Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial begins with jury selection • FRANCE 24 English

Jury selection is underway in New York for the federal sex trafficking trial of music mogul Shaun Diddy Combmes. Combmes is accused of years of harrowing abuse, coercing victims into drugfueled sex parties and using threats and violence. The 55-year-old has pleaded not guilty on all counts, insisting that any sex acts were consensual. France 24’s Jessica Lazurier has more from New York City. The sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial of hip hop legend Sha Diddy Combmes started on Monday with jury selection here in New York City. The trial centers on allegations that Diddy held these drugfueled coercive sex marathons dubbed free coughs. We expect to hear graphic evidence about these parties in court. The star witness is expected to be his former partner Cassie Ventura. There is video evidence of Diddy’s violent attack on her in a hotel hallway back in 2016. The other alleged victims will likely remain anonymous. Now, Diddy says that he’s not guilty, his defense will argue that whilst he may be a swinger with a flamboyant lifestyle, he is not a criminal. Diddy portrays himself as a kind of modernday hiphop version of Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. Well, dozens of potential jurors answered questions on Monday. One was dismissed because she’d already watched an HBO documentary about the allegations against Diddy. It’s going to be really tough to pick people who are impartial because he’s so famous. Diddy sat at the front of the courtroom wearing a blue sweater, a white t-shirt, and glasses. He requested the right to wear normal clothes and not prison guard during this trial. He has lost weight and he’s graying now. New York City is where he rose to fame. He’s really an icon of the music industry. He’s the man who made hip-hop mainstream, the embodiment of the American dream in many ways, a self-made music mogul who’s connected to so many A-list celebrities. Now, New York may also end up being the city where Diddy meets his demise. If he’s convicted, he could face life behind bars.

The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, whose wildly successful career has been dotted by allegations of violence, began on Monday in New York City with jury selection that was briefly paused when the hip-hop entrepreneur said he was “a little nervous” and needed a bathroom break. Details by FRANCE 24 correspondent in New York, Jessica Le Masurier.
#USA #PDiddy #trial

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