Hip-Hop Mogul’s Day in Court: Diddy, Combs, and Shyne—The 1999 Nightclub Shooting Case Revisited

The day was pivotal for Sean Combs, a renowned music mogul, who was poised to learn the outcome of his legal battle surrounding a 1999 nightclub shooting incident. Combs was charged alongside his protege in an intensely scrutinized trial that caught national attention. The charges against Combs included weapons possession and attempted bribery, with a potential sentence of 15 years in prison looming if found guilty.

On the day of the verdict in March 2001, Combs made an unusual stop according to Gene Deal, his former bodyguard. In a new Hulu documentary about Shyne, the former Bad Boy artist, Deal recounts that Combs visited Central Park early in the morning, where he reportedly engaged in a mysterious ritual before heading to court.

Deal narrates that upon meeting an unidentified man in the park, Combs knelt and appeared to inhale smoke, possibly sage, as the man prayed over him while holding a Bible. This individual purportedly instructed Combs to release a white bird from a cage, which when tossed into the air, fell lifeless to the ground.

That same day, Combs was acquitted of the charges, leaving the courthouse with a Bible in hand and his mother, Janice, beside him. He expressed feelings of gratitude and blessing to supporters gathered outside. The outcome was in stark contrast for his co-accused, known by the stage name Shyne, who received a 10-year sentence for assault, reckless endangerment, and criminal possession of a firearm.

Shyne’s life, from rising as a Bad Boy artist to becoming a politician, is the focus of his documentary, which revisits the infamous shooting trial. In the film, Shyne voices allegations of being scapegoated by Combs, suggesting that his own legal counsel allied with Combs to ensure his conviction. Combs has «categorically» denied such claims, labeling them as ‘unequivocally false’ in a statement to Rolling Stone.

Presently, Combs faces another legal challenge, awaiting trial in May 2025 on federal charges related to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. Combs maintains a plea of not guilty to these charges.