In the aftermath of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex-trafficking trial, the situation continues to be a major topic of discussion. Legal experts are still weighing in on the mixed verdict as well as what may lie ahead for the embattled music mogul. Some individuals who were actually present within the courtroom have also spoken out about their experiences since the proceedings ended, too. In addition to limited comments from Combs’ legal team and a few jurors, a journalist is now opening up about what it was like to be around the courtroom.
Diddy’s court case has been heavily covered by the press, of which many members were on the ground in New York during the trial. One such journalist who was present was Wesley Morris of The New York Times. Morris spoke with his colleague, John White, as part of their podcast, Cannonball, during which the former explained that he decided to sit in on the trial after a month of reading the reports. While discussing his experiences, Morris recalled having to get in line at the courthouse every morning and discussed the people he’d see:
You’re just always aware that there are people coming to just see what I was seeing with their own two eyes. Some of those people were real big Puffy people. They were there to support him. They think that this case is some BS and the government is out to get him. And they were, in a lot of cases, they didn’t have press badges, but they were TikToking, YouTubing, live streaming courtroom watchers, and particularly courtroom watchers of this case.
Throughout the case, Sean Combs had support from fans as well as a handful of celebrities, including Kanye West, who’s been a vocal advocate for him. Combs’ kids also supported him by sending Father’s Day messages and by criticizing the reports that swirled around their father. Wesley Morris further recalled seeing some of Combs' children in court quite frequently alongside other family members. Not only that, but Morris also described what it was like seeing the now-graying Combs in person:
He was gray. His hair was basically white. And his goatee was white. I just couldn’t believe it, because I mean, his hair was jet black a year ago. But I got to the courtroom, and lo and behold, the man is gray. He is gray. And I would say, since you’re asking me this, I don’t think it was an accident. I think, look, I don’t know how much he had been coloring his hair before this happened, but I think whether or not the defense’s strategy was to get him to look a certain way for the jury. Because the jury is 12 people.
The NYT veteran went on to say that the Sean John founder looked like “a deacon” who could’ve been “preparing for Sunday service.” Aside from that, Morris also explained the mixed thoughts he had on seeing someone who’s long been viewed as a cultural icon be on trial for sex-related crimes. Led by Marc Agnifilo, Diddy’s legal team made arguments in an attempt to refute the claims of sex-trafficking, racketeering and more facing his client. Morris went on to recall a moment that occurred following Agnifilo’s closing statements:
… When he finished, John, and I had heard that this almost never happens. It didn’t happen in the courtroom, but people were clapping in the overflow. There was applause. And there was a woman behind me, a Black woman, who she was some kind of legal journalist. She’s like, not us clapping for the defense closing argument. No. She got up and left. But it was clear. You just could hear people saying, man, that was way better than what the prosecution had to offer. Because I don’t know. I mean, I don’t know if the jury found him entertaining, but he was very clear about what the stakes were and what they weren’t.
Sean Combs was ultimately found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper was acquitted, however, on the more serious charges of racketeering (RICO) and sex-trafficking. When reacting to the verdict, an alternate juror – who described the courtroom as being “like a movie” – opined that the defense “poked holes” in the prosecution’s arguments. A sitting juror was also asked if Combs’ fame played into the verdict, and the juror was insulted by that assumption.
As Wesley Morris and others discuss their time sitting in the courtroom, Diddy himself is still sitting behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The Grammy winner will remain there in the run-up to his sentencing, which is set to take place on October 3.
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