The high-profile federal trial of hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs saw a significant development on Tuesday as the jury returned with a partial verdict. After two days of intense deliberations at the federal courthouse in New York, the jury announced it had reached decisions on four of the five charges against Combs but remained deadlocked on the most serious count: racketeering. This inability to agree on the racketeering charge, which carries a potential life sentence, means deliberations are set to resume on Wednesday.

Sean Combs, 55, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges—including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for the purpose of prostitution—was present in court, visibly tense. Judge Arun Subramanian confirmed the unanimous verdicts on counts two, three, four, and five, noting the deadlock on count one, the racketeering charge. Jurors conveyed to the court that their positions were firm and further discussion seemed unlikely to sway them. Despite this, Judge Subramanian encouraged continued deliberation, hinting at the possibility of an “Allen charge,” a controversial judicial instruction urging jurors in the minority to reconsider their stance for a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors advocated for its use, while defense attorneys raised concerns about potential undue pressure on jurors.

The trial, which has spanned over two months, involved testimony from 34 witnesses, including former employees, male escorts, federal agents, and several of Combs’s ex-girlfriends. The complexity of the racketeering charge was always anticipated to be a hurdle for the prosecution. Robert Mintz, a former federal prosecutor, explained that racketeering is a sophisticated offense requiring proof of an ongoing criminal enterprise involving at least two crimes over several years. This complexity, typically seen in organized crime prosecutions, makes it particularly challenging for a jury to reach a conviction.

Central to the prosecution’s case is the accusation that Combs led a criminal organization designed to serve his needs, enforcing his power through various offenses including forced labor, drug distribution, kidnapping, bribery, witness tampering, and arson. The defense, led by Marc Agnifilo, countered that none of the alleged co-conspirators testified against Combs. Many witnesses were granted immunity, raising questions about their credibility. The defense argued that to convict Combs on racketeering, prosecutors must prove beyond reasonable doubt that he conspired with individuals within his organization to commit at least two of the eight crimes forming the racketeering charge. Combs also faces two charges of sex trafficking involving former partner Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and a woman identified as “Jane.” Both women testified of abuse, threats, and coercive sex in harrowing detail.

While Combs’s lawyers conceded that he occasionally engaged in domestic violence with partners, they adamantly insisted these actions did not constitute sex trafficking or racketeering. Agnifilo portrayed Combs as a “self-made, successful Black entrepreneur” whose romantic relationships, though “complicated,” were consensual. The defense dissected and at times mocked the accounts of Ventura and Jane, arguing they were adults making free choices. In their closing arguments, however, prosecutor Maurene Comey asserted that Combs had “contorted the facts endlessly” and that he believed himself “untouchable.” Comey concluded by stating, “The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them. That ends in this courtroom. The defendant is not a god.”

The verdicts on the four counts that have been decided remain undisclosed to the public, and their impact on Combs’s future hinges on the final ruling. Sean Combs, known by various monikers such as Puffy, Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, and Love, has been a significant figure in the music and fashion industries. He founded the Sean John clothing line, appeared in reality TV, and was recently named a Global Icon at the MTV Awards. In 2023, he released The Love Album: Off The Grid, earning his first solo Grammy nomination in years. His star fell dramatically following a civil lawsuit filed by Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, which accused him of disturbing sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Although settled out of court for $20 million, it triggered a cascade of similar civil lawsuits and eventually led to the current criminal charges.