Sean ‘Diddy' Combs asks judge to throw out guilty verdicts or grant a new trial
Combs's lawyers argue that his two felony convictions were a unique misapplication of the federal Mann Act, which bars interstate commerce related to prostitution.
'To our knowledge, Mr Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct anything like this,' a Wednesday filing from Combs's legal team said.
Combs, 55, was convicted in a New York federal court of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters.
While he was acquitted of more serious charges, he could still get up to a decade in prison at his sentencing, which is set for October 3.
His lawyers argued that none of the elements normally used for Mann Act convictions, including profiting from sex work or coercion, were present here.
'It is undisputed that he had no commercial motive and that all involved were adults,' the filing said. 'The men chose to travel and engage in the activity voluntarily. The verdict confirms the women were not vulnerable or exploited or trafficked or sexually assaulted.'
The lawyers said that Combs, 'at most, paid to engage in voyeurism as part of a 'swingers' lifestyle' and argued that 'does not constitute 'prostitution' under a properly limited definition of the statutory term'.
Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, charges that could have put one of hip-hop's celebrated figures in prison for life.
The new motion asks Judge Arun Subramanian to vacate the jury's verdict, or to order a new trial whose evidence is limited to matters related to the Mann Act counts, because of 'severe spill over prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence' related to the more serious counts.
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Prosecutors insisted during the eight-week trial that Combs had coerced, threatened and sometimes viciously forced two ex-girlfriends to have sex with male sex workers to satisfy his sexual urges. They cited multiple acts of violence he carried out against them as proof that they had no say.
A day earlier, Combs's team asked the judge to free him on a 50 million dollar bond while he awaits sentencing in October after a jury found him not guilty of the most serious federal charges he faced earlier this month.
His lawyer argued that conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn are dangerous, noting that others convicted of similar prostitution-related offences were typically released before sentencing.
Subramanian previously denied a request that Combs be released on bail while he awaits sentencing, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend.
The judge has not yet ruled on either of this week's motions.
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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs denied release from jail to await sentencing
Sean 'Diddy' Combs cannot go home from jail to await sentencing on his prostitution-related conviction, a judge said on Monday, denying the rap and style mogul's latest bid for bail. Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest. He faced federal charges of coercing girlfriends into having drug-fuelled sex marathons with male sex workers while he watched and filmed them. He was acquitted last month of the top charges — racketeering and sex trafficking — while being convicted of two counts of a prostitution-related offence. The conviction carries the potential for up to 10 years in prison. But there are complicated federal guidelines for calculating sentences in any given case, and prosecutors and Combs' lawyers disagree substantially on how the guidelines come out for his case. The guidelines are not mandatory, and Judge Arun Subramanian will have wide latitude in deciding Combs' punishment. The Bad Boy Records founder, now 55, was for decades a huge figure in pop culture. A Grammy-winning hip hop artist and entrepreneur with a flair for finding and launching big talents, he presided over a business empire that ranged from fashion to reality TV. Prosecutors claimed he used his fame, wealth and violence to force and manipulate two now-ex-girlfriends into days-long, drugged-up sexual performances he called 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights'. His lawyers argued that the government tried to criminalise consensual, if unconventional, sexual tastes that played out in complicated relationships. The defence acknowledged that Combs had violent outbursts but said nothing he did came amounted to the crimes with which he was charged. Since the verdict, his lawyers have repeatedly renewed their efforts to get him out on bail until his sentencing, set for October. They have argued that the acquittals undercut the rationale for holding him, and they have pointed to other people who were released before sentencing on similar convictions. Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo suggested in a court filing that Combs was the United States' 'only person in jail for hiring adult male escorts for him and his girlfriend'. The defence's most recent proposal included a $50m (€43.5m) bond and travel restrictions and expressed openness to adding on house arrest at his Miami home, electronic monitoring, private security guards and other requirements. Prosecutors opposed releasing Combs. They wrote that his 'extensive history of violence — and his continued attempt to minimise his recent violent conduct – demonstrates his dangerousness and that he is not amendable to supervision'.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Irish Independent
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs asks judge to throw out guilty verdicts or grant a new trial
