P Diddy files for acquittal or a retrial over two prostitution related charges
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' legal team have filed for an acquittal or a retrial. The disgraced rapper was found guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution, relating to ex girlfriend Cassie Ventura and another woman referred to as Jane.
Earlier this month, he was found not guilty of racketeering and of sex trafficking Ventura and Jane. He dropped to the floor as the verdict, decided by eight men and four women, acquitted him of the most serious counts.
The court heard how he flew people around the country, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act. It comes after Combs was denied bail following the end of his two-month long trial.
In a statement shared with the Mirror, Combs' team said: "This prosecution was unprecedented. This verdict is unsound. And this conviction, rooted in a misapplied, overbroad statute, should not stand."
According to court documents from this week, Combs' attorneys have argued he did not violate the Mann Act. It is a federal law that makes it a crime to transport someone across state lines for illegal sexual activity.
'To our knowledge, Mr. Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct [for] anything like this,' the motion states according to Page Six.
It continues: 'It is undisputed that he had no commercial motive and that all involved were adults. 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 during the Freak-Offs or hotel nights. And Mr. Combs never had sex with the supposed 'prostitutes.''
They went on to claim Combs "typically hired the services of male escorts or dancers advertised openly through lawful businesses" for Freak-Offs with Ventura and Jane.
"The men were paid for their time," the motion said, 'and they enjoyed the activities and had friendships with Ms. Ventura and Jane and were not merely traveling to have sex for money.'
Combs' lawyers argued that the partial conviction violates his First Amendment rights. The documents added: 'The Freak-Offs and hotel nights were performances that he or his girlfriends typically videotaped so they could watch them later."
They said Combs was "producing amateur pornography for later private viewing since the films depicted adults voluntarily engaging in consensual activity."
Combs' lawyers said if an acquittal is not granted then they would like a retrial "due to severe spillover prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence."
They made reference to footage from 2016 taken from hotel CCTV showing Combs attacking Ventura. 'This evidence, particularly the Intercontinental footage, was admissible only because of the RICO and sex-trafficking charges,' the filing said.
'It would never have been admitted at a trial solely on the Mann Act counts, as it was irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial. Under the Second Circuit's 'retroactive misjoinder' doctrine, a new trial limited to evidence admissible to prove the Mann Act charges is warranted.'
Combs is currently behind bars as he awaits his sentencing. It is scheduled for October 3.
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