Unlike other notable celebrity legal cases over the years — from O.J. Simpson to Gwyneth Paltrow to Johnny Depp — Sean “Diddy” Combs’ New York City sex crimes trial is not being televised or livestreamed.
The music mogul, 55, is on trial for sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution charges following his September 2024 arrest. The trial kicked off with opening arguments on Monday, May 12, following the finalization of the jury selection. (He pleaded not guilty to all charges.)
Given the trial’s high-profile nature, many have been left wondering why there are no cameras inside the courtroom. The answer is a simple one, as “electronic media coverage” in federal criminal proceedings is banned under the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 53, per the United States Courts’ official website.
“[E]xcept as otherwise provided by a statute or these rules, the court must not permit the taking of photographs in the courtroom during judicial proceedings or the broadcasting of judicial proceedings from the courtroom,” the U.S. Courts’ website’s definition states.
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The trial’s federal status differs from other celebrity cases, such as the 1993-1994 Menendez brothers trial and Simpson’s 1995 murder trial. Both state criminal cases — which also garnered large public interest — were permitted to be televised at the time due to approval from the judges presiding over the cases.
Depp and Amber Heard’s 2022 defamation trial in Virginia and Paltrow’s 2023 ski crash trial in Utah, meanwhile, were both civil cases. Like the other trials, courtroom recordings for the high-interest proceedings were allowed with the approval of a judge.
Although the public won’t be able to see footage from inside Diddy’s NYC trial, courtroom sketches have helped paint a picture of what’s going on behind closed doors. Ahead of the trial, Diddy was depicted with gray hair while appearing before a judge as jury selection began on May 5. Diddy was illustrated with gray hair again while flashing a heart hands symbol during Monday’s opening arguments.
Diddy’s ex Cassie — who is eight months pregnant with her and husband Alex Fine’s third baby — wiped away tears while taking to the stand in another courtroom sketch from Tuesday, May 13. Cassie, 38, serves as a star witness in the trial, as she previously accused the rapper of rape and physical abuse in a November 2023 lawsuit, which was settled one day after its filing. (Diddy denied all allegations at the time.)
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Among the trial’s major pieces of evidence is a 2016 hotel security camera video showing Diddy allegedly assaulting Cassie as she attempted to leave their room and board an elevator. Israel Florez, a former security guard at the hotel, testified on Monday, claiming Diddy tried to bribe him with a “stash of money” to keep the incident under wraps, which he turned down.
In her Tuesday testimony, Cassie provided details of Diddy’s alleged sex parties known as “freak offs.” Among her many revelations, Cassie claimed Diddy made her get into kiddie pools filled with baby oil and was urinated on by paid escorts, as well as alleged that the black eye she had in the 2016 hotel security footage was given to her by Diddy during a freak off.
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Diddy has vehemently denied all accusations against him.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support. If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
