NEW YORK – The jury in the high-profile federal trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs has reached a partial verdict, but failed to agree on the most serious charge against him -racketeering, a count that could carry a life sentence if convicted.
After two days of deliberation, the 12 jurors told the court they had unanimously agreed on four out of five charges. But they remain deadlocked over the racketeering accusation, with members on both sides holding firm in their positions.
Combs, 55, sat quietly in court on Tuesday afternoon, head bowed, hands folded in his lap. His legal team occasionally leaned in for support, visibly tense as the deadlock was announced.
The judge, Arun Subramanian, addressed the jurors after hearing from both the prosecution and defence. He instructed them to keep trying, in hopes of reaching a full verdict. Deliberations are expected to resume Wednesday morning and could even continue into Thursday -a rare move, as courts typically close ahead of the 4th of July holiday.
The courtroom has been the setting for weeks of testimony from 34 witnesses – including former girlfriends, bodyguards, assistants, male escorts, and federal investigators. Combs, who denies all the charges, is also accused of sex trafficking and transporting individuals across state lines for prostitution.
The prosecution had requested an Allen charge – a formal instruction used to urge a hung jury toward consensus. While legal, such instructions can be controversial, with critics saying they may pressure dissenting jurors into compromising their convictions.
No details of the four agreed verdicts have been made public yet.
Speaking to the BBC, former federal prosecutor Robert Mintz said the deadlock on racketeering is not surprising. “That was always going to be the most difficult charge,” he explained. “It’s complex and often used in organised crime cases. Prosecutors must show a long-term criminal enterprise -not just isolated bad acts.”
To convict on racketeering, the jury must believe that Combs ran a coordinated scheme involving at least one other person, committing multiple crimes over time.
Combs, whose career has spanned music, fashion, and reality TV, rose to fame under the names Puff Daddy, P Diddy, and Love. He founded Bad Boy Records, launched the Sean John clothing label, and recently released The Love Album: Off the Grid, which earned him a Grammy nomination.
Last year, MTV honored him with its Global Icon award.
Despite his public image, Combs has faced mounting legal troubles, and this trial has revealed a darker, disputed narrative about his past.
Whether the jury can overcome its impasse may determine the shape of his future. For now, the wait continues.
