carefully choreographed 'courtroom strategy' to let your clothes speak before you do. Take Sean 'Diddy' Combs, found guilty on Wednesday of two counts of transporting people for prostitution, but acquitted on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, after an eight-week trial in Manhattan federal court. Combs, in the face of disturbing and lurid allegations spanning multiple years and several alleged victims, made a concerted effort to distance himself from his blinged-up alpha male hip-hop mogul image of old. Gone were the 'player' silken tracksuits, the confident heavy gold jewellery, the 'cartoon villain' OTT frills and grandeur of the floor-length black embellished coat featuring 600 Swarovski crystals and black pearls which he wore to the 2023 Met Gala – a custom piece from his own fashion label Sean John. Instead, court sketches showed the multi-millionaire music impresario sporting grey hair and a short grey beard (prison rules forbid hair dye), black rimmed studious-looking spectacles and soft sweaters in a range of sensible colours – beige, navy and grey; with the collar of a white shirt worn beneath the only notable feature. One day of his trial he sat patiently reading the Bible, a far cry from the ' freak-off ' swinger lifestyle he confessed to having enjoyed prior to his arrest. Who knows whether this appearance was a hitherto unknown quirk of Diddy's personal brand or part of what's been termed 'the nerd defence' by its originator lawyer Harvey Slovis (who once represented Mr. Combs during his trial on charges of gun possession in 1999). Either way, the phrase refers to the idea that glasses – accessories associated with thought rather than aggression – have a subliminal effect on a jury, predisposing them to assume a lack of guilt. Consider, too, his knitwear which took the 'just a regular guy'-vibe to a whole other level. Quite literally soft and cuddly, jumpers have been employed at several gruesome trials, from that of the Menendez brothers in 1993 (accused of shooting their parents) to those of Combs and Luigi Mangione, on trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. In December 2024 Mangione, a case in point of the power of personal image, donned a sensible all-American boy next door uniform of a burgundy crewneck and khakis to face 11 charges including first degree murder and the furtherance of terrorism. Sweaters aside, disgraced former movie mogul and convicted sex abuser Harvey Weinstein has a strategy of his own, appearing a dishevelled shadow of his once-imposing self each time he appears in court on rape charges. Sometimes seen struggling up the courtroom steps stooped over and using a walking aid, in April this year a hospital band indicating he was a 'fall risk' hung out of his suit sleeve in full view of the court. 'Everything in a courtroom serves a symbolic purpose, including the wigs and robes of the legal profession – the use of wigs has been in place since the 17th century and judges robes date from much earlier than that,' explains Dr Liza Betts, senior lecturer in cultural and historical studies at London College of Fashion (UAL). 'They are used to convey formality and to distinguish status and power. As the courtroom is so symbolically loaded it makes sense that the clothing of everyone present will be read in the same way – subject to the level of fluency someone might have in the language of dress being employed.' These men are not, of course, the only people to use the soft power of their appearance to convey a subliminal message in a legal setting. It was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who deftly mastered the art of trial style when, in 1972, the former First Lady sued New York's 'most unrelenting' paparazzo Ron Galella for public harassment, both of her and her children. Appearing in front of the judge, she cut an elegant, dignified figure bedecked in wool coats and button-up jackets. Onassis successfully obtained a restraining order against Galella (which he did not respect, causing the pair to later meet again in court). In 2002, actor Winona Ryder pushed the envelope when it came to courtroom dressing, entering fashion lore. Charged with shoplifting thousands of dollars' worth of goods from Saks Fifth Avenue, including pieces by Marc Jacobs, the star arrived at shoplifting trial dressed in a trompe l'oeil knit dress by none other than Marc Jacobs himself. Throughout proceedings, Ryder sported headbands, buttoned-up jackets over midi skirts and mid-height heels. Instead of three years in jail, the judge handed down a sentence of three years' probation and a fine. Billionaire reality star Kim Kardashian's appearance at a courthouse in central Paris last month is another case in point. There to give evidence in her own robbery trial (more than £7 million of jewellery was stolen from the star during a five-hour armed robbery ordeal in a Paris hotel in 2016) the American socialite turned up in a figure hugging power suit dripping in an estimated £6 million worth of jewellery. Arriving alongside her mother Kris Jenner to testify against the so-called 'grandpa robbers' – a group of nine men and one woman, with an average age of 70 – Kardashian donned a pair of Alaïa sunglasses, a waist-cinching vintage John Galliano black skirt-suit with a peplum and plunging neckline and slingback heels from Saint Laurent. Around her neck she wore a tear-drop diamond necklace containing a reported 52 carats of stones by New York-based rare diamond specialist Samer Halimeh alongside diamond earrings, including a 4.55 carat diamond over the ear cuff from Repossi and a £6,000 white gold and diamond pavé version by Briony Raymond. 'Ultimate power move,' said Raymond on her Instagram account regarding Kim Kardashian's appearance in her wares. 