Sean Diddy Combs Update: The jury selection process begins

It's D day for Sean Diddy Combs

It seems like it's been a long time since the arrest of Sean Diddy Combs and many accusations have come to light. There have been other celebs and preachers whose names have been tied to his Freak Off parties and now he will finally have his day in court.

On Monday May 5, the lon.g awaited process will begin to select jurors for his trial in Manhattan. There are numerous accusations against the music mogul but will he be found guilty or innocent

The 17-page indictment against Combs accuses him of using employees of his business endeavors — including record labels, a recording studio, an apparel line, an alcoholic spirits company, a marketing agency, a television network and a media company — to facilitate his crimes through acts that included kidnapping, arson and bribery.

Diddy rejects a plea deal

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who is overseeing his trial in New York, desires to seat 12 jurors with six alternates in three days. Combs was offered a plea deal for a lesser sentence but turned it down. Diddy's defense team conferred with him and it was decided that he should not take the deal which involved his pleading guilty. Some people are suggesting this may have been a bad strategy but time will tell.

Jury selection begins

The court will call 50 jurors each day to the 26th-floor courtroom in Manhattan. Each juror will either be excused for cause or asked to return to the main courtroom for further questioning.

The court initially had requested 600 potential jurors. The goal is to narrow the group to 45 individuals who will be interviewed separately. There will be two attorneys from each side (prosecution and defense) present.

Prospective jurors who desire to speak privately will go into Subramanian’s chambers, where the media will be excluded and transcripts sealed. Jurors who are chosen will have their identity protected. Agnifilo expressed concerns that the media’s presence would hinder prospective jurors from speaking candidly.

Diddy's case has received a lot of attention in recent days leading Agnifilo to ask the court to add a question to the juror survey questionnaire already sent to prospective jurors: “Have you read anything since completing the questionnaire?” Judge Subramanian complied.

Will the charges stick?

Two additional attorneys have been added to the Combs team and all lawyers are to avoid making public statements that could affect the trial's outcome. Everyone involved is to be present in the judge's chambers at 8:00 Monday morning.

Prosecutor's allege that for over two decades, Combs used his power and prestige from his hip-hop empire and Bad Boy records to destroy the lives of young men and women.

Numerous witnesses have come forward to accuse Combs of terrorizing people into silence by choking, hitting, kicking and dragging them, often by the hair, prosecutors say. Once, the indictment alleges, he even dangled someone from a balcony.

Will Diddy's plea deal backfire?

The only crime Diddy has admitted to is his abuse of former girlfriend Cassie Ventura which was caught on tape. Prosecutors plan to show jurors travel records, text messages and emails, hotel records and videos to supplement testimony and support their claims about what they call “Freak Off activity.”

If convicted Sean Diddy Combs will receive a lengthier sentence than he would have under the plea deal. He maintains his innocence and now a jury will decide if they believe him. Hopefully the identities of the jurors will not be leaked and there will be no threats to their lives. Previously there have been accusations of witness tampering and threats.