An official timeline has been established by a judge for Diddy's trial, including the start date, jury selection, and pretrial hearings before opening statements.
Sean "Diddy" Combs is now officially on the countdown.
In New York, a federal judge has set important dates for his trial on racketeering and sex trafficking, marking a significant milestone towards what may become a highly publicized legal battle.
The schedule issued by U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian confirms that jury selection is set to commence on April 28, 2025, and opening statements are scheduled for May 12, 2025.
This ruling means that Diddy, currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, will face trial after several months of legal procedures and unsuccessful attempts to secure release.
The legal proceedings will start with a pretrial conference on April 25, 2025, where lawyers will settle procedural matters.
Potential jurors will complete questionnaires from April 28 to April 30, and both parties are required to submit their proposed jury lists by May 1. In case of disagreements, a hearing has been scheduled for May 2 to resolve them.
The process of questioning potential jurors under sequestration with public access, known as voir dire, will commence on May 5, followed by peremptory strikes on May 9 to narrow down the jury pool, with an expectation of up to 600 individuals being called.
Once the jury is selected, the much-anticipated trial will officially begin on May 12.
Diddy is facing federal charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, sex trafficking, and transportation for prostitution, following an extensive government inquiry.
It is alleged by prosecutors that he oversaw a criminal enterprise involved in coercion, drug distribution, and organized sexual abuse, with the network believed to have operated over numerous years using private jets, luxury hotels, and secretive events to facilitate trafficking.
A key piece of evidence in the prosecution's case is a 2016 surveillance video purportedly showing Diddy violently assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles. This footage, which first emerged on CNN in 2024, is said to support Ventura's civil lawsuit claims against Diddy, which he had previously denied before reaching a settlement.
Looking ahead, with the trial date now confirmed, both sides will begin getting ready for the trial. If found guilty, Diddy could face lengthy imprisonment, as the RICO and sex trafficking charges have severe mandatory minimum sentences.
Meanwhile, the music magnate awaits trial behind bars as federal prosecutors persist in pursuing their case, constructing what they describe as one of the most wide-ranging trafficking and racketeering cases in recent times.