'A nod to jewelry as armour and a defiant statement that proves she will not be robbed of her love of jewelry and the joy it brings her.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Briony Raymond • New York (@brionyraymondnewyork) Not to mention, of course, Kardashian's ability to simply replace stolen gems worth millions of dollars and flex them in front of the accused. 'Clothes do communicate, we use them for this very purpose,' continues Dr Betts. 'To say who we are, who we think we are, who we would like to be, who we are told to be, or who we think others would like us to be.' Earlier this year, rapper A$AP Rocky appeared in a Los Angeles court facing charges of two counts of felony assault. Rocky arrived at his trial looking incredibly chic, as you would if you'd been kitted out in top-to-toe Saint Laurent (some items costing almost £4,000) by the brand themselves. Rocky was latterly found not guilty. Just goes to show, there truly is no such thing as bad publicity. The examples are numerous: Gwyneth Paltrow curated her courtroom image (soft, approachable in cashmere and wool from stealth wealth brands such as her own label Goop, The Row and Celine) after a personal injury claim resulting from a skiing accident saw her in front of a judge in 2023. Then there's fake heiress Anna Delvey – found guilty of grand larceny in 2019 after seducing Manhattan's glossy elite out of hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund her make-believe ventures – who employed the services of stylist Anatasia Walker to help create her courtroom 'look', which on day one consisted of a beige sweater, choker necklace and black dress that the New York Post claimed was from Miu Miu. 'Anna and I talked on the phone about what she was interested in wearing,' Walker told at the time. 'I couldn't show her photographs, but as people interested in fashion, we spoke in references about the themes she wanted to come through [in her outfits].' New York Times fashion critic Vanessa Friedman notes that for those who don't regularly wear suits, donning one just to court in a pass notes bid for respectability can often backfire (in a departure from his normal style, R&B singer and now convicted sex abuser R Kelly wore them for his court appearances in 2021, ultimately being found guilty). But then again, so can being your authentic self. Martha Stewart who got it all wrong in 2004, turning up to court toting a £7,500 tan Hermès Birkin bag, multiple long strands of cultured pearls and a fake fur stole to defend herself against charges of insider trading. 'The Birkin did little to promote the image of an approachable woman who has struggled up from humble roots,' wrote the New York Times at the time. 'Instead, it cemented an image of her as a pampered fat cat seemingly willing to snatch money from an Average Joe Stockholder.' Stewart was convicted of obstruction of justice and lying to investigators and sentenced to five months in prison and two years' probation. Not only did Heather Mills McCartney defend herself during her divorce proceedings in 2008, but she also made her own three-piece suit to wear to court which apparently took inspiration from a court jester. But it seems Mills McCartney – who also threw a glass of water over Paul McCartney's divorce lawyer, the infamous Fiona Shackleton, in court – had the last laugh, walking away from proceedings with a cool £24.3m divorce settlement. The semiotics of courtroom style can sometimes reach the wrong audience. While battling addiction in the Noughties, actor Lindsay Lohan had multiple court appearances for earlier offences of driving under the influence which were heavily followed by the tabloid media. During one, in 2010, the star sat with her lawyer staring down press photographers with nails manicured with the words 'F--k U'. Whether or not the judge also read her not-so-subtle message is not known, but Lohan was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
The messiest drama on 'Love Island USA' isn't in the villa, it's online
Inside the villa, the contestants on 'Love Island USA' unplug from the real world as they try to find their match in Fiji. But outside the walls of Casa Amor, the people who are vying for romance are being harassed online by the very fans who watch them obsessively on their televisions. Each season of the dating show follows a group of singles over the course of six weeks as they race to couple up and form romantic connections, or risk getting dumped from the island. Throughout the show, the entry of new 'bombshell' Islanders (what the contestants are often called) creates tension as the producers continue to insert psychological games and plot twists. The American version, which airs on Peacock, is relatively newer compared to its U.K. counterpart — and has only recently seen a surge in popularity after last season's standout contestants gained virality online. (NBCUniversal is the parent company of Peacock and NBC News.) The fervent fan base has brought more viewership — but it has also unearthed the darker reality that plagues many franchise contestants when they achieve notoriety: It can come with a price. Fans have put the Islanders' behaviors, physical appearances and political backgrounds under a microscope — leading to intensified harassment online. This year, multiple contestants have been the target of criticism as viewers called out behaviors they described as 'toxic,' 'abusive' or 'fake.' The cyberbullying toward contestants has become so rampant that the show has had to address it head-on. In a recent episode of season seven, which kicked off in June and drops new episodes nearly every night, the show aired a message urging fans to be kinder with their commentary. Similar messages were shared on the show's social media accounts. ''Love Island' is about reacting to how people behave, but they deserve to be called out for their behavior as a contestant on a reality TV show, not as a human being and as a person,' comedian Iain Stirling, narrator of the 'Love Island' franchise, told NBC News in a recent Zoom interview. Still, viewers have continued to cyberbully contestants online. Cierra Ortega, Olandria Carthen and Chelley Bissainthe, once fan favorites, became the latest targets of heated criticism this week after former fans said they now feel these were actually the 'mean girls' on the show. Their Instagram accounts quickly shut down their comment sections. (Contestants' accounts are typically run by family or friends while they are in the villa.) Ortega's profile lost hundreds of thousands of followers within days. Bissainthe's account shared a lengthy post Wednesday calling out viewers who are 'coming on her page to tear her down.' 