A juror who took part in Diddy’s eight-week trial is speaking out via USA Today.
George, one of the 18 people – which included six alternates, who served on Combs’ jury, spoke with both CNN and The New York Times a day after Combs was found guilty of only two of the five criminal charges he faced.
The man, who was one of the alternates and therefore was not privy to the 12-person jury’s approximately two days of deliberations, told the news outlets “I understand” the verdict.
On July 2nd, Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charge of racketeering, as well as two s*x trafficking counts.
“Reading all my notes and looking back at the evidence, I probably would have reached the same conclusion as the other jurors,” George told CNN anchor and chief legal analyst Laura Coates of the racketeering charge.
“I think there was always a little bit of doubt in people’s minds. I think it was a tough case to prove, especially the first (charge of racketeering). There was always a little bit of doubt there, even from the beginning.”
George stated that he was aware of Combs before the trial but didn’t know his music, also said Combs’ defense team managed to make Dawn Richard appear “very not credible.”
“I even wrote in my notebook it was like a takedown,” George said.
The man described being impressed by the defense’s work in court and noted Combs was very attentive in the courtroom. “He was fighting for himself,” George said.
George told The Times he wasn’t convinced by the prosecution’s assertions that Cassie Ventura Fine and the anonymous ex-girlfriend “Jane” were s*x trafficked — counts two and four, of which Combs was not found guilty.
“I don’t think it was forced,” George said of the women’s s*xual encounters with escorts, which he not only watched footage of but also heard about during testimony. He added they seemed to be “willing participants,” telling CNN the defense showed text messages from Ventura Fine in which she didn’t seem “forced” to participate in s*xual activities.
However, George told CNN that “I think we did” believe Ventura. He added she gave “very credible” testimony and said, “She wouldn’t have done all this just to come up there and lie about everything.”
