Sean Combs trial updates: Juror dismissed, Kanye West makes brief court appearance

At the conclusion of court on Friday, Judge Arun Subramanian dismissed juror #6 over "inconsistencies" in statements he made about where he lived, and he said they raised questions of candor and ability to follow instructions.

In an "offhand" remark to court staff, the juror mentioned he had moved in with his girlfriend in New Jersey and had been living there most of the time.

When questioned by the court, "the juror said actually he was spending four to five nights in his New York apartment," Subramanian said. In follow up questions, the juror said he moved to where his daughter lives, with his girlfriend in New Jersey.

During jury selection, "this juror had answered, in response to the simple and straightforward questions, 'Where do you live and who do you live with,' Bronx, with his fiancé and daughter," Subramanian said.

The judge said it raised concerns about the juror's basic qualifications, the juror's candor and whether he made a deliberate attempt to get himself onto the jury.

"The changing answers and inconsistency give the court worry about deception and lying, which further implicate the veracity of other answers, including to questions that go to the heart of the case," Subramanian said. "Removal of the juror is required in this court's view."

Defense attorney Xavier Donaldson lamented the dismissal of a Black juror because he said there are not enough Black and Hispanic individuals serving on juries.

Three separate defense attorneys stood to object to the juror's removal for different reasons.

"It is going to be a less diverse jury. That is a fact," Donaldson said. "I don't generally play the race card. I'm not saying I'm playing it now."

The dismissed juror would be replaced with an alternate.

"There are differences between principal jurors and alternate jurors," Marc Agnifilo said.

Subramanian promised to think about what the defense lawyers said and advise the parties if he changes his mind.

Subramanian called the attorneys to the bench and then announced the court had a "sensitive matter" to discuss.

He ordered the courtroom closed to all but the parties.

He did not say what the sensitive matter is.

On re-direct examination, Sean Combs' former personal assistant Jonathan Perez testified that personal errands were part of his job.

"Who told you to set up king nights?" prosecutor Madison Smyser asked. "KK," Perez testified, referring to Combs' chief of staff, Kristina Khorram.

"Did you set up those king nights for free?" Smyser asked. "No," Perez told the jury.

"Ever set up king nights on vacation?" Smyser followed up. "No," Perez told the jury.

Perez testified that part of his job involved doing personal things for Combs like writing cards to his girlfriends and buying them flowers.

Perez has concluded his testimony, thus concluding five weeks of testimony.

The judge dismissed jurors for the weekend with customary instructions not to talk to anyone about the case and turn off news notifications.

On cross-examination, Sean Combs' former personal assistant Jonathan Perez testified that setting up hotel rooms and procuring drugs were personal errands and not work-related tasks.

"It had nothing to do with your work?" defense attorney Brian Steel asked. "No," Perez responded on the stand. Combs is accused of conspiring with his employees as part of a criminal enterprise.

Perez told the jury under cross-examination that he performed those tasks 1% of the time compared with his business-related duties.

"You just did it because you're a nice person?" Steel asked. "Yes," Perez testified.

Perez testified that he helped "Jane" -- a former Combs girlfriend who took the stand under a pseudonym -- with outfits for hotel nights because she trusted his fashion sense.

"She would ask you to go out and go shopping for her?" Steel asked. "Yes," Perez told the jury.

"Would you look for her for lingerie?" "Yes," Perez testified on the stand.

"Would you look for her for dresses?" "Yes," Perez told the jury.

"The goal for her was to look good for Mr. Combs?" "Yes," Perez replied on the stand.

"Did you ever get the feeling that she was hesitant of joining the king nights?" Steel asked, using Perez's term for "hotel nights" or "freak offs." "No," Perez testified.

Steel followed up, asking, "Did it always appear to you that she was willing?" "Yes," Perez told the jury.

Steel tried to emphasize Perez's testimony, asking, "Did 'Jane' ever appear to you, from your observation, that she was upset or unhappy after the king nights?" "No," Perez testified.

Sean Combs' former personal assistant, Jonathan Perez, testified that Combs had a Gucci pouch containing money and drugs, including cocaine, ketamine, molly, Adderall and Xanax.

The jury saw a text from another assistant who messaged Perez, "Yo will you locate his Gucci pouch in his bathroom. ... Make sure it's in there please and if anything is out and around kind of stuff it back in I guess. LOL".

"I zipped it up -- no residue and I didn't steal one addy," Perez responded, according to the text showed to the jury.

Perez testified that he played a role in obtaining drugs for Combs "a handful of times," either purchasing them or he "grabbed them from someone outside."

"What did you purchase or grab for Mr. Combs?" prosecutor Madison Smyser asked. "Xanax, cocaine and molly," Perez testified on the stand.

Perez testified that he brought Combs to "Jane"'s house in June 2024, the night "Jane" testified Combs subjected her to physical violence. "Jane" is a former Combs girlfriend who took the stand under a pseudonym.

A few hours after dropping off Combs, Perez testified that Combs called him on FaceTime, looking "angry and annoyed."

"He was asking me to confirm that another woman hadn't been on a trip we had been on a week earlier," Perez said on the stand. "'Jane' had been accusing him of another female on the trip a week prior, so it seemed like they had been arguing."

"I let 'Jane' know that there had not been another female on the trip and he hung up," Perez testified.

Perez said on the stand that he then messaged Combs' chief of staff, Kristina Khorram, telling her, "Heads up he and guest are fighting I'm going to pick him up. ... Just the normal her being jealous over other women."

He testified that a moment later he messaged Khorram again, writing, "Just heard from him he said not to come all good."

"Jane" testified earlier that she was subjected to physical violence that night before she claims Combs forced her to take ecstasy and perform oral sex on a male escort.

The jury saw a message from Perez to one of Combs' bodyguards, saying Combs was "asking me to bring him his cash." The bodyguard responded, "We don't have more on hand but will get more now."

Perez testified that the next day he sent another message about cash for "Jane," writing, "Need 3500 cash for his guest."

"Do you have an independent, clear memory of what ended up happening with that money?" Smyser asked. "No," Perez told the court.

"Jane" testified that she sent the escort money for his services.