Sean 'Diddy' Combs wears a suit and stands in front of a crowd of photographers during a trial in 2001

Notable People

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Believed God Intervened in His 2001 Trial for Gun Charges

Years before his current trial, Sean 'Diddy' Combs faced a jury on gun charges. He thanked God when he got off.

by Emma McKee

Published on June 14, 2025

2 min read

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs went on trial for gun charges in 2001

In 1999, Combs, then-girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, rapper Moses “Shyne” Barrow, and bodyguard Anthony “Wolf” Jones were at a New York City nightclub. Witnesses testified that when Combs and Lopez were leaving the club, another person threw money in Combs’ face. Prosecutors alleged that Combs and Barrow opened fire in response. Three people were injured.

Combs and Lopez fled but were later stopped by police. They arrested Combs, but Lopez did not face charges.

“It was a complete nightmare from beginning to end,” Lopez told Elle Magazine in 2000, per the New York Post, adding, “I was absolutely terrified from the moment the whole thing started in the club. People around me were being shot. I didn’t know what was happening. I just wanted to get out of there.”

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs thanked God after his trial

While a jury found Barrow guilty, they acquitted Combs on charges of illegal possession of a gun and bribery. He addressed supporters and members of the press after the trial.

“I give all the glory to God,” he said, per the New York Times. “If it wasn’t for God, I wouldn’t be able to walk out of here.”

He also thanked his mother for her support throughout the trial. When asked how he felt about the guilty verdict against Barrow, Combs dodged the question. Barrow has since said that he tried to protect Combs, and feels the latter turned on him.

“I’m going to talk about all that later,” Combs said. “But right now, I just want to go and be with my kids.”

One source said Combs went to church in Westchester County after the verdict.

He is currently on trial on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering

Combs is currently on trial again. In 2024, he was arrested on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. He also faces a mountain of civil suits. Combs’ lawyers have portrayed all of his sexual encounters as consensual.

“Far from the government’s lurid descriptions, the videos show adults having consensual sex, plain and simple,” claims a letter to the judge in Combs’ defense (via Deadline). “At bottom, this case is about whether Victim-I was or was not a willing participant in her private sex life with Mr. Combs. The videos confirm that she plainly was.”

They added that there was no evidence that Combs did anything illegal.

“There is no evidence of any violence, coercion, threats, or manipulation whatsoever,” the letter continued, adding, “There is no evidence that anyone is incapacitated or under the influence of drugs or excessive alcohol consumption. There is certainly no evidence of sex trafficking.”

If convicted, Combs faces life in prison.