Tuesday 5/6 Day 2. Nervous in the Courtroom

0:01 Welcome back to Did He Do It? The daily podcast covering the trial that's shaking up the music industry, celebrity culture, and the justice system all at once. I'm Nate Oliver and it's Tuesday, May sixth, twenty twenty five. Sean Ditty Combs, once the face of glitz, power and parties, is now the face of a federal courtroom in downtown Manhattan, charged with a sex trafficking, racketeering, and abuse that spans more than two decades. We're here every day, unpacking every moment, every motion, and every meltdown. Yesterday we were in the room for the kickoff of jury selection. Today we're watching the tension rise. Ditty's nerves were showing, the judge was sharp, and the juror pool, let's just say not everyone was thrilled to be part of this media circus. It's only day two and the stakes are already high. Did He entered through the side door again this morning, escorted by US marshals, but dressed in civil clothes, an olive sweater layered over a white collared shirt, gray slacks, no orange jumpsuit, no handcuffs, but still very much a defendant in one of the most sensational trials in recent memory. He took his seat next to his lead attorney, Joe Tacopina, and almost immediately something seemed off. Ten minutes in did he leaned over and whispered to his lawyer. The judge asked if there was an issue. Tacopina said, your honor, my client is requesting a brief recess. He's feeling unwell. The

1:34 judge gave them five minutes. In the hallway, reporters saw Combs with his head down, surrounded by security. Back inside. Once court resumed, he reportedly muttered, I'm a little nervous today, and honestly, who wouldn't be. The possibility of spending the rest of your life in prison is now more real than ever. Jury selection isn't glamorous, but in this trial, even the boring stuff feels charged. Yesterday, thirty two jurors were questioned and nineteen were deemed qualified. Today that number moved up a bit, but not without a few moments. One woman in her forties said she once worked in music pr and had met Ditty at an awards show.

2:16 Said she didn't have a strong opinion, but that he made an impression. He's very charismatic. When asked if that would affect her ability to be fair, she paused and admitted, I think it might. She was dismissed. A young guy from Queen said he had seen a lot of Cassie's case on TikTok and Reddit. He said, it's hard not to. It's everywhere gone. By lunchtime, nine jurors were seated. The court is looking for twelve plus six alternates. The judge is taking his time and security remains tight. All jurors will remain anonymous, no names, no photos. Now, let's circle back and remind ourselves what this trial is about, because it's not about one party, one incident, or one accuser.

3:02 The federal government says that Dittycombs ran a criminal enterprise, not a record label, not a fashion brand, a trafficking operation. That's their argument. They say he used drugs, threats, manipulation, and employees to set up what insiders allegedly called freak offs. These were drug fueled parties where victims, both women and men, were forced or manipulated into sex acts, and prosecutors say this went on for more than twenty years, from the late nineteen nineties all the way through twenty twenty three. They've got surveillance, video, financial records, and witnesses. At least seven alleged victims are expected to testify, and they say there were payments made hush money to keep people quiet.

3:48 And yes, part of that includes the infamous Cassi Ventura case that was settled last year and within twenty four hours, but the Feds kept digging. Now, let's talk about the defense. This legal team says this whole thing is outrageous. They say the encounters were all consensual. They say this is a smear campaign, a cultural takedown. One of his lawyers even told reporters yesterday, quote Sean Combs is not a trafficker. He's a target of fame, fortune and falsehood. End quote. Inside court, they've been quiet so far, but they did object to prosecutors using the phrase freak offs, calling it sensational and prejudicial. The judge hasn't ruled on that yet, but trust me, it'll be a fight more. In a moment outside the courtroom today, total chaos, news, vans, TikTok creators, protesters, fans with free ditty signs, people chanting for victims, people chanting for Combs. This is not just a trial. It's a cultural moment. Everyone wants a piece of it, So what's next. Jury selection is expected to continue tomorrow and likely into Thursday. Opening statements are currently scheduled for Monday, May twelfth. Each side will get ninety minutes to lay out their case. The government says it will call two former employees as their first witnesses. Both claim they helped arrange or witnessed trafficking, Both have immunity, and Ditty's team

5:23 they haven't tipped their hand, but sources say they're going to come out swinging. This trial is expected to last eight to ten weeks, and every day we'll be here to break it all down. That's it for today's episode of Diddy Do It. As the jury pool narrows and the pressure builds, one thing is clear. This case is already bigger than just one man. It's a test of justice, power, and whether celebrity still means untouchable. Join us tomorrow for more as the trial of Sean ditty Comb's continues. Please follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like the show, leave us a rating. It really helps. Did He Do It? Is a production of Calaroga. Shark Media. Executive producers are Mark Francis and John McDermott. I'm Nate Oliver. Thanks for listening.