3 days ago
Sean 'Diddy' Combs Acquitted Of Sex Trafficking But Guilty Of Transportation For Prostitution
Almost two months and 34 witnesses later, and the jury in the trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs has reached a verdict: the musician was acquitted on all charges but the jury returned a guilty verdict on two counts, both of transportation to engage in prostitution relating to Cassie Ventura and an anonymous victim known only as 'Jane'.
Per the BBC, the jury deliberated for 13 hours over three days to come to a unanimous decision on the charges against Combs. The trial has been running in New York since May. Much of that court time focused on the prosecution's case.
While the verdict isn't a full acquittal, per several outlets, Combs' relief as the charges were read out was palpable. 'Combs just left the courtroom, and before he did, he got on his knees, put his face into his chair and appeared to be praying. He was shaking,' wrote the BBC. 'He got up, looked toward his family, and started clapping loudly as his family and supporters joined in, cheering in the overflow room too.'
Per the New York Times, before the verdict was read, Combs walked into the courtroom and mouthed 'We got this' to his family. He was reading a printout of Psalm 11.
Combs faces a maximum 10-year prison sentence on each of the two prostitution counts, which Judge Arun Subramanian will determine the sentencing of at a later date.
The acquittals on the sex trafficking counts mean he will avoid a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. He could have faced life in prison if he were convicted on sex trafficking or racketeering conspiracy.
The 12-person jury was comprised of eight men and four women, ranging in age from 30 to 74.
This is an ongoing story and this piece will be updated.
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Naomi May is a seasoned culture journalist and editor with over ten years' worth of experience in shaping stories and building digital communities. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University's prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard, where she worked across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Digital Editor at ELLE Magazine and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others. Naomi is also the host of the ELLE Collective book club.