'That level of hostility, especially toward someone isolated from the outside world, is disturbing,' the post read, adding that the behavior is 'not just unfair, it's borderline dangerous if we want to keep it a stack. Think about what you're doing. This behavior isn't normal. It's actually kind of mentally unwell.' Harassment is not an unfamiliar problem for the franchise, which launched in the United Kingdom in 2005 as 'Celebrity Love Island' and ran for two seasons before being canceled and eventually rebooted in 2015 as 'Love Island' on ITV4. As social media has become a more ingrained part of the viewer experience, Islanders — like other reality TV stars — are often launched into overnight fame, which at times has been coupled with feelings of depression and anxiety amid heightened fan scrutiny. While on the show, contestants remain secluded from the outside world and cannot access social media until after they exit — at which point they get to see all the viewer reactions that accumulated online during their time in the villa. Those returning to the online world are often greeted by a massive new fan base, along with a buildup of harsh comments about expressions they made, lines they uttered or the way they looked from unflattering angles. Three people associated with the franchise — two former contestants and former host Caroline Flack — died by suicide, which prompted a British parliamentary committee inquiry in 2019 into reality TV. The show, in recent years especially, has ramped up its efforts to help contestants navigate the mental health highs and lows of their experiences. In 2022, ITV said contestants on the U.K. show will receive improved mental health and race training, which included having islanders 'watch a video with interviews of former participants sharing their experiences on the show, including how to cope with being filmed 24/7 and dealing with social media trolling after leaving the villa,' The Guardian reported. Longtime reality TV star Ariana Madix, now in her second year of hosting 'Love Island USA,' said the "USA" contestants also receive support. 'We have amazing mental health professionals who are here on set,' Madix told NBC News in a recent Zoom interview. 'So when the Islanders are in the hotels, before they go in, they work with them. They work with them while they're on the show, and they work with them after the show as well. So they definitely have a lot of support here.' Still, Madix, who rose to fame on Bravo's 'Vanderpump Rules,' said she worries about the contestants having to navigate the newfound spotlight. 'When you have an amount of time in the industry, you're able to handle those things,' she said. 'I think that for these Islanders, it's their first six weeks... I feel like it's new, and it's even more difficult to deal with.' Early on in the season, contestant Huda Mustafa emerged as a polarizing figure on the show, with thousands online analyzing her communication habits and criticizing her onscreen behavior. The vitriol grew so loud — with some commenters also taking aim at her friends and family members — that her ex-partner Noah Sheline posted a statement to his Instagram story in her defense. Sheline, who co-parents a child with Mustafa, urged viewers to 'remember she's still human, she has a daughter, and a life.' Viewers also became fixated on the appearance of contestant Vanna Einerson during her brief time on the show, prompting one of her friends to speak out. 'Watching her get dragged on the internet is the worst thing ever,' content creator Lucy Clawson said in a TikTok video supporting Einerson. 'This woman has a heart of gold and it's so crazy to me that going on reality TV or having a following just validates people to bully them.' And while the franchise presents as apolitical, political polarization in the U.S. has permeated fan discussions around 'Love Island USA' this season. Internet sleuths have taken to investigating each Islander for signs of their political beliefs, often calling on others to vote off certain contestants based on theories about their politics. It's one thing to yell at your TV, and then it's another thing to go into somebody's mentions on social media. … People have lost the plot on that. -Mel Stanfill, author of 'Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture' In episode two, contestant Yulissa Escobar abruptly exited the series after video clips surfaced online that appear to show her using racist language while on a podcast. Some outrage also erupted online after Mustafa, who is of Palestinian descent, kissed contestant Elan Bibas, who is Jewish Canadian. Some fans noticed his social media profile appeared to follow at least one pro-Israel account, which people suggested meant he was anti-Palestinian. Media studies scholar Mel Stanfill, author of 'Fandom Is Ugly: Networked Harassment in Participatory Culture,' said the illusion of 'reality' in reality TV invites the kind of sleuthing that encourages viewers to form their own theories about what the truth is, even when they know contestants are selectively edited. The group mentality facilitated by social media also makes it easier to be swayed into a strong stance by others online, Stanfill said. 