Judge threatens to remove Diddy from court after catching him 'interacting' with jurors during trial
The rapper has been slammed for his behavior in the courtroom today
Warning: This article contains discussion of sexual assault which some readers may find distressing
A judge threatened to remove Diddy from the courtroom today due to his conduct, which included him 'interacting' with jurors.
As the trial into the multiple allegations Diddy, real name Sean Combs, has been accused of - which includes racketeering and sex trafficking by force, and fraud or coercion - the 55-year-old has today (5 June) been warned of his behavior.
With the jury having been removed from the courtroom for lunch, Judge Arun Subramanian threatened to kick Combs out of court for making facial expressions towards the jurors.
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He was nodding as recent testimonies from witnesses took place, NBC News reports, with the judge slamming his behavior as 'absolutely unacceptable'.
Explaining to Combs' defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo, Judge Subramanian explained he had been 'clear' that he does not want any facial expressions made in his courtroom.
When asked by the judge if his client would continue to do so, Agnifilo replied: "No your honor, it's not going to happen again."
"If it happens again, I will give an instruction to the jury or it could result in the exclusion of your client from the courtroom," the judge responded. "This cannot happen again."
According to court artist Jane Rosenberg, who has been present throughout the trial and pre-trial proceedings, she explained to NBC that he has been making expressions towards the jurors since the trial began.
She added that Combs had been trying to interact with them from across the courtroom, depending on who was giving the testimony and what was said.
Combs has been charged with racketeering and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, charges he's continued to deny and pleaded not guilty to.
The indictment accuses Combs and others in his enterprise of 'wield[ing] the power and prestige of Combs' role at the Combs Business to intimidate, threaten and lure female victims into Combs' orbit, often under the pretence of a romantic relationship'.
With the 'assistance of members and associates', the document claims Combs 'transported commercial sex workers across state lines and internationally' and 'then used force, threats of force, and coercion, to cause victims to engage in extended sex acts with male commercial sex workers that Combs referred to as, among other things, 'freak offs'.
A number of witnesses have testified against the music mogul over the past weeks, including his ex girlfriend Cassie, her mom Regina, and Diddy's former employees.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
Topics: Diddy, Court, Sex Trafficking
Joe Yates