Even as the July 4, 2025, fireworks prep light up the horizon, another kind of finale is approaching fast, not in the skies but in a federal courtroom. Sean "Diddy" Combs' blockbuster racketeering and sex trafficking trial moves into its final act; Judge Arun Subramanian issued a clear roadmap for how both the prosecution and defense should prep for jury deliberations.
After almost a month of testimony and evidence, Subramanian ensures that this trial doesn't close with hanging chads. During proceedings, he laid down a stern set of directions to streamline what comes next: deliberations.
The judge commanded both sides to button up all admitted evidence, whether digital files or physical items, so it was easy to hand it to the jury. Prosecutors should complete presenting their case by Monday, June 23, and the defence is due to present its case within the next five days. That paves the way for a schedule where closing arguments could begin just early enough for the verdict to arrive before Independence Day.
To maintain a clean and compliant record, the government must provide an attorney-accessible laptop with only digital exhibits that the government has properly admitted. That laptop will be shared with the defense by June 23, 2025, to ensure both sides stipulate that only vetted material appears on it. The digital file deck can grow up until evidence closes, but it has to stay inside what's been accepted.
And then, there's the white-glove handling of physical evidence. The government should identify and list anything seized and share that list with the defense. Jurors may see them in the jury room unless they are contraband. Otherwise, they'll remain in the courtroom under guard. Think weapons or illicit drugs, not something you hand around.
Subramanian would also like both sides to collaborate on a master exhibit list with descriptions. That list will be an essential reference tool for jurors as they wade through the case's mountains of evidence inside their deliberation room.
And witness testimony? The judge is already gearing up for members to request transcripts. He's directed attorneys to begin vetting and redacting the statements of the most likely-to-be-quoted witnesses. If jurors ask for something that hasn't been polished and tidied, both sides must scramble to agree on what's fair play.
Diddy, who has pleaded not guilty to all counts, is charged with five serious federal crimes: racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of interstate transportation for prostitution. The trial started at the end of May and has played out under intense public scrutiny.
As we reach the final stretch of this legal marathon, the eyes of the jury and the clock are upon us. If everything proceeds at Judge Subramanian's pace, we'll get a verdict before the fireworks start on July 4, 2025. Either way, it will be a historic summer for Diddy and the courtroom watching him.
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