The federal trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs has reached a tense standstill, as jurors indicated on Tuesday that they are deadlocked on the central racketeering charge, even as they've reached a decision on four other serious counts.
While consensus was achieved regarding two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation for prostitution purposes, the racketeering conspiracy charge proved too contentious, with some firmly believing in Combs' guilt and others remaining unconvinced.
Judge Arun Subramanian requested that they continue their discussions.
Legal expert Tony Buzbee, representing several accusers, predicts guilty verdicts on the four counts decided so far but acknowledges that skepticism persists regarding whether Combs headed a criminal enterprise.
"It seems to me that there are certainly guilty verdicts on at least one or two of those four counts that they've reached a decision on," Buzbee told Radar Online. "My prediction is there's probably a guilty on all four, but there's some people on the jury that are not so sure Diddy was running a [racketeering] enterprise."
Combs has faced considerable legal troubles across multiple jurisdictions. Central to the current trial is the charge of racketeering, which the jury of twelve has thoroughly deliberated.
For a conviction, prosecutors must demonstrate that Combs oversaw criminal activities, allegedly comprising sex trafficking, narcotics distribution, and money laundering, leveraging his network of industry associates.
Former prosecutor and legal analyst John W. Day noted the difficulty of convicting on RICO charges. "RICO has always been the tough count for the jury," Day told The Mirror US. "The prosecutors had to prove to the jury that Diddy was running a criminal enterprise ... and that could have been based on drug trafficking, sex trafficking, money laundering, and that he was using his business associates to operate the enterprise."
He added that the charge may have stretched the original intent of the statute.
"RICO was designed for mob prosecutions for crime organizations that engaged in traditional organized crime activity. This could have been a stretch for the prosecutors to convince jurors that Diddy's high-flying world was the equivalent of a crime mob."
These Diddy courtroom sketches are a trip. pic.twitter.com/edZyzu12gI
— Johnny Woodard (@JohnnyWoodard) June 25, 2025
New Lawsuits Add Pressure as Jury Weighs Verdict
As the verdict hangs in the balance, new lawsuits bring increased strain. Buzbee recently lodged three additional civil complaints on behalf of alleged victims. In one, Combs stands accused of intoxicating and assaulting a man. Another alleges Combs " watched, encouraged and directed" an assault on a second male victim.
The third suit, filed by a 25-year-old woman in the media, claims Justin Combs, the rapper's son, lured her to Los Angeles under the guise of career opportunities. Once there, she asserts she was " trapped, drugged, held powerless, and raped," and that escaping was impossible.
Combs denied all civil and criminal accusations against him. His legal team opted not to call any witnesses in his defense, and the music mogul refused to testify himself. When asked by Judge Subramanian if he planned to take the stand, Combs replied, "That is my decision, your honor."
On Tuesday, Combs appeared tense and on edge in the courtroom. Observers said he looked "uneasy" as jurors began weighing the evidence. Before leaving court Tuesday morning, he paused to comfort his mother, Janice, whispering reassuringly, " Just relax, it's gonna be alright," and paid her a compliment on her outfit.
Now, with only the racketeering charge still unresolved, Diddy's future could hinge entirely on whether the jury can break its deadlock. They are scheduled to reconvene in court on Wednesday to resume deliberations.
Originally published on Enstarz
