The Legal Landscape: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on trial
Attorney Dan Adams joins 12 News This Morning with what we can expect in such a high-profile case.
ZOE. THANK YOU. TIME NOW, 644. NOW TO THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE. OUR LEGAL ANALYST, ATTORNEY DAN ADAMS, JOINS US EVERY MONDAY BREAKING DOWN THE BIGGEST CASES HAPPENING ACROSS WISCONSIN AND THE COUNTRY. GOOD MORNING, DAN. LAST MONTH, THE FBI ARRESTED MILWAUKEE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE HANNAH DUGAN AFTER CHARGING HER WITH HELPING AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT EVADE IMMIGRATION ARRESTS AT THE COURTHOUSE. WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS IN THIS CASE, AND WILL THERE BE A SPILLOVER EFFECT TO OTHER PUBLIC OFFICIALS, SUCH AS GOVERNOR TONY EVERS? SURE. THIS IS OUR LOCAL COURTHOUSE STORY, WHICH HAS BECOME AN INTERNATIONAL STORY. SO THE NEXT STEP FOR THE GOVERNMENT IS THEY’RE GOING TO SEEK AN INDICTMENT. THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN PROBABLY THIS WEEK, CERTAINLY WITHIN THE NEXT TEN DAYS. REMEMBER, THIS IS A FEDERAL CASE. SO A JURY GRAND JURY INDICTMENT IS REQUIRED. A GRAND JURY IS JUST A COLLECTION OF 16 TO 23 PEOPLE. THEY MEET FROM ALL OVER THE EASTERN SIDE OF WISCONSIN ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. THEY’RE PRESENTED EVIDENCE FROM THE FEDERAL PROSECUTION, AND THEY ARE THERE TO TAKE A VOTE AND FIND PROBABLE CAUSE OR DECLINE TO FIND PROBABLE CAUSE ON A FEDERAL CASE. DEFENSE IS NOT INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. IT’S A ONE SIDED HEARING, AND PROBABLE CAUSE IS A LOW BAR. AND THESE JURIES ALMOST ALWAYS REFUSE TO NEVER REFUSE TO INDICT SOMEONE. WHEN THE GOVERNMENT ASKS THEM TO. HANNAH DUGAN’S DEFENSE HAS COME TOGETHER. SHE HAS HIRED FORMER SOLICITOR GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES PAUL CLEMENT. I CAN’T TELL YOU WHAT A BIG DEAL THIS IS. HE IS A SUPERSTAR LAWYER AGAIN. HE WAS THE NUMBER TWO PERSON AT THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES. DOJ. HE’S ARGUED TO THE SUPREME COURT DOZENS AND DOZENS OF TIMES. SO SHE HAS HER TEAM TOGETHER. WHETHER OR NOT THIS SPILLS OVER TO THE STATE REMAINS TO BE SEEN. LAST WEEK, THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASED ANOTHER EXECUTIVE ORDER. BASICALLY PINPOINTING AND EMPHASIZING THAT THEY WILL USE OBSTRUCTION LAWS TO GO AFTER LOCAL OFFICIALS IF THEY BELIEVE THAT’S WARRANTED. THIS MAY BE IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR EVERS OWN MEMO TO STATE EMPLOYEES GIVING THEM GUIDANCE ON WHAT TO DO IF ICE COMES TO THEIR AGENCY. I’VE LEARNED THAT THE GOVERNOR AND OTHER VERY HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS HAVE RETAINED DEFENSE COUNSEL AS A PRECAUTIONARY THING, IN CASE THERE IS AN ACTUAL INVESTIGATION INTO THEM. BUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS ACTUAL ACTUALLY BECOMES AN ISSUE FOR ANY OF THESE STATE OFFICIALS REMAINS TO BE SEEN. BUT IT IS VERY CONTENTIOUS AT THIS POINT. DEFINITELY SOME INTERESTING UPDATES THERE. ALSO THIS WEEK, THE TRIAL OF SEAN DIDDY COMBS BEGINS TODAY WITH JURY SELECTION. LET’S KIND OF RECAP THOSE CHARGES HE’S FACING AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN SUCH A HIGH PROFILE CASE. SURE. SO THIS HAS BEEN STEMMING FROM A SEPTEMBER INDICTMENT, PUFF DADDY AS WE KNOW HIM, WAS INDICTED ON A NUMBER OF CHARGES. ONE OF THOSE CHARGES INCLUDES A 15 YEAR MANDATORY MINIMUM PRISON SENTENCE. IF HE IS CONVICTED. THIS AGAIN COMES FROM ALLEGATIONS OF RACKETEERING USING HIS PRODUCTION LABEL AND OTHER ENTITIES TO ENGAGE IN SEX TRAFFICKING. THERE’S GOING TO BE FOUR ALLEGED VICTIMS WE’RE TOLD, THAT ARE GOING TO TESTIFY OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT THIS WEEK IS JURY SELECTION. SO THE JURORS, POTENTIAL JURORS ON THE PANEL HAVE BEEN GIVEN A WRITTEN QUESTIONNAIRE TO FILL OUT FOR THE ATTORNEYS TO REVIEW. AND THEN THE JUDGE WILL ENGAGE IN HIS OWN KIND OF ORAL QUESTIONING OF THESE JURORS. WE MAY HAVE A JURY BY THE END OF THE WEEK AND START TAKING EVIDENCE NEXT WEEK IN THE PUFF DADDY TRIAL. YEAH, A LOT OF PEOPLE INTERESTED IN THAT CASE. WE’LL BE WATCHING IT FOR SURE. DAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU
The Legal Landscape: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs on trial
Attorney Dan Adams joins 12 News This Morning with what we can expect in such a high-profile case.
Updated: 7:47 AM CDT May 5, 2025
Jury selection begins Monday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial. He faces federal charges involving sex trafficking and racketeering. If convicted, the music mogul faces life in prison. Attorney Dan Adams joins 12 News This Morning to discuss what to expect in such a high-profile case.Watch The Legal Landscape With Attorney Dan Adams every Monday on 12 News This Morning at 6 a.m.
MILWAUKEE —Jury selection begins Monday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial. He faces federal charges involving sex trafficking and racketeering. If convicted, the music mogul faces life in prison. Attorney Dan Adams joins 12 News This Morning to discuss what to expect in such a high-profile case.
Watch The Legal Landscape With Attorney Dan Adams every Monday on 12 News This Morning at 6 a.m.
