Jury dismissed after hearing Puff Daddy’s music: ‘No chance of fair trial’

[Edition 35] NEW YORK, Wednesday: GKNY, a community access radio station in New York, has been criticised by a Federal Circuit Court Judge presiding over the trial of rapper Sean “Puff Daddy” Coombs, after the trial had to be aborted. The Judge was forced to grant a mistrial after it was discovered that several jury members had heard Puff Daddy’s music played by the radio station during their lunch break.

[Edition 35] NEW YORK, Wednesday: GKNY, a community access radio station in New York, has been criticised by a Federal Circuit Court Judge presiding over the trial of rapper Sean “Puff Daddy” Coombs, after the trial had to be aborted. The Judge was forced to grant a mistrial after it was discovered that several jury members had heard Puff Daddy’s music played by the radio station during their lunch break.

“There is no way that the jury will be able to give this man a fair trial now that they have heard his music. It is the most prejudicial evidence possible,” said Judge Hurbolt. “The law is clear – where the jury is exposed to accusations or evidence of a crime being committed by the accused other than by the prosecution, a mistrial must be granted. And if Puffy’s single ‘PE2000’ isn’t a crime, I don’t know what is.”

GKNY issued a brief statement through its lawyers, denying liability, although conceding that several Puff Daddy tracks had been played by the community access program, “Crack Kitchen Bitches!”. The radio station, whose playlist is determined solely by the participating community members, claims to have taken “severe and immediate” action in relation to future musical selection. Insiders have conceded that the Puff Daddy tracks were not the only crimes committed using station equipment. Crimes were also broadcast during the programmes Folk Music: An Introspective Journey, Yo! Harpsichord and The Britney Spears Hour.

Speaking later on CNN’s Larry King Live, several jury members who had heard the song said that they were disappointed that they would not be able to bring down a verdict. “I really wanted to hand down a verict. I thought, “This man must die”. I wanted him to be electrocuted, perhaps on the hands and feet, or maybe just the testicles, so that he could experience the same pain we just went through,” admitted one juror after hearing his song. “Puff, when the inevitable happens, I for one will not be missing you,” he said.

Several community and women’s advocacy groups have today expressed anger at Puff Daddy’s release. “The risk to the community of having Puff Daddy at large is just too great,” said a spokesperson for Citizens against Violent Crime. “Look at his past crimes – that white fur coat, that whole ‘J Lo’ concept, and the disrespect he’s brought to the memory of Puff the Magic Dragon. Enough is enough. I don’t care if he’s shooting off guns in nightclubs, but as long as he remains free, he may inflict another record on us.”