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(NewsNation) — Due to the celebrity and wealth attached to the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, members of the jury will be challenged to remain as impartial as they can.

Jury selection has entered its third day on Wednesday as the judge, prosecution and defense scrutinize and remove potential jurors.

So far, possible jurors have been tossed out for admitting to viewing a video of Combs allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who is expected to testify later in the trial. One person was struck from the jury pool after calling the video “damning.”

Others have been dismissed for consuming news reports about the case. Another person was struck for stating, “Diddy has a lot of money to pay his way out of jail.”

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told NewsNation that the Combs trial is unique because it’s gotten so much attention since his homes were raided last year.

“You have a lot of potential jurors who have seen some of the evidence, have prejudged the evidence, have thoughts about the allegations in this case, because many of the victims and the witnesses filed civil lawsuits demanding damages,” he said.

Ventura settled a lawsuit against Combs in 2023.

Typically, in a federal case, Rahmani said jury selection goes quickly at the request of the judge. But due to Combs’ celebrity and the potential famous names associated with the trial, it complicates the jury selection process.

“Because potential jurors are bringing in preconceived notions into the courtroom, it’s different from cases where potential jurors are hearing about allegations for the first time,” Rahmani said.

Potential jurors seem to want to be on the Diddy trial jury: attorney

Lisa Bloom,  a lawyer who represents two of Combs’ accusers — former Danity Kane member Dawn Richards and another client referred to as “John Doe” — said so far, potential jurors have not behaved the way she’s observed in other trials.

“It’s so interesting to me, you know what’s different about this case than a lot of other high-profile cases, everybody seems to want to be on the jury, and usually people are trying to get out of jury duty,” Bloom told NewsNation.

She said typically the excuses potential jurors use to get out of jury duty — things like child care, work responsibilities and health concerns — have been waived off by those potential jurors during the selection process.

One potential juror told the judge Monday that they had pre-purchased tickets to a festival, but said they would be impartial if chosen, stating the trial was part of a larger cultural issue.

How jury selection works in Diddy’s trial

The defense and prosecution will continue to question potential jurors in the selection process. The process, known as “voir dire,” takes time, Arick Fudali, an attorney representing women accusing Combs in civil court, told NewsNation. 

“It’s a very slow process, it’s a very deliberate process. In a lot of criminal and civil cases — which are the cases I do — this jury selection process is one of the most important aspects of the case,” Arick Fudali, an attorney representing women accusing Combs in civil court, told NewsNation. 

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will have an opportunity to question potential jurors and can dismiss any of them for cause, including possible bias or lack of impartiality. 

Their objections must be approved by Judge Arun Subramaniam, who is overseeing the trial. 

Subramanian spoke to the pool of potential jurors Monday morning, thanking them for their service, and said the trial could take as long as eight weeks.

“Let’s be serious, you’re all inconvenienced by this service,” Subramanian said Monday, adding, “It’s an honor and privilege of the jury to be involved in the democratic process.”

Subramanian reviewed their answers to a questionnaire asking their views on sexual violence, sex trafficking, guns and illicit drugs.

Some potential jurors were asked to identify certain celebrities, and others were asked about possible media influence in the trial.

Jury selection could wrap up as early as Wednesday, and opening statements in Combs’ trial are expected to begin on May 12.