Jury selection began today in the gun possession and bribery trial of rap star Sean 'Puff Daddy' Combs after his attorneys tried to have the trial postponed, citing media reports of the rapper's past troubles with the law.
The gun and bribery charges against one of the biggest names in hip hop stem from a fracas and shooting in 1999 at the Times Square nightspot Club New York in which three people were injured.
Mr Combs has repeatedly denied the charges against him. He faces 15 years in prison if convicted of gun possession.
Also charged are Mr Combs' protege Mr Jamal Shyne Barrow, accused of attempted murder and gun possession. The rapper's bodyguard, Mr Anthony Wolf Jones, is accused of having a loaded gun by his feet after the car they were all in was stopped by police several blocks from the club.
At the station house Mr Combs is alleged to have offered his driver, Mr Wardel Fenderson, $50,000 to say the gun was his, offering as collateral a $40,000 diamond pinky ring given to him by his girlfriend, singer-actress Ms Jennifer Lopez.
Ms Lopez was with Mr Combs in the back seat of his sports utility vehicle the night of the December 27th, 1999, incident. She was not charged, but she may be asked to testify at the trial.
Reuters