'This conviction stands alone, but it shouldn't stand at all,' the Wednesday filing said. Combs's lawyers argue that his two felony convictions were a unique misapplication of the federal Mann Act, which bars interstate commerce related to prostitution. 'To our knowledge, Mr Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct anything like this,' a Wednesday filing from Combs's legal team said. Combs, 55, was convicted in a New York federal court of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters. While he was acquitted of more serious charges, he could still get up to a decade in prison at his sentencing, which is set for October 3. His lawyers argued that none of the elements normally used for Mann Act convictions, including profiting from sex work or coercion, were present here. 'It is undisputed that he had no commercial motive and that all involved were adults,' the filing said. 'The men chose to travel and engage in the activity voluntarily. The verdict confirms the women were not vulnerable or exploited or trafficked or sexually assaulted.' The lawyers said that Combs, 'at most, paid to engage in voyeurism as part of a 'swingers' lifestyle' and argued that 'does not constitute 'prostitution' under a properly limited definition of the statutory term'. Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, charges that could have put one of hip-hop's celebrated figures in prison for life. The new motion asks Judge Arun Subramanian to vacate the jury's verdict, or to order a new trial whose evidence is limited to matters related to the Mann Act counts, because of 'severe spill over prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence' related to the more serious counts. ADVERTISEMENT Prosecutors insisted during the eight-week trial that Combs had coerced, threatened and sometimes viciously forced two ex-girlfriends to have sex with male sex workers to satisfy his sexual urges. They cited multiple acts of violence he carried out against them as proof that they had no say. A day earlier, Combs's team asked the judge to free him on a 50 million dollar bond while he awaits sentencing in October after a jury found him not guilty of the most serious federal charges he faced earlier this month. His lawyer argued that conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn are dangerous, noting that others convicted of similar prostitution-related offences were typically released before sentencing. Subramanian previously denied a request that Combs be released on bail while he awaits sentencing, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend. The judge has not yet ruled on either of this week's motions.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs asks judge to throw out guilty verdicts or grant a new trial
Sean Diddy Combs has asked a judge to throw out his guilty verdicts on prostitution-related counts or grant him a new trial, saying such convictions are without precedent. 'This conviction stands alone, but it shouldn't stand at all,' the Wednesday filing said. Sean 'Diddy' Combs (Elizabeth Williams via AP) Combs's lawyers argue that his two felony convictions were a unique misapplication of the federal Mann Act, which bars interstate commerce related to prostitution. 'To our knowledge, Mr Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct anything like this,' a Wednesday filing from Combs's legal team said. Combs, 55, was convicted in a New York federal court of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters. While he was acquitted of more serious charges, he could still get up to a decade in prison at his sentencing, which is set for October 3. His lawyers argued that none of the elements normally used for Mann Act convictions, including profiting from sex work or coercion, were present here. 'It is undisputed that he had no commercial motive and that all involved were adults,' the filing said. 'The men chose to travel and engage in the activity voluntarily. The verdict confirms the women were not vulnerable or exploited or trafficked or sexually assaulted.' Sean Diddy Combs (Ian West/PA) The lawyers said that Combs, 'at most, paid to engage in voyeurism as part of a 'swingers' lifestyle' and argued that 'does not constitute 'prostitution' under a properly limited definition of the statutory term'. Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, charges that could have put one of hip-hop's celebrated figures in prison for life. The new motion asks Judge Arun Subramanian to vacate the jury's verdict, or to order a new trial whose evidence is limited to matters related to the Mann Act counts, because of 'severe spill over prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence' related to the more serious counts. Prosecutors insisted during the eight-week trial that Combs had coerced, threatened and sometimes viciously forced two ex-girlfriends to have sex with male sex workers to satisfy his sexual urges. They cited multiple acts of violence he carried out against them as proof that they had no say. A day earlier, Combs's team asked the judge to free him on a 50 million dollar bond while he awaits sentencing in October after a jury found him not guilty of the most serious federal charges he faced earlier this month. His lawyer argued that conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn are dangerous, noting that others convicted of similar prostitution-related offences were typically released before sentencing. Subramanian previously denied a request that Combs be released on bail while he awaits sentencing, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend. The judge has not yet ruled on either of this week's motions.
