Online Reporter
NEW YORK. − Sean “Diddy” Combs failed to get his conviction overturned, days ahead of sentencing in his federal sex-crimes case.
Combs’ legal team previously filed a motion asking Judge Arun Subramanian to either overturn his criminal conviction on two counts of transportation in prostitution or grant him a new trial.
The court denied both motions in an opinion filed on Tuesday, according to court documents obtained by USA TODAY.
Subramanian rejected the defense’s attempt to narrow the definition of “prostitution” for which he was convicted, and their argument that the prosecution did not present enough factual evidence to prove Combs was transporting people specifically for the purpose of paying for sex.
The judge called the prosecution’s evidence − including testimony that escorts were “paid thousands of dollars … to have sex” with Cassie Ventura and a woman identified as “Jane” − “overwhelming.”
“The correct definition of prostitution in the Mann Act is sex in exchange for money or its equivalent,” Subramanian wrote.
“The government at trial presented overwhelming evidence of Combs’s guilt under the Mann Act on many occasions with respect to both Ventura and Jane.”
Regarding Combs’ request for a new trial, his team claims the evidence presented at trial for the more severe charges he was found not guilty of carried over and prejudiced the jury against the music mogul. Subramanian also rejected that argument, stating Combs “fails to carry his ‘heavy burden’ of showing spillover prejudice.” − USA Today
Bongani Ndlovu