Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces the court: jury selection begins in high-profile trial

JURY selection for the trial of music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs in connection with allegations of sex trafficking and racketeering is underway.

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Combs, 55, has been awaiting his day in court since last year on accusations of leading a crime ring that prosecutors say coerced victims into drug-fueled sex parties using threats and violence.

Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, insisting that any sex acts were consensual. At a recent hearing, his attorney Marc Agnifilo offered a preview of his team's defence by describing the artist's free-wheeling “swinger” lifestyle.

The prosecution said in court it had offered Combs a plea deal, the specifics were not disclosed, but that he had rejected it.

If convicted, the one-time rap producer and global superstar, who is often credited for his role in ushering hip-hop into the mainstream, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Over the decades, the artist, who has gone by various stage names including Puff Daddy and P Diddy, amassed vast wealth for his work in music but also his ventures in the liquor industry.

Jury selection began yesterday, the same date as New York's annual Met Gala. This glamorous celebrity charity event was once a red carpet staple for Combs. He attended the uptown gala just two years ago. This year, he found himself downtown in federal court.