The outcome of the Sean “Diddy” Combs sex trafficking trial is in the hands of the 12 individuals who have been selected as jurors. 

On Monday, the group of jurors – made up of eight men and four women – listened to opening statements from the prosecution and defence as the trial got underway in Manhattan, New York.

The 55-year-old hip-hop mogul has strenuously denied the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to five charges.

They are: One count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Members of the jury range in age from 30 to 74, coming from different neighbourhoods across New York, and from a wide range of professions.

Here is everything we know about the group tasked with deciding the outcome of the high-profile case.

How were jurors selected?

The 12 individuals were whittled down from a pool of 45 prospective jurors last week.

During the selection process, each individual was questioned by Judge Arun Subramanian in a legal process known as “voir dire” – translated from French as “to speak the truth”.

The process aims to find a panel of 12 main jurors and six alternates who can be fair and impartial.

That has been a particularly sensitive issue in this trial, given Combs’ celebrity status as an entrepreneur and rap mogul and the worldwide coverage of the case so far.

Jurors were quizzed about their hobbies and musical tastes, with some of the younger jurors in their 30s and 40s saying they listen to hip-hop and R&B music – genres that are closely associated with Combs.

They were also asked if they had any views on the prosecution or the defence, if they or someone close to them had been a victim of crime, and their beliefs on hiring sex workers, the use of illegal drugs, hip-hop artists and law enforcement.

Judge Subramanian then asked jurors whether they had heard of names included on a list of individuals, including celebrities, who may be mentioned during the trial. The list is long, the court heard, with the judge saying it reminded him of Lord Of The Rings.

As jury selection unfolded, Combs sat in court wearing a white shirt with a black crew-neck sweater, grey trousers and glasses. He appeared to express his approval or disapproval at each individual, either with a nod or by shaking his head no, to his attorneys.

Read more about how jury selection unfolded in court here.

Read more:
Diddy on trial: Everything you need to know
Sean Combs: A timeline of allegations

What to know about those selected

The individuals selected to sit on the jury include an investment analyst, a healthcare worker, a massage therapist and a deli worker, according to Sky News’ US partner network, NBC News.

When called for jury duty, potential jurors are allocated a number, which allows the court to keep track of the individuals and ensures a random selection process.

Here is everything we know about those selected for Combs’s trial:

• Juror no 2: A 69-year-old male from Manhattan who works as an actor and massage therapist. He listens to classical, jazz and rock music, and his hobbies include music, theatre, cycling and hiking.

• Juror no 5: A 31-year-old male from Manhattan who works as an investment analyst. He enjoys playing sports and video games.

• Juror no 25: A 51-year-old male from Manhattan who has a PhD in molecular biology and neuroscience. He listens to classical music and opera, and his hobbies include art, science, cooking and the outdoors.

• Juror no 28: A 30-year-old female from the New York state of the Bronx, who works in a deli. She listens to hip-hop and reggaeton and enjoys reading and playing video games.

• Juror no 55: A 42-year-old female from Manhattan who is an aide in a nursing home. She likes to cook and paint, and watch Harry Potter and Disney films.

• Juror no 58: A 41-year-old male from the Bronx who works in communications at a US prison. He listens to reggaeton and ’90s hip-hop, and his hobbies include sports and fantasy football.

• Juror no 75: A 68-year-old male from Westchester County, just north of New York City, who is a retired bank worker. He listens to Indian music and plays cricket and volleyball.

• Juror no 116: A 68-year-old male from Westchester County who is retired and used to work at a telecommunications company. He listens to rock music, and likes to bowl and play golf.

• Juror no 160: A 43-year-old female from Westchester County who works as a healthcare worker. She listens to R&B and hip-hop, and likes dancing.

• Juror no 184: A 39-year-old male from the Bronx who is a social worker. He listens to R&B and popular music from West Africa, and enjoys watching sports.

• Juror no 201: A 67-year-old male from Westchester County who works as a logistics analyst. His hobbies include woodworking and cycling.

• Juror no 217: A 74-year-old female from Manhattan who works as a treatment coordinator. She listens to classical music and likes to travel.

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The six alternate jurors chosen include four men and two women, ranging in age from 24 to 71. Those individuals will hear the entire case but will only participate in the decision-making if one of the 12 main jurors cannot continue.

