The release of Netflix's controversial docuseries, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, has ignited fresh scrutiny of the disgraced music mogul's tumultuous career and legal battles. Produced by his longtime rival Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, the four-part series, which dropped in full this week, paints what critics are calling a "relentless" and "grimly necessary" portrait.
Jurors Break Silence on Split Verdict
In a significant development, the documentary features interviews with two jurors from Combs's federal trial, marking their first public comments since the verdict. The jury, comprising eight men and four women, delivered a split decision earlier this year, finding Combs guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, but not guilty on more serious sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.
One juror, identified as Juror 160, recalled the moment of the verdict: "When we were in the deliberation room and we've come to an agreement and we're only saying that he's guilty for these two counts, my words exactly were: 'Oh s-h-i-t.'" She stated that while the 2016 surveillance video showing Combs assaulting his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura proved he "can be" violent, domestic violence was not among the charges.
The other juror, Juror 75, expressed confusion over the nature of Ventura and Combs's relationship, citing affectionate texts exchanged after the assault. "It's like going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth," he said, but concluded that justice had been "100%" served.
A Cascade of Disturbing Allegations
The series amplifies a wide range of allegations from former associates. Singer Aubrey O'Day, a former member of Combs's girl group Danity Kane, alleged he sent her sexually explicit emails and photos while she was under contract. "I absolutely felt that I was fired for not participating sexually," she claimed.
More harrowingly, O'Day reacted to an affidavit from a separate civil case that described an alleged 2005 incident where she appeared to be sexually assaulted while inebriated. "Does this mean I was raped? Is that what this means? I don't even know if I was raped," O'Day said. "And I don't want to know."
Further explosive claims come from Kirk Burrowes, co-founder of Bad Boy Entertainment, who suggested Combs was involved in the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur. "I think that Sean now in my mature mind had a lot to do with the death of Tupac," Burrowes alleged. Combs has consistently denied any involvement.
Legal Backlash and 'Stolen' Footgage
The documentary's release was preceded by a fierce legal challenge from Combs's camp. On the eve of its premiere, his lawyers sent Netflix a cease-and-desist letter, demanding its withdrawal. A spokesperson for Combs, Juda Engelmayer, denounced the series as a "shameful hitpiece" built on a "one-sided narrative led by a publicly admitted adversary."
He specifically criticised the use of private footage filmed in the six days before Combs's arrest in September 2024, which shows the mogul discussing his deteriorating public image with his lawyer. "Netflix relied on stolen footage that was never authorized for release," Engelmayer stated, claiming it was "fundamentally unfair, and illegal."
Director Alexandria Stapleton defended the project, stating the footage "came to us" legally and that Combs's team was repeatedly approached for comment. Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence at Fort Dix in New Jersey and is appealing his conviction. He continues to face dozens of civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse, all of which he denies.
