Four questions Diddy jury had to answer before being shown 'freak off' videos for first time in court
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual harassment and domestic violence which some readers may find distressing.
Jurors selected to determine the outcome of hip-hop mogul Diddy's ongoing criminal case were handed a questionnaire to assess their suitability for selection - which included four key questions.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is currently standing trial in New York accused of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He denies all charges against him.
Given the sensitive nature of the trial - which has included videos and images relating to the former rapper's 'freak offs', a 2016 video of him physically assaulting his then-girlfriend Cassie Ventura and numerous testimonies detailing allegations of coercive behaviour - potential jurors had to undergo screening prior to selection.
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Details about the screening process were revealed earlier this year, with a letter to the judge back in April seeing lawyers request potential jurors to be asked about their willingness to view content which was sexually explicit or violent (via AP).
Further details about the selection process were later revealed, with MailOnline publishing key questions which were posed to a pool of would-be jurors before the trial.
There included:
- You may hear evidence in this case relating to the payment of commercial sex workers in exchange for sex. Do you have any feelings, beliefs, or experiences relating to prostitution and the enforcement of laws around prostitution that could affect your ability to be fair and impartial in this case?
- You may hear evidence relating to firearms. Do you have any feelings, beliefs, or experiences about guns and the enforcement of gun laws that could affect your ability to be fair and impartial in this case?
- You may hear evidence relating to the distribution and use of illegal drugs. Do you have any feelings, beliefs, or experiences relating to illegal drugs, the enforcement of drug laws, drug use, or drug addiction that could affect your ability to be fair and impartial in this case?
- You may hear testimony from witnesses who are alleged victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and/or sex trafficking. Would you have any difficulty assessing the credibility of such a witness just like you would any other witness?
Other questions posed to jurors included questions about their age and occupation as well as views on hip-hop music, witnesses testifying under a pseudonym and people engaging in relationships with multiple sexual partners.
Jurors undergo rigorous screening, and one juror was recently dismissed after it was found he gave inconsistent answers about where he lives.
Judge Arun Subramanian said he was concerned Juror Number Six had 'shaded answers to get on and stay on the jury'.
He has been replaced by one of the alternate jurors.
The questions posed to jurors resurfaced after it was revealed that footage taken from the rapper's 'freak off' sessions were shown in court for the first time.
This included three separate clips - which totalled around three minutes in length.
According to a report from CNN, the majority of the jurors appeared 'stone-faced’ while watching the footage, however one juror was reported to 'wince' in her seat while another put her hand over her eye.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, please know that you are not alone. You can talk in confidence to the national domestic violence helpline Refuge on 0808 2000 247, available 24/7, or via live chat, available 10am-10pm, Monday to Friday.
Brenna Cooper