Sean Combs’ Lawyers Allege Discrimination In Judge’s Dismissal Of A Black Juror From The Panel

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Baila Eve ZismanJune 18, 2025, 7:23 pmNews >

On June 16, a black juror was dismissed from the highly publicized trafficking and racketeering trial of former music mogul Sean Combs.

The federal judge overseeing the trial declared he was concerned about “whether [the juror] shaded answers to get on and stay on the panel.” On June 13, Judge Arun Subramanian stated, “The juror is unable to answer simple questions…there are serious questions about the juror’s candor and ability to follow instructions.”

He added his decision might seem like “a trivial matter [but it] goes to a juror’s basic criteria to serve.”

On June 15, Combs’ lawyers made a desperate effort to keep Juror No. 6, a 41-year-old black man, on the panel, filing a 14-page letter that argued the judge had no valid reason to remove him and the decision was discriminatory by nature.

The defense argued, “We believe that motive is supported not only by [the U.S. government’s] remarkable decision to use 7 of its nine peremptory strikes on black jurors but also by the history of the investigation and prosecution, which has been characterized by extreme government overreach from the beginning.”

The defense team later posited, “All of this was part of a coordinated effort to try to destroy one of the most successful black men in American history.”

Subramanian sympathized with the lawyers’ concerns about pulling Juror No. 6, but he stated that he could not overlook the man’s inconsistent answers when questioned about where he lived, either with his girlfriend in New Jersey or with his aunt in the Bronx in New York City.

A 57-year-old white man will replace Juror No. 6.

Combs faces one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded guilty to all charges.

The jury for Combs’ trial consists of eight men and four women, with six alternates selected, including two women and four men. All jurors range in age from 30 to 70.