Blogger Stephanie Soo describes Diddy's current look as "fuzzy koala," claims rapper made eye contact with every member of the press during trial
Blogger and YouTuber Stephanie Soo recently claimed that Diddy's current appearance in court for his trial resembled a fuzzy koala. For the unversed, Sean "Diddy" Combs' criminal trial on s*x trafficking, racketeering, and prostitution charges began with jury selection on May 5, with the jury pool narrowed to 45 after three days.
Stephanie Soo, presumably allowed in court as a member of the press (as seen by the lanyard around her neck in the video), took to social media to update her followers about the ongoing trial.
In an Instagram video posted on May 7, the YouTuber revealed that she had attended all three days of the trial, adding that photography in the courthouse was prohibited and only three rows of press were allowed in the court.
Soo also described Diddy's appearance in court in her video. For context, the rapper has not been seen by the public since his arrest in September 2024, and the only updates about his appearance came via courtroom sketches, which showed him with grey hair.
The YouTuber likened Diddy's appearance to a fuzzy koala. She also claimed that the rapper maintained "intense" eye contact with every member of the press as he looked around the courthouse.
"The sketch artists were so good, but something about seeing him in person, in the same room, was so intense. He would turn around and make eye contact with each members of the press, just everyone in the courthouse. And the way that we can describe the way he looks, cos there's no pictures allowed, so we don't really know," Soo said.
She continued:
"Okay, we were having debates about this during lunch, but it's like, you know, koalas when they get fuzzy, like if it's really humid and they have like very fuzzy greyish white hair, he kind of is reminiscent to that. But let me tell you, the way he looks at every single person in that courtroom is the most intense thing ever. I feel like he's challenging people to break eye contact first."
For the unversed, Stephanie Soo is a well-known true crime podcaster who recently covered Diddy's case on her podcast, titled Rotten Mango, over a four-part series in October 2024.
In her recent Instagram video, the YouTuber added that she would update her followers about the ongoing trial either via TikTok or a YouTube video.
Jury selection for Diddy's trial to resume on May 9
The jury selection for Diddy's trial started on May 5. Judge Arun Subramanian, the defense, and the prosecution meticulously questioned potential jurors to determine whether they were fit for service.
On day three of jury selection, the pool was narrowed down to 45 candidates.
Combs' trial will continue on May 9, where 12 jurors will be selected. Additionally, six alternate jurors will also be selected.
According to NRP, several potential jurors admitted to having watched the video of Combs physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, in 2016.
The CCTV footage, taken from a hotel in LA, was publicly released by CNN in May 2024.
Ahead of the trial, Diddy's legal team requested that the judge dismiss the video as evidence, claiming that CNN tampered with it before publicly releasing it.
However, CNN has denied all allegations of editing the original video, which the network claimed remained with the source.
Amid the trial, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo voiced his discontent at the video allegedly tainting the jury selection process.
However, several potential jurors claimed they would remain impartial and make a judgment based on the evidence presented during the trial.
Diddy's star status has also seemingly complicated jury selection, as many potential jurors admitted they were aware of the details of the case due to its endless coverage. One potential juror reportedly said, "It's all over social media."
At the end of day three, Judge Arun Subramanian reminded the potential jurors to refrain from researching the details of the case or discussing it with others.
Jury selection is scheduled to continue on May 9, and on May 12, the defense and prosecution will begin their opening statements.
In other news, Diddy declined a potential plea deal days ahead of the trial. The rapper, currently at the Metropolitan Detention Center, faces five federal charges, including "s*x trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transporting to engage in prostitution."
