Sean "Diddy" Combs Court Decision: Essential Information to Know
The music mogul Sean Combs is scheduled for sentencing on Friday by a federal judge in New York City, following his conviction earlier this year on federal prostitution-related charges.
Here is a recap of his criminal case: the charges he faced, the trial events, and what might happen next.
What Charges Was He Found Guilty Of?
In July, following a two-month trial, a panel of jurors convicted Combs of two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was found not guilty of the most serious charges against him, racketeering conspiracy and human trafficking, which carried the potential of a life imprisonment.
The offenses on which he was convicted each have a maximum penalty of 10 years. Combs had pleaded not guilty to every count.
The presiding judge, Arun Subramanian, who oversaw the case, will hand down the ruling on Friday, with the hearing set to start at 10am ET in a federal courthouse in downtown Manhattan.
Combs, fifty-five, has been held without bail at the Brooklyn metropolitan detention center since his arrest in the previous September. Since the decision, the judge has denied two bail requests from Combs’s lawyers, and earlier this week Subramanian also rejected a request to overturn the guilty verdicts.
What Was Combs Facing?
Government attorneys alleged the music executive of using his power, fame, wealth and influence, and employing intimidation and coercion, to force two of his former girlfriends into engaging in drug-fueled sexual marathons with paid companions. Such sessions were often called by the defendant as “freak-offs”, which they said Combs orchestrated, observed, masturbated to and sometimes filmed.
The government alleged that for over twenty years, Combs ran a criminal enterprise – aided by staff and allies – to carry out and hide crimes including sex-trafficking, drug dealing, corruption and kidnapping.
Despite being convicted on two charges, Combs has disputed any misconduct. His lawyers have insisted that all sexual activity was consensual and that no illicit organization was present.
What Transpired At Trial?
The prosecution called more than 30 witnesses, including former partners of Combs – artist Cassie Ventura and a second individual who testified using the alias Jane – who described the alleged events in graphic detail, and claimed that Combs coerced and threatened them into taking part.
Ventura was the star prosecution witness. She testified that during her 11-year, on-off relationship with Combs, he exposed her to physical, sexual and emotional abuse and to extortion. The court was presented with the 2016 hotel surveillance footage of Combs attacking Ventura in a corridor. Jane also testified of a physical confrontation with Combs.
Other witnesses included ex-staff, escorts, law enforcement agents, hotel staff and celebrities including musician Kid Cudi and artist Dawn Richard. Combs did not testify.
Combs’s defense attorneys acknowledged previous incidents of abuse, but denied that any force or trafficking took place. They maintained that every sexual act was consensual and part of a “swingers’ lifestyle”, and argued that Ventura and Jane were consenting adults in the sex acts.
How Much Time Could He Serve?
Combs’s lawyers have asked the judge for a penalty of a maximum of 14 months in prison, which, given time already served, would allow for his release before the end of the year. They claim that Combs has already been “adequately punished” by serving 13 months in the “harsh environment” at the detention center.
The prosecution, however, have sought at least 135 months (11 years and three months) and a $500,000 fine. In court filings, they described Combs as “unrepentant” and said that “his background and behavior” demonstrate years of abuse and violence.
What Was Said In Victim Impact Statements?
The government submitted several victim impact statements to the court before the sentencing, including one from Ventura.
“Although the jurors did not seem to understand or believe that I participated in freak-offs because of the pressure and intimidation the accused used against me, I know that is the reality, and his sentence should reflect the truth of the testimony and my personal experience as a survivor,” Ventura wrote.
“I am so fearful that if he walks free, his initial steps will be immediate revenge towards me and others who testified about his misconduct, at trial,” she wrote.
“If there is one thing I have learned from this ordeal, it is that victims and survivors will never be safe,” she continued. “I hope that your decision considers the facts at hand that the jury overlooked.”
What Comes After Sentencing?
Following the court's decision, Combs’s legal team could challenge the sentence. Combs’s defense is also expected to contest his conviction.
Separately, Combs is confronting numerous civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual assault and other misconduct. He has disputed all allegations in those suits.