Disgraced US rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs faces sentencing on Friday in a sordid criminal case that could keep him locked up for years
Sean “Diddy” Combs is set to face sentencing on Friday (October 3) in a scandalous criminal case that could see him behind bars for years. The hip-hop tycoon was found guilty by a jury in July of flying individuals across the country for sexual encounters, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, breaching the federal Mann Act.
He was cleared of more severe charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking which could have resulted in a life sentence. Prosecutors are pushing for over 11 years in prison for Diddy, 55, who was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Meanwhile, his legal team argue the punishment is “wildly out of proportion” and are calling for his immediate release. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who will determine the sentence, has twice refused bail and indicated that it’s unlikely Combs will be leaving federal custody anytime soon.
On Friday (October 3), the judge stated that despite Combs being cleared of certain charges, the verdict doesn’t absolve him of underlying conduct, such as violence and coercion.
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In his letter on Thursday, Combs told the judge, “The old me died in jail and a new version of me was reborn,” vowing he would never commit another crime. Cassie, in her own letter, claimed he as an abuser who “will always be the same cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man that he is.”
Combs’ lawyers argue the sexual encounters were consensual and that prison has prompted his sobriety and regret. They maintain he has already been punished enough. At a hearing last week, Combs told his mother and children that he is “getting closer to going home.”
Combs’ nearly two-month trial in a federal court in Manhattan saw testimonies from women who recounted being beaten, threatened, sexually assaulted and blackmailed by Combs. Former girlfriend and R&B singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura told jurors that Combs forced her to have “disgusting” sex with strangers hundreds of times during their decade-long relationship.
The jury was repeatedly shown footage of him dragging and assaulting her in a Los Angeles hotel corridor following one such multi-day “freak-off.”
A woman who gave evidence under the pseudonym “Jane” said she endured violence and felt compelled to perform sexually with male sex workers at drug-fuelled “hotel nights” whilst Combs observed and sometimes recorded.
As Friday’s hearing commenced, prosecutors revealed the only Combs victim scheduled to speak in person had withdrawn following defence objections. The woman, a former personal assistant who testified under the pseudonym “Mia,” accused Combs of raping her in 2010 and has implored the judge to impose a sentence reflecting “the ongoing danger my abuser poses to me, and to others.”
Combs’ legal team say he will address the court, and they plan to present an 11-minute video showcasing his family life, career and charitable work. The judge confirmed Combs’ children and a minister will also be permitted to speak.
Prosecutors stated the focus of Friday’s sentencing was accountability for Combs and justice for the public. “It’s a case about a man who did horrible things to real people to satisfy his own sexual gratification,” Prosecutor Christy Slavik said, “he didn’t need the money. His currency was control.”
Prosecutors also slammed Combs for, according to them, having arranged a speaking engagement in Miami next week — apparently presuming he’d be free to attend. “That is the height of hubris,” Slavik said.
Combs made his entrance into the bustling courtroom via a side door, flanked by deputy U.S. marshals. Dressed in a light-coloured jumper, button-down shirt and dark trousers, he embraced his legal team and acknowledged his family and supporters.
Outside the courthouse, photographers descended en masse as lawyers and family members arrived, mirroring scenes from the trial. To bolster their racketeering case, prosecutors had enlisted witnesses who testified about other violent acts.
