Inside Diddy trial: Rapper allowed to take books inside his holding cell by Judge Arun Subramanian
After seven intense weeks of testimony and over 30 witnesses taking the stand, Diddy’s trial entered its final stage. On June 30, 2025, jury deliberations officially began, with the rapper awaiting the verdict in a holding cell inside the courthouse.
According to CNN, as the jury was sent out to deliberate, defense attorney Marc Agnifilo made a formal request to the court, asking if Diddy could take books with him into the holding cell while he waited. Judge Arun Subramanian approved the request, allowing the rapper to have reading material during this critical period.
In addition to the defense’s request, several key moments took place in the courtroom that day.
Shortly before granting Diddy's request, Judge Subramanian addressed the attorneys on both sides. He acknowledged the efforts made by both legal teams throughout the complex trial and remarked that the case was "really exceptionally tried by both sides".
After the jury left to begin deliberations, a visibly emotional moment unfolded in the courtroom. Combs’ family and close supporters stood together, held hands, and bowed their heads in unison. They were then seen quietly exiting the courtroom, followed by the rapper, who was escorted out by court marshals.
Jury raises early concerns over a juror’s conduct after deliberations begin in Diddy’s trial
The ongoing criminal trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs entered a critical phase on Monday, as a 12-member jury, composed of eight men and four women, began deliberating the charges in the case. However, within just an hour, proceedings took a notable turn when the jury raised concerns about a juror’s conduct.
According to a June 30, 2025, report by The New York Times, jury deliberations commenced around 11:30 am. The first note from the jury arrived shortly, in which the jurors announced that they had selected a foreperson.
"We have elected juror number five as our foreperson," the note stated (as per CNN).
Juror No. 5, a nursing home aide from Manhattan, was chosen as the foreperson. She was a 42-year-old person of color and a mother of two. During jury selection, she told lawyers she preferred getting her news by word of mouth (as per ABC 11 News).
A second note, sent almost 70 minutes after deliberations began, signaled potential trouble in the jury room. The foreperson expressed concern about Juror No. 25 and sent a note to the judge
"We have a juror, No. 25, who we are concerned cannot follow your honor’s instructions," the note read.
Juror No. 25 is a 51-year-old veterinarian who lives in Manhattan with his partner. He stated he was only vaguely aware of the allegations against Diddy through news coverage (as per ABC 11 News).
In response to the second note, legal teams on both sides briefly debated the appropriate course of action. They agreed on one point: not to probe the specifics of the concern regarding Juror No. 25 at this early stage. However, their proposed approaches diverged thereafter.
Prosecutors suggested a note reminding jurors of their duty to deliberate in good faith and follow the court’s instructions. The note would also remind the jurors to avoid revealing details about internal jury discussions. Meanwhile, Diddy’s defense team proposed adding a line noting that deliberations had only just begun.
Judge Arun Subramanian, however, rejected the defense's request. He stated that such wording could imply the jury’s concerns were premature or insignificant and falsely suggest a set timeline for deliberations.
After roughly 40 minutes of discussion between both sides, Judge Subramanian issued a final message to the jury just after 2 pm.
He sent a note that read,
"I received your note. I remind every juror of their duty to deliberate and their obligation to follow my instruction on the law. With that instruction in mind, please continue deliberating."
The message also included a clear directive instructing jurors not to disclose any specifics about their deliberations in future notes.
Legal analyst and jury consultant Alan Tuerkheimer shared his opinion on the jury's second note. He described the timing of the second note as significant. He explained that disputes arising so early in deliberations were unusual and could indicate deeper divisions among the jurors.
"There’s a wild card on this jury, and that is significant. It happened incredibly quickly. There’s a lot of give and take, back and forth. Deliberations can get incredibly heated, and that’s part of the process," he told CNN.
Diddy is undergoing trial for charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of all the charges.
