The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs was put on hold Wednesday after one of the jurors felt sick with vertigo on the way to court and had to go home. Since all jurors need to be present, the trial couldn’t continue. Court will also be closed Thursday because of the Juneteenth holiday and is expected to start again on Friday.
Brendan Paul, a former Syracuse University basketball player who has been accused of running drugs for Combs, appeared in court Tuesday. He chose not to answer questions by using his Fifth Amendment right, but the court gave him immunity. This means he won’t be charged for anything he admits in court, as long as he tells the truth. Paul is accused of carrying drugs like ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana, ketamine, and mushrooms through airport security in his carry-on bag.
On Tuesday, a federal agent named DeLeassa Penland gave testimony, showing evidence such as hotel receipts and text messages. These supported claims about “Freak Off” parties Combs allegedly planned. She also created a timeline of events based on that evidence.
The government is close to finishing its case. Prosecutor Maurene Comey told the judge they expect to be done by Friday morning at the latest.
Combs’ lawyers now say their defense will take only two to five days—much shorter than the original plan of several weeks. Because of this short time frame, it’s very unlikely Combs will testify himself. This is especially true since the testimonies from Cassie Ventura and another woman known as “Jane” took about two weeks altogether.
Judge Arun Subramanian also warned both legal teams after a private detail about a juror was leaked to the media. He said if there are more leaks, there could be serious consequences, like taking phones, questioning people under oath, or even issuing punishments for contempt of court.
