Diddy's lawyers demand a mistrial if a Black juror is dismissed from the trial on the request of the prosecution
Shortly after the prosecution sought to remove a juror based on "lack of candor", Diddy's legal team filed a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian on June 15, 2025, stating that they believe it is a mistrial if the court persists in dismissing the juror.
According to NBC News' report dated June 12, 2025, the government sought to remove juror No. 6, who is among the jury's Black members, as per the defense. Lead prosecutor in Sean "Diddy" Combs' trial, Maurene Comey, told the court:
“We were very reluctant to put in this letter, it appeared to be a lack of candor with the court that raises serious issues with us. We did not want to do this. We were compelled to do that.”
The discussion took place in the absence of jurors and was opposed by Combs' lawyer, Alexandra Shapiro, who wanted to respond to the prosecution's request and asked for the opportunity to be heard.
This was followed by Judge Arun Subramanian dismissing the juror, stating that the "removal of the juror is required", citing "several inconsistencies" in the man's answers about his address.
"The juror is unable to answer simple questions. … There are serious questions about the juror's candor and ability to follow instructions," Judge Arun Subramanian said.
In their letter to the judge, Diddy's legal team alleged that the government is looking for a pretext to dismiss a juror because of their race, although the court believes their stance.
Diddy's legal team opposes Judge Subramanian's take on removing juror No. 6
What followed the prosecution's request for juror No.6's dismissal was Judge Arun Subramanian indicating that he would order the juror's removal on June 13, 2025.
As per USA Today's report dated June 2025, the juror informally told a member of the jury that he had recently moved in with his girlfriend in New Jersey and had been staying there most of the time.
However, during jury selection in May 2025, juror No. 6 had mentioned that he was living in the Bronx with his infant daughter and fiancée. Additionally, in another interview, the juror reportedly said that he stayed in an apartment in New York for about four to five nights every week. He had also mentioned living with his aunt and working in New York.
Judge Subramanian said that although the "changing answers and inconsistency" seem like a trivial matter, it "goes to a juror's basic criteria to serve." The judge said that juror No.6's changing answers created a doubt on his truthfulness concerning the questions related to Diddy's ongoing trial.
In their letter dated June 15, 2025, Diddy's legal team opposed the judge's views about the juror, stating that his inconsistency in answering questions about their living particulars didn't mean they weren't fit to serve on the jury.
The rapper's legal team also cited a line spoken by Judge Subramanian on June 13, 2025, wherein he had said:
"The subject matter of what was being addressed is so far afield from the juror's performance."
Sean Combs' legal team added that the judge had changed his mind and decided to dismiss the juror without enquiring further, stating that they feel there's no justification for it. The defense mentioned that dismissing a juror of color will lessen the likelihood of people of color serving on a jury in the future.
The jury in Diddy's case comprises 12 New Yorkers and 6 alternates, wherein three jurors are under 40 and five are over 60. The panel features eight men and four women, and as per the Daily Mail's May 12, 2025, report, five of the jurors are Black.