'It's one thing to yell at your TV, and then it's another thing to go into somebody's mentions on social media … people have lost the plot on that,' Stanfill said. 'The people who are doing it think about it as a game. They think about it as entertainment. They don't think that there's a person on the other end. It's easy to have that distance from the human cost, and there is a real human cost.' The show continues to generate massive buzz online. But since the PSA aired, many fans appear to have rejected the anti-bullying plea, with some also suggesting that the producers should take their own message to heart. A publicist for Peacock did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Madix said that while fans of the show should enjoy the discourse around it, viewers can often cross a line when that enthusiasm bleeds into hate or harassment. 'I feel like there is a beautiful way to engage with the 'Love Island' fan community without doxing and harassing cast members, their families, things like that,' Madix said. 'That is, to me, not a true fan of the show. I think if you are a fan of the show, you would never behave that way.'
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
ITV axe hit crime drama with Hollywood actress after just two series
This comes after the channel announced huge cuts to its daytime shows COLD CASE ITV axe hit crime drama with Hollywood actress after just two series – leaving fans gutted Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ITV HAVE axed a hit crime drama with a huge Hollywood actress after just two series. Fans have been left absolutely gutted after the commercial broadcaster has seemingly made yet another huge cut. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 6 ITV has reportedly axed DI Ray amid a slew of cuts Credit: ITV 6 Parminder Nagra starred as the titular detective in the gritty crime drama Credit: �Justin Slee 2023 6 An ITV spokesperson confirmed the show did not have high enough ratings to get recommissioned Credit: ITV Bend It Like Beckham actress Parminder Nagra, 49, led the star-studded cast of DI Ray. The star is also known for roles in huge projects such as NBC's ER, The Blacklist and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. She played the title role of DI Rachita Ray alongside the likes of Game Of Thrones and Killing Eve star Gemma Whelan. Law & Order: UK actor Jamie Bamber completes the lineup playing DCI Martyn Hunter. However, it's been reported that ITV have axed the series due to ratings that were lower than expected. An ITV spokesperson confirmed to TV Zone: "We're really proud of what DI Ray achieved, but sadly the viewing figures for series two didn't meet with ITV's expectations. "It's always a very difficult decision not to recommission a drama and in this case DI Ray really brought a fresh perspective to the crime genre." They added: "We'd like to thank Parminder Nagra, Maya Sondhi and the team at HTM Television for two brilliant series." The drama followed Leicester-born inspector Ray who takes on a horrific homicide investigation. However, the case forced her to confront a personal conflict she has faced throughout her life between her South Asian heritage and her British identity. DI Ray fans stunned as they spot EastEnders icon in series two of ITV drama On her very first day, she was told the murder that she has been assigned to is a 'culturally specific homicide'. Despite waiting for the promotion, she suspected that she was chosen as a 'token appointment' for her ethnicity, rather than for the merits of her ability as an officer. Although she stayed determined to solve the case and find the killer, she was left to call out the biases of her colleagues that they brought to the investigation. This is combined with the fact that she had to look into the world of organised crime. Crime dramas on ITVX Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge. Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood. Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood. The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother's grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake's novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James. This series follows a mother's grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake's novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James. Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth. Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth. The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby. This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby. Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant. This comes after ITV announced sweeping changes to its Daytime output. Good Morning Britain will be produced by a team at ITV News at their headquarters at Gray's Inn Road. Meanwhile Loose Women and Lorraine will only air on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. Lorraine Kelly will also only take to the airwaves for half an hour at a time for a reduced show from January. This Morning will also join the other programmes in moving out of the Television Centre complex in White City and will be broadcast from a new studio - rumoured to be at the Hospital Club. 6 Parminder Nagra stars as the title role as she is brought on to solve a complicated homicide case Credit: ITVX 6 Game Of Thrones actress Gemma Whelan also leads the cast of the cancelled show Credit: ITV 6 Former EastEnders actress Annette Badland also made a guest appearance in the show Credit: ITV DI Ray is available to stream on ITVX.
