NEW YORK (Daily Mail) — The judge overseeing Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs’ sex-trafficking trial in Manhattan slammed a member of the rapper’s legal team after he discussed the case on a podcast.
Mark Geragos, who co-hosts the “2 Angry Men” podcast with TMZ founder Harvey Levin, called the all-female prosecution team ‘a six-pack of white women’ during the latest episode.
Geragos discussed a key piece of evidence expected to be shown at trial during an episode on Friday and was lambasted by Judge Arun Subramanian during the behind-closed-doors showdown.
The judge overseeing Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ case reprimanded his legal advisor Mark Geragos after he discussed his case on the podcast he co-hosts with TMZ founder Harvey Levin
“Let’s have some real talk. I think this is ridiculous’, Subramanian raged at Geragos, according to a court transcript”
“I think referring to the prosecution in this case as a six-pack of white women is outrageous. This is outrageous and this would not be tolerated in any court from any lawyer anywhere across the nation.”
He warned the embattled hip-hop mogul’s lawyer that he would be “watching and listening,” before adding: ‘You have one more listener for your podcast.’
Geragos called the all-female prosecution team ‘a six-pack of white women’ during the latest episode of his podcast ‘2 Angry Men’
Geragos represents Diddy’s mother Janis Combs and has been seen huddling with his team of lawyers. He described Combs as his client because he ‘hasn’t terminated him’.
He also revealed that he speaks to the disgraced music mogul ‘with great frequency’, and the rapper believes he is being ‘targeted’ for being black.
The lawyer attempted to defend himself by claiming that it was an ‘observation’ about the trial, telling the court: ‘I think when you’ve got a black man who’s being prosecuted and the client feels like he’s being targeted, it’s a – it’s an observation.’
The lawyer also stated that the rapper feels he is being targeted because of his race, explaining that his comment about ‘white women’ was intended as an observation about the trial – specifically, that it involves a Black man facing prosecution
Combs’s trial legal team has agreed not to argue that he was ‘targeted’ by a ‘selective’ prosecution because he’s black or bring up prominent white people who have hired sex workers and not been charged with crimes.
The behind-closed-doors spat took place after Southern District of New York prosecutors urged Judge Subramanian to remind Geragos and Combs’s defense team of their obligations not to make public statements that could infect the jury pool.
A court transcript obtained by DailyMail.com showed the prosecution describing the statements made on the podcast as “very serious.”
Judge Subramanian didn’t take Geragos’ comments lightly, saying the comment was ‘outrageous’ and would not be tolerated in any court throughout the US
The prosecution’s team consists of lawyers Emily Anne Johnson, Madison Reddick Smyser, Mary Christine Slavik, Meredith Foster, Mitzi Steiner and Maurene Ryan Comey – the daughter of former FBI director James Comey
Despite his attempt to defend himself during the testy exchange, Geragos eventually backed down before quipping: ‘As long as you subscribe, I’m all for it.’
On the podcast, Geragos said he would continue to discuss the Combs case in future episodes, before his showdown with the judge.
Geragos represents Combs’ mother Janice (left) and has been seen huddling with his team of lawyers. He described Combs as his client because he ‘hasn’t terminated him’
In an episode that aired on Friday, he said: ‘I’ve known Sean for a long time. He has a violent temper, especially when you combine it with the drug use. But that isn’t what he’s charged with.’
Jury selection resumed for a third day in the sex trafficking trial as a federal judge and lawyers worked Wednesday to find a dozen New Yorkers who believe they can be fair despite any opinions they may have developed about the music mogul.
By lunchtime on Tuesday, six jurors had been approved for the next stage of the process and seven had been struck.
Teny Geragos, the daughter of Geragos, and Marc Agnifilo are both lawyers representing Diddy in his sex trafficking case
The challenges of choosing a jury in such a high-profile case became apparent when one juror, a white man, took a long pause when asked if he could ignore the video of Diddy beating up his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016, which he had seen.
Prosecutors say Combs exploited his fame and fortune to sexually abuse women and destroy young lives while defense attorneys say he engaged in sexual activity with consenting adults.
The majority of prospective jurors questioned on Tuesday morning were disqualified after lawyers for Combs and prosecutors cited flaws in their answers to questions designed to see if they could be fair and unbiased.
Combs has been charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transporting to engage in prostitution
Several who were eliminated from the jury pool had seen or heard media reports related to the case, including some who said they saw a video in which Combs was hitting and kicking one of his accusers in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Judge Subramanian was seeking to build a pool of 45 prospective jurors from which a panel of 12 jurors and several alternates can be chosen. Nineteen were chosen on Monday and six more by noon Tuesday. The final juy is expected to be empaneled on Friday.
Opening statements are scheduled to be presented on March 12 for a trial projected to last up to two months.
Lawyers reconvened in Manhattan court today to continue their interviews of prospective jurors in the high-profile legal proceeding.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with leading a racketeering conspiracy from 2004 to 2024 that resulted in various crimes, including kidnapping, arson, bribery and sex trafficking.
The Bad Boy Records founder has been held without bail since his arrest at a Manhattan hotel last September.
By EMMA JAMES and DANIEL BATES/Daily Mail
