NEW YORK—For 40 brisk minutes on Friday, the federal courthouse at 500 Pearl Street gained an extra spectator: Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Dressed in an all-white ensemble, he entered during a lunch recess, was steered to an overflow video room with Christian “King” Combs, nodded once when asked if he supported Sean Combs—and then vanished as quickly as he arrived. kktv.comreuters.comtheguardian.com
The fleeting cameo did nothing to alter proceedings but underscored the celebrity voltage surrounding a trial that already reads like a tabloid ticker. Sean “Diddy” Combs, 55, faces racketeering-conspiracy and sex-trafficking counts that could equate to life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty; his lawyers say every sexual encounter prosecutors cite was consensual. economictimes.indiatimes.comreuters.com
Six weeks of testimony have painted a combustible picture: “king nights,” “freak-offs,” and private-jet trips recounted by witnesses under pseudonyms. On Thursday, a former girlfriend known only as “Jane” echoed prior statements from Cassie Ventura, describing drug-laden group-sex episodes allegedly choreographed by the mogul himself. washingtonpost.comkktv.com
Friday also brought courtroom housekeeping: Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed Juror No. 6 for “inconsistencies” about where he actually lives, after prosecutors questioned his candor. The shake-up trims the panel to eleven regular jurors plus four alternates and intensifies scrutiny of every remaining seat. abc7ny.comfox5ny.com
Prosecutors signal they will rest early next week; the defense must decide whether to put Combs—or any bold-face allies—on the stand or rely solely on cross-examination. Ye’s white-clad drive-by may preview a witness list designed as much for optics as for law. For now, the only certainty is that star cameos are easier to score than courtroom victories.
