Actors Mike Myers, Michael B. Jordan, and rapper Kid Cudi may be called as witnesses during the trial of Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs, a new Mail podcast has revealed.
The trial against Combs officially began on Monday, with the rap mogul facing charges relating to sex trafficking and racketeering that could see him spend decades behind bars if he is found guilty. He has pled not guility.
The first day of the trial saw the rigorous process of jury selection get underway, with potential jurors issued a questionnaire to determine their suitability to judge the case.
Mail reporter Majorie Hernandez told the latest ‘The Trial’ podcast which celebrity names jurors were screened for, according to reporter Dan Bates, who was inside the courtroom.
The appearance of these celebrities on the questionnaire could mean they will be called as witnesses during the trial, with the court checking for any associations or prejudicial feeling from potential jurors towards them that could disqualify them.
Combs faces charges relating to sex trafficking and racketeering that could see him spend decades behind bars if he is found guilty
The first two celebrities to be named at Diddy’s trial were Mike Myers and Michael B. Jordan. Their names were read out to a potential juror from a list of people and places that may come up throughout the trial
Ms Hernandez informed co-host Kayla Brantley: ‘We have reporter Dan Bates, who was sitting inside the courtroom and watching this all unfold.
‘Jurors are given a questionnaire which asks questions like: How do you feel if you hear about intimate partner abuse or rape? Do you know these celebrities on a potential witness list?
‘One of the potential jurors said, ‘oh, I recognise this name: Mike Myers, the Wayne’s World and Austin Powers actor.’
‘It will be interesting to see who else is on this list. We do know that Micheal B. Jordan and Kid Cudi are possibly on the list too.’
Just because a name features on a potential witness list or jury questionnaire does not mean they have anything to do with the charges, or will certainly feature during the trial, as Ms Hernandez clarified.
‘Even though these celebrity names are out there, that doesn’t mean they are connected with any of the charges’, the reporter said.
Majorie Hernandez: ‘We do know that Micheal B. Jordan and Kid Cudi (pictured) are possibly on the list too.’ Listen now
Combs and his lawyers say he’s innocent and any group sex was consensual
Kayla Brantley said Combs’ courtroom appearance may be an attempt by the defence to garner sympathy for their client
‘They may not even be called. This is a long list of people who might be called, so we’ll see how it all shakes out.
‘Potential jurors are given this list, to check if they feel some sort of way about a witness on there.
‘It’ll be interesting to see which potential jurors drop out because of that and who stays the course – that’s the whole process this week.’
Reporter in New York Kayla Brantley noted that Combs continued to sport grey hair and a beard for his first court appearance since the trial began.
She said the look may be an attempt by the defence to garner sympathy for their client.
‘I wonder what the decision was behind him having the grey beard and grey hair’, Ms Brantley said.
‘Is it to say: look at this guy who was so put together – look now at how he’s aged. He needs to get out.
‘His team could definitely get their hands on some hair dye if they wanted to make him more presentable.’
The rap mogul denies all the charges against him. The trial is expected to run for eight weeks.
To listen to the full episode, search for ‘The Trial of Diddy’ now, wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes providing updates from the courtroom from our best-in-class reporters will be released every Monday and Friday.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .