The panel of eight men and four women informed Judge Arun Subramanian that they had been unable to reach a unanimous decision on the racketeering charge due to what they described as “unpersuadable views” on both sides.
Despite this, the judge declined to accept a partial verdict and instructed the jury to continue deliberating on the unresolved count. Deliberations are set to resume on Wednesday, June 2.
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which include sex trafficking, transportation for the purpose of prostitution, and racketeering conspiracy. If convicted on all counts, he faces a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison.
During the nearly two-month-long Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court, prosecutors accused Combs of orchestrating a criminal enterprise using his wealth, celebrity, and influence to coerce and abuse women.
Two of his former romantic partners, Cassie Ventura and another woman referred to as “Jane,” provided detailed testimony about alleged abuse, coercion, and participation in drug-fueled sexual encounters with male escorts, described in court as “freak offs.”Prosecutors alleged that Combs lured “Jane” into his world with promises of lavish trips, expensive gifts, a genuine relationship, and more.On Tuesday, jurors requested to review testimony from Ventura regarding incidents of alleged physical abuse, including a 2016 assault in a Los Angeles hotel captured on security footage, and an episode at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, where Combs allegedly threatened to release explicit videos of her.
They also sought testimony from stripper Daniel Phillip, who said he witnessed Ventura in a terrified state following a private encounter with Combs.
The court also revisited earlier jury notes, including one from Monday that raised concerns about a juror’s ability to follow legal instructions. Subramanian reminded jurors of their obligation to deliberate and adhere to the law.
What is Racketeering in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking trial?
The unresolved charge of racketeering conspiracy is the most complex of the five. It falls under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a federal law enacted in 1970 to combat organized crime.
RICO was originally designed to target Mafia operations, but has since been used in cases involving drug cartels, white-collar crimes, and now Combs.
To convict on this charge, the jury must find that Combs operated or conspired with a “criminal enterprise” engaged in a pattern of illegal activities such as kidnapping, sex trafficking, bribery, drug distribution, arson, and obstruction of justice, all allegedly carried out with the help of his staff and associates since at least 2008.
The racketeering charge carries the heaviest penalty of all the counts: up to life in prison.
The remaining counts include sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, each carrying a minimum sentence of 15 years, and transportation for purposes of prostitution, carrying up to 10 years in prison, in two separate counts involving both women.
Why the jury in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking case is deadlocked on racketeering?
Unlike the other charges, racketeering requires jurors to decide whether Diddy ran an ongoing criminal enterprise, not just committed individual crimes.
That means they must agree that he coordinated a pattern of offenses like sex trafficking, kidnapping, forced labor, bribery, and obstruction of justice, with the help of associates and staff, over nearly two decades.
This adds to its complexity. Jurors must link multiple illegal acts to a broader conspiracy, not just isolated misconduct.
Throughout the trial, Combs opted not to testify. His defense argued that the prosecution was attempting to criminalize consensual relationships and an unconventional lifestyle, denying any coercion or criminal enterprise.
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