Judge Mathis Says Diddy Should Use Dismissed Juror In Appeal If He Loses Case

Judge Mathis says Diddy has some more ammo for a potential appeal if he ends up getting convicted in his federal criminal trial ... namely, a juror being dismissed by the judge.

Mathis joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday and we asked him about some shakeups with the Diddy jury.

Juror No. 6 was shown the door Monday morning after hearing arguments from the prosecution and the defense regarding where the juror lives ... but Judge Mathis says the decision came down too quickly.

The way Mathis sees things ... the juror should have been given more time and opportunity to prove he lives in the Bronx -- and he suggests Diddy's defense will use the dismissal if they end up needing to appeal a guilty verdict.

Worth noting ... Juror No. 6 is a Black Hispanic man, and he's been replaced by the first alternate, who is a 57-year-old white man who lives in Westchester County ... and Diddy's defense cited race in a letter to Judge Arun Subramanian, accusing prosecutors of trying to get rid of a Black juror.

Another juror is in hot water too after getting a strange text message that has the judge worried this one is blabbing about the case outside of court ... and Mathis tells us whether another dismissal is warranted.