Online Reporter
NEW YORK. − Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs told his relatives “I’ll be home soon,” after he escaped the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison when he was found not guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering at the end of a bombshell trial, which captured the imagination of the world, yesterday.
The 55-year-old music mogul faced life in prison if convicted of the top charge − racketeering conspiracy.
However, he was convicted of two counts under the federal Mann Act for transporting people, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in prostitution.
Each count of the felony crime carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The jury of eight men and four women acquitted Combs of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, related to allegations that he used his money, power and frightening physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fueled sex marathons with the men.
“I’ll be home soon,” he told his relatives in the courtroom. “I love you, Mum.”
Diddy has been in detention since September last year.
An attorney, who represents over 100 alleged Diddy victims, said the hip hop mogul “dodged a big bullet today.”
Tony Buzbee told DailyMail.com:
“Diddy dodged a big bullet today. But that doesn’t end the saga. The thrust of the prosecution’s case was focused solely on two alleged victims, Cassie and Jane, with whom Sean Combs had long-term relationships.
“The jury found that he violated federal law with regard to the transportation to engage in prostitution but cleared him on the three most serious charges.
“Perhaps because of the nature of his relationship with those women and the length of those two relationships, I think the jury struggled with the difficult issue of consent and more broadly whether Mr Combs’ conduct appropriately fit within the RICO statute.
“Our clients were not the focus of the prosecution’s case. And those issues are not present in our cases. Our cases instead focus on discrete wrongful conduct allegedly committed by Mr Combs that would be considered state law crimes if proven.
“Now that this spectacle is over, we look forward to aggressively pursuing these civil cases to obtain justice for these alleged victims.”
While prosecutors said they will ask for a 20-year sentence for the convictions, Diddy’s fans surrounded the courthouse chanting: ‘Free Puffy!’
Diddy’s lawyers asked the judge to release him on a US$1million bond so he can await sentencing in his Miami home.
The jury’s acquittal on the most serious charges in Diddy’s case signals that the prosecution failed to draw a direct line between his abuse of Cassie Ventura and “Jane” and their participation in the sexual performances, Reuters reports.
The defence acknowledged that Diddy engaged in domestic violence, but argued that the two women were strong and independent and consensually took part in his sexual performances.
Defence lawyers accused prosecutors of trying to criminalise Diddy’s private sex life.
Sarah Krissoff, a former federal prosecutor in Manhattan, told Reuters the jury may have viewed his conduct as evidence of toxic romantic relationships, but not sex trafficking.
“It doesn’t fit what they would expect to be sex trafficking,” she said.
NYPD officers set up a lot of barricades as the crowd gathered outside the courtroom to celebrate the verdict.
Among the throng of Diddy supporters outside, one man was seen holding a Sean John T-shirt, a company created by Diddy.
A woman in a bikini did a celebratory dance, NBC added.
She removed her wig while a man drizzled baby oil on her from a nearby ledge.
Diddy’s use of baby oil in various sex acts was a frequent topic of testimony during the trial.
Diddy appeared overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath as the news sunk in, wiping his face and bowing his head in prayer. In the public gallery, his relatives stood and applauded as he faced them.
His mother Janice Combs has been in court to support her son throughout the trial.
She was asked if she was happy with the verdicts, and replied “yes I was happy, wouldn’t you be happy?”
The cafeteria was packed full of what appeared to be public spectators from the courtroom, and she was shaking hands with people while walking to a table where other members of the Diddy family were waiting.
An entertainment lawyer and former litigator said opinions are divided after the verdicts.
“There is one school of us who really are astonished with the verdicts,” Lisa Bonner told Sky News a short while ago.
“There is another school of thought, just like the jurors, who are pleased with the verdict.”
Bonner explained she was surprised by how quickly the jury delivered its verdicts.
“The jury wants to be sure, in their opinion, that they are being fair and impartial and delivering what they believe is justice, and they have delivered what they believe is justice,” she said.
Asked about what the prosecution lawyers will be feeling after the verdicts, Bonner said “it is important to remember that we are looking at an individual’s life”.
“As lawyers, we are trained to understand and to accept whatever the jury says… and so while they may be disappointed professionally, they also have to understand professionally that the jury has spoken.
“We understand it and we accept it.”
Diddy has been hit with dozens of civil claims − a few filed before the criminal charges were announced, but the vast majority afterwards.
Those civil claims against him are separate to the criminal verdicts and lawsuits face a lower standard of proof than the criminal one of “beyond reasonable doubt”.
One particularly high-profile lawsuit, involving rapper Jay-Z as well as Diddy, was voluntarily dropped with prejudice, meaning it cannot be brought again, by the female accuser in February.
Jay-Z filed his own lawsuit, for defamation, against the woman in March.
Another lawsuit accuses Diddy of raping a woman as alleged payback for her saying she believed he was involved in the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur.
Diddy is suing the lawyer involved in this case for defamation, over other allegations that have been made against him.
Diddy was convicted of federal charges − which means US President Donald Trump could, in theory, pardon him.
Dareh Gregorian, a politics reporter with NBC News said Trump and Diddy “had a friendly relationship before the real estate tycoon entered politics”.
The President also suggested to reporters a few weeks ago that he’d be open to considering a pardon.
“Well, nobody’s asked,” Trump told reporters at the end of May, “but I know people are thinking about it. I know they’re thinking about it. I think people have been very close to asking”.
“First of all, I’d look at what’s happening, and I haven’t been watching it too closely, although it’s certainly getting a lot of coverage. I haven’t seen him. I haven’t spoken to him in years.” − Sky News/BBC/Daily Mail/Reuters