The trial is expected to last around eight weeks.

Rapper Tory Lanez has said he was stabbed 14 times while serving his prison sentence for shooting hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. 

Lanez, 32, sustained “7 wounds to his back, 4 to his torso, 2 to the back of his head, and 1 to the left side of his face”, according to a post on his verified Instagram account.

Canadian Lanez, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, was attacked at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi at 7.20am (3.20pm UK time) on Monday, according to a spokesman for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

He was hospitalised following the stabbing, which is being investigated by authorities.

“Both of his lungs collapsed,” the rapper’s social media statement said, adding Lanez was “now breathing on his own”.

“Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support,” the post said.

Lanez is serving a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, 30, in the foot and shouting at her to dance as she walked away from an SUV they drove in after leaving a party at Kylie Jenner‘s Hollywood Hills home in July 2020.

He was convicted of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence in December 2022.

In January, a Los Angeles judge granted her request for a protective order until early 2030 after she alleged Lanez had been harassing her from prison through surrogates.

Megan Thee Stallion, whose legal name is Megan Pete, was already a rising hip-hop star at the time of the shooting, and her music’s popularity has only soared since.

Read more from Sky News:
What it was like in court for start of P Diddy trial
Kim Kardashian’s Paris robbery: Everything you need to know

She had number one singles with Savage and as a guest on Cardi B’s WAP in 2020, winning a Grammy for best new artist a year later.

Lanez started to release mixtapes in 2009 and steadily rose in popularity, moving on to major label albums, with his last two reaching the top 10 on the Billboard charts.

Donald Trump has claimed it would be “stupid” not to accept the gift of a free Qatari plane to replace Air Force One, with the jet already in the US, according to flight tracking data.

The US president toured the Boeing 747-8 earlier this year and he is now preparing to accept it as a gift from the Qatari royal family.

Despite concerns raised over the president accepting the $400m (£303m) gift, Mr Trump told reporters on Monday: “I think it’s a great gesture from Qatar.”

He added: “I appreciate it very much. I would never be one to turn down that kind of an offer.

“I mean, I could be a stupid person saying: ‘No, we don’t want a free, very expensive airplane’.”

The jet is currently sitting at San Antonio International Airport, according to tracking data, Sky News’ US partner NBC News reported, adding it has been parked there since 3 April.

It is the same plane the US leader toured at Palm Beach International Airport on 15 February.

Friendly fire

Critics of the plan have warned that the move threatens to turn a global symbol of American power into an airborne collection of ethical, legal, security and counterintelligence concerns.

In an effort to cut off some opposition, Mr Trump said he would not keep the plane after his term finished, instead donating it to a future presidential library.

However, that has done little to quell anger, which has even come from within the Republican party.

“My view is that it would be better if Air Force One were a big, beautiful jet made in the United States of America. That would be ideal,” said senator Josh Hawley.

Senator Rand Paul, when asked whether Mr Trump should accept the plane, simply said: “No.”

Some of the most vocal members of his MAGA group of supporters, including Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer, have voiced their opposition to the move in a rare show of dissent to the president they usually back so vociferously.

Mr Trump will likely face questions over the plane in the coming days as he travels to the Middle East, including a stop in Qatar.

Inside the ‘palace in the sky’

The following images are from inside the Boeing 747-8 that Mr Trump is pushing to accept.

It shows the luxury jet before any potential refitting it might undergo in the hands of the US president.

The 78-year-old has previously complained about Boeing taking too long to deliver the new Air Force One planes commissioned during his first term.

The current Air Force One planes were built from scratch near the end of the Cold War and host a range of improved security features, including being hardened against the effects of a nuclear blast and hosting a vast communications suite.

A former US official briefed on the replacement project said there would be no time to add the full host capabilities to the Qatari replacement plane.

Read more:
Trump attacks Europe as he hails China ‘reset’
Why Trump’s Middle East tour takes on new importance
Sky correspondent on her run-in with Trump loyalist

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There are fears Mr Trump would be compromising security by rushing to modify the replacement jet.

William Evanina, who served as director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center during Mr Trump’s first term, said checking the Qatari plane for surveillance devices alone would “take years”.

Others have also questioned what it means for the sitting president to accept such an expensive gift.