Sean Diddy Combs convicted of prostitution charge, acquitted of sex trafficking

NEW YORK (AP) Despite being found guilty of a prostitution-related violation, Sean Diddy Combs was cleared on Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that would have resulted in the lifelong imprisonment of one of hip-hop’s most renowned characters.

On the third day of the deliberations, the outcome was mixed. Combs, 55, could still spend up to ten years in prison as a result, and his career as a successful music executive, fashion designer, brand ambassador, and reality TV personality is probably coming to an end.

The unanimous decision was affirmed by the foreperson.

Combs looked at the jury, raised his hands in a prayer position, and gave his defense attorney Teny Geragos a hug after the verdict was read.

Combs was found guilty of violating the federal Mann Act by flying individuals, including his girlfriends and paid male prostitutes, across the nation for sex.

However, Combs was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges by the jury, which consisted of eight men and four women. The charges were connected to claims that Combs used his wealth, influence, and intimidating physical force to coerce his girlfriends into engaging in hundreds of drug-fueled sex marathons with the men.

The ladies were willing participants, according to Combs and his defense team, and none of his acts of aggression warranted the seriousness of the accusations.

Following the reading of the verdict, the judge instructed the jury on how to discuss the issue with the public, the media, and others.

Combs appeared content that he had been cleared of the most serious allegations, as he continued to quietly pump his right fist.

After hearing that the jury in his sex trafficking trial had returned an unspecified verdict on all but one of the five charges the hip-hop mogul is facing, Combs appeared upbeat when he arrived in the courthouse early Wednesday morning.

After grinning and raising his hands in the air in the direction of his loved ones and friends, Combs hugged a number of his attorneys and took a seat to wait for the verdict of the jury’s third day of deliberations.

Less than a minute later, Combs stood a few steps away from his family, who were sitting with their heads bowed in prayer. Combs and his family then cheered, just as they had on Monday, before U.S. marshals escorted him out of the courthouse. Later, the family departed the courthouse in a van.

The jury, which consists of eight men and four women, stated that it could not agree on the primary allegation of racketeering conspiracy, so U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ordered the panel to continue its closed-door deliberations for a third day on Tuesday.

The judge concurred with Combs’ defense team and prosecutors that it was premature to abandon the pursuit of a verdict on all counts after less than 13 hours of deliberations.

It is yet unknown what the jury will decide about the remaining charges, which include two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

The jury wrote in a note to the court late Tuesday that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision on the racketeering conspiracy allegation because some members had unpersuadable opinions on both sides.

The most complex accusation in the trial is racketeering conspiracy, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The maximum penalty for the sex trafficking charge is life in prison, with a statutory minimum of 15 years. The maximum penalty for transporting someone to engage in prostitution is ten years in prison.

Even before the judge read it out in public, the discovery of the jury memo regarding the partial judgment appeared to depress defense lawyers and their client.

The smiles and good humor that had greeted the arrival of other jury notes over the course of two days appeared to have vanished as eight defense attorneys formed a half-circle behind Combs, considering the possibility that jurors had agreed on counts that carry the harshest sentencing penalties.

As his lawyers talked to Combs, he seemed sad. At one point, lawyer Marc Agnifilo handed the hip-hop entrepreneur a piece of paper, which he read solemnly.

A stifled Combs sat in his chair for a few minutes after the jury entered the room for instructions and then left. As he often does at the beginning and end of each day, he turned to face his family and supporters in the crowd, blew a kiss, and tapped his heart as he got up to go.

He then stopped in front of his mother and spoke to her briefly, saying, “I love you, and I’ll be fine.”

Then Marshals escorted him out of the room.

The jury was instructed to consider the testimony of Daniel Phillip, a male stripper Diddy is accused of paying to have sex with Cassie, and Cassie, an R&B singer who was Diddy’s long-term lover.

Combs allegedly forced two women into drug-fueled sex marathons with male prostitutes, according to the prosecution.

Prosecutors are attempting to criminalize Combs’ swinger lifestyle, according to the founder of Bad Boy Records’ attorneys. They claim that rather than federal felonies, his actions amounted to domestic violence, if anything.

Combs, who declined to provide testimony.

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