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The sixth week of the trial against Sean Combs because of human trade and blackmail began on Monday with a dramatic moment when the judge released a jury, whose credibility was questioned on the basis of contradictory information on his place of residence.
The jury, a 41-year-old prison officer, initially stated that it would live in the Bronx district. However, he then casually mentioned to court employees during the trial that he had recently moved to New Jersey to live with his fiance and his child.
Richter: “Try to stay on the jury”
When the topic came up in court, the man said that the move to New Jersey was “could not be permanent”. And he still has a driver’s license from New York and receives his post in the Bronx.
On Friday, US district judge Arun Subramanian was concerned that the man “glossed over to answers. Or tried to provide explanations to stay on the jury”. (According to CNN, when choosing the jury, the man said that he was a fan of the hip-hop of the 1990s. But didn’t know much about the case.)
Combs’ team vigorously resisted the removal of the jury. Combs’ lawyer Xavier Donaldson said on Friday that it was a “step back” to remove the black jury. In a letter submitted to the court on Sunday, the defense called for misconception if the jury was released.
Defense demands fairness – judges contradicts
“The fairness of the process sometimes depends on the fact that jurors can share their perspectives in the consultations with other velvisors for different backgrounds,” said Alexandra Shapiro’s 14-page letter. “The removal of this specific jury will deprive Mr. Combs of this important perspective. And it is not enough to say that there are other black jury or other men on the jury.”
On Monday, judge Subramanian said that it was “inappropriate” to consider the jury’s ethnicity when deciding on his release. The judge said he used the weekend to rethink the topic. And in view of the fair selection process for replacement sworn, to which both sides would have agreed, satisfied with his decision.
According to CNN, the replacement sworn who replaces the dismissed man is a 57-year-old architect who lives with his wife and children in the West Chestian County.
Combs threatens lifelong prison sentence
Combs (55) was arrested in September. And has not guilty about the indictment points of human trafficking, transport for the purpose of prostitution and conspiracy for blackmail. In the event of a conviction, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Combs’ lawyers deny that the billion -dollar music mogul was leader of a criminal network. That was designed to fulfill his sexual wishes and protect his reputation. Instead, she describes Combs as a “swinger” who lived up his “Kinky” inclinations with long -time friends.
Combs admitted that Casandra “Cassie” Ventura has kicked and dragged in the hallway of the Intercontinental Hotel in 2016. However, he denies that she or another ex-girlfriend forced you to deal with human trafficking.
Sex parties, blackmail and threats – statement by the employee
The public prosecutor, on the other hand, accuses Combs of having manipulated women by violence, fraud or coercion for drug-driven, carefully staged sex marathons with male escorts that guided and recorded Combs. According to testimonies, the encounters were known as “freak-offs”, “hotel nights” and “King Nights”.
According to the indictment, Combs and his co -conspirators kept the alleged network with crimes such as bodily harm, threats, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery and disability.
When the trial continued on Monday, the first witness Ananya was Sankar. A paralegal employee of the US public prosecutor. Sankar led the jury through an extensive table with text messages and communications between Combs’ former chief of staff Kristina Khorram and other employees or Combs himself.
Role of Khorram and its defense
In the news that was extracted by confiscated devices, Khorram and others are said to have spoken about the preparation of hotel rooms for freak-offs as well as the submission of supplies, including drugs and cash for paying male escorts. Khorram was described as a “co -sworn”. However, it has not yet been invited to the statement.
After Khorram was mentioned as co -accused in several civil lawsuits, she published a statement in March:
“For months, horrific allegations against me have been raised in various complaints in relation to my former boss,” she said. “These false accusations of my participation cause irreparable and immeasurable damage to my reputation. Also in the emotional well -being of my family and me. I have never tolerated or encouraged sexual assault. I did not put anyone under drugs. The idea that I was accused of playing a role at – or even as a viewer – is a rapiery and is deeply shaken and Unimaginable.