‘Let Puffy go': outside court, Sean ‘Diddy' Combs supporters hail verdict
Combs was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and not guilty of two counts of sex trafficking and a count of racketeering conspiracy.
The verdict, delivered by a jury of eight men and four women, is seen by many legal experts as the best outcome Combs could have hoped for outside of a full acquittal.
Outside the federal courthouse in lower Manhattan, dozens of Combs's supporters gathered after the verdict was delivered. Many chanted his name and cheered as several members of his family exited the building following the announcement.
'Let Puffy go!' some supporters chanted, putting heir fists in the air. 'Not guilty!' others shouted.
Music filled the air as supporters played Diddy Free, a track released during closing arguments on Friday by one of Combs's sons, King Combs, and Ye, formerly Kanye West, who briefly came to support Combs in court during the trial.
The crowd outside the courthouse danced and celebrated, with some handing out bottles of baby oil and lathering themselves in it. Baby oil played a prominent role in this trial; many witnesses testified that Combs used copious amounts of baby oil during his drug-fueled sex marathons referred to as 'freak-offs'. Additionally, large amounts of baby oil were found at Combs's home during federal raids.
By early afternoon, as the crowd outside the courthouse began to grow, the New York police department increased their presence outside the courthouse.
One supporter was seen holding a Sean John T-shirt, a company created by Combs, while others wore T-shirts that read 'Freako is not a Rico'.
But while Combs's supporters celebrated, organizations that support victims of sexual abuse and domestic said they were disappointed in the verdict.
UltraViolet, a women's rights organization that held a demonstration last week outside of the trial in support of sexual assault survivors, said in a statement that the verdict on Wednesday was 'a decisive moment for our justice system, one which threatens to undo the sacrifice of courageous survivors who stepped forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as to all those abused by Diddy who weren't able to'.
'Today's verdict is not just a stain on a criminal justice system that for decades has failed to hold accountable abusers like Diddy, it's also an indictment of a culture in which not believing women and victims of sexual assault remains endemic,' they added.
More than 50 members of the media were also gathered outside the courthouse to cover the verdict and its aftermath.
The attorney for Combs's former girlfriend and the star government witness in the case – Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura – told reporters outside the courthouse that his team is pleased that Combs has 'finally been held accountable' but added that 'of course, we would have liked to have seen a conviction on the sex crimes and Rico, but we understand that 'beyond a reasonable doubt' is a high standard'.
'We're just pleased he still faces substantial jail time,' he added.
Combs had pleaded not guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
The jury found him guilty of the transportation to engage in prostitution counts, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Since his arrest last September, Combs has remained incarcerated without bail in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn. He has a bail hearing that is scheduled for 5pm ET on Wednesday to determine if he will remain in custody or whether he will be released.
'I hope he gets released today!' one supporter yelled.
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