Diddy Trial Judge Claps Back at Combs' Attorney's Misogynistic Comment: "This would not be accepted in any courtroom."

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Sean “Diddy” Combs has been at the center of the most notable legal battle since Jeffrey Epstein — and it’s finally begun. Facing five total charges — including multiple counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion — and up to life in prison, Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The all-female prosecution team though, says that Combs ran a criminal enterprise from 2004-2024 involving abuse, threats and coercion with drugs, money and filmed orgies called “Freak Offs.”

A case like Combs’ requires an egregiously overqualified team — which is precisely why he’s accompanied by this team: Nicole Westmoreland of Westmoreland Law LLC (a sexual assault survivor, herself, who represented a defendant in the YSL trial), Marc Agnifilo (who’s simultaneously supporting his wife, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, in leading Luigi Magnione’s murder defense), Teny Geragos (former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney), Brian Steel (who represented Young Thug in his RICO trial) and Alexandra Shapiro (one of the country’s leading lower court lawyers known for her success in white collar cases, victories in Supreme Court decisions, multiple Second Circuit rulings and getting her start under the belt of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg).

Jury selection began in New York on Monday with Judge Arun Subramanian’s goal of 45 qualified jurors by Friday, and as of Wednesday morning, 35 have qualified. Once 45 are approved, Friday will be used to select the final jury with opening statements beginning Monday, May 12.

What’s Been Said in Court

Combs appeared in court wearing grey slacks and a sweater with a demeanor described as quiet and composed. Apparently, when he noticed a “familiar face” in the room, he put his hand over his heart and smiled when a juror said she wished she recognized the celebrities named in the case.

Given the case’s public interest, it was particularly essential that jurors be assessed for bias or concerns.

One prospective juror — who saw the 2016 video of Combs physically assaulting Cassie Ventura — hesitated when asked how it affected her view, so the judge agreed to strike her. Another woman was also struck for admitting, “I guess I lean toward him having committed the crimes.”

When a male potential juror confessed to smoking weed daily and not being able to refrain over the course of the trial, Subramanian excused him saying, “He is honest, I’ll say that.” The courtroom laughed.

One woman expressed sensitivity toward sexually explicit discussions — so much so that she might faint. She was excused. Another potential juror has relatives in law enforcement, admitting to a “slight bias,” and was struck.

Other jurors — like a man who clicked a news article about jury selection while riding MetroNorth after court — were flagged for exposure to the media, while some are victims of sexual assault themselves. One woman — who’s been allowed to stay in the jury for now — revealed to having survived an attempted rape, but expects to remain impartial.

Oddly throwing a wrench in the selection, a potential juror knew strangely specific details of the case, despite claiming limited exposure. And when the defense accused him of trying to get on the jury, he was struck.

Tensions in the Courtroom

Mark Geragos, one of Combs’s advisors and the father of his lead attorney, Teny Geragos, was publicly criticized by Subramanian after he called the prosecution team a “six-pack of white women” on his podcast with TMZ’s Harvey Levin.

Evidence includes the graphic 2016 hotel surveillance video showing Combs kicking, dragging and assaulting ex girlfriend Cassie Ventura — which prosecutors say occurred during a “Freak Off.” But after Combs apologized for the content of the video, his lawyers tried to exclude it from the trial — arguing that the context involves a “consensual” relationship, unrelated to the trafficking charged. The Judge ruled it will be accepted as evidence.

Reportedly, Ventura will be testifying as a witness along with three other accusers. One unnamed “Victim-3” may not appear due to legal complications with her representation.

Who’s Been Named?

While the full life of names has yet to be released, those already announced includes; Michael B. Jordan, Mike Myers, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Cassie Ventura, Aubrey O’Day, Harve Pierre, Lisa Bloom, D’Angelo, Dallas Austin, Laurieann Gibson, Lauren London and Michelle Williams.

These mentions don’t necessarily mean they’ll be testifying — just that their names will appear in the trial.