Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyers and supporters celebrate verdict
The legal team of Sean “Diddy” Combs and loyal supporters celebrated a “great victory” outside of the courthouse in Manhattan.
For the first time, a juror who took part in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ eight-week trial is speaking out.
George, one of the 18 people – which included six alternates – who served on Combs’ jury, spoke with both CNN and The New York Times a day after Combs was found guilty of only two of the five criminal charges he faced.
The man, who was one of the alternates and therefore was not privy to the 12-person jury’s approximately two days of deliberations, told the news outlets “I understand” the verdict. On July 2, Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charge of racketeering, as well as two sex trafficking counts.
“Reading all my notes and looking back at the evidence, I probably would have reached the same conclusion as the other jurors,” George told CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates of the racketeering charge.
“I think there was always a little bit of doubt in people’s minds. I think it was a tough case to prove, especially the first (charge of racketeering). There was always a little bit of doubt there, even from the beginning.”
George, who said he was aware of Combs before the trial but didn’t know his music, also said Combs’ defense team managed to make Dawn Richard appear “very not credible.” “I even wrote in my notebook it was like a takedown,” George said.
The man described being impressed by the defense’s work in court and noted Combs was very attentive in the courtroom. “He was fighting for himself,” George said.
What happened when Sean “Diddy” Combs heard his verdict
The judge will decide what’s next for Sean “Diddy” Combs after he was convicted of two out of five counts in his sex trafficking trial.
Diddy trial juror didn’t think ‘freak offs’ with Cassie, Jane were ‘forced’
George told The Times he wasn’t convinced by the prosecution’s assertions that Cassie Ventura Fine and the anonymous ex-girlfriend “Jane” were sex trafficked — counts two and four, of which Combs was not found guilty.
“I don’t think it was forced,” George said of the women’s sexual encounters with escorts, which he not only watched footage of but also heard about during testimony. He added they seemed to be “willing participants,” telling CNN the defense showed text messages from Ventura Fine in which she didn’t seem “forced” to participate in sexual activities.
However, George told CNN that “I think we did” believe Ventura. He added she gave “very credible” testimony and said, “She wouldn’t have done all this just to come up there and lie about everything.”
Ventura Fine testified about her experiences over four days while nearly due to give birth to her third child, and Jane was in court for six days. They both told jurors they felt coerced into fulfilling Combs’ sexual desires, either motivated by a need to make him happy or fear of his retribution.
As for Jane, George told CNN, “I did believe her. Some parts didn’t add up as much. It seemed a little strange.” He specifically referred to her testimony about the incident in which Combs allegedly physically assaulted her in 2024.
Juror reveals what he saw in ‘freak off’ videos
George also downplayed the so-called “freak off” videos that were shielded from public view. He revealed the footage involved sexual activity, but it wasn’t as graphic as some speculated.
“It was actually pretty tame; it was just a lot of rubbing oil and stuff. It wasn’t anything too graphic,” he told CNN.
Despite not seeing Combs as guilty of the most aggressive criminal charges – racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking – George told Coates he is not eager to have any communications with the former hip-hop icon.
“To be honest, I really wouldn’t want to talk to (Combs) or anyone really associated with that,” he said.
