NEED TO KNOW
- Diddy’s family showed visible relief outside the courthouse after his split verdict
- He was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, but convicted on two counts of transporting women for prostitution
- He faces up to ten years in prison for each count he was convicted of
Sean “Diddy” Combs’ family showed visible joy while exiting the federal courthouse in Manhattan after the music mogul was convicted on prostitution charges but acquitted on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering.
Combs’ mother, Janice, walked out of the courthouse in step with her granddaughter Chance. She waved to the crowd gathered outside and gave a thumbs up.
Chance and Combs’ son Justin, who was walking behind her, both smiled as they exited the courthouse after their father was found not guilty of charges that could have landed him in prison for the rest of his life. They were followed by Combs’ twin daughters, Jessie and D’Lila.
Also seen were Sarah Chapman, Chance’s mother, and Dana Tran, the mother of Combs’ youngest daughter, Love.
Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, had been indicted on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution.
Though he was acquitted on the most serious counts, Combs could still face several years in prison resulting from the transportation to engage in prostitution counts.
The trial spanned from May to early July, and featured the prosecution calling 34 witnesses over 29 days of testimony.
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Defense attorneys did not call any witnesses, but instead used cross-examination to try to undermine the government’s assertion that Combs had forced or coerced women into participating in sexual encounters with male escorts, referred to as “Freak Offs” or “Hotel Nights.”
Combs’ ex, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, who was in a relationship with the music mogul for 11 years, was the prosecution’s star witness, testifying for several days while late in her third trimester of pregnancy, accusing him of abuse, including an allegation that he raped her.
Combs still faces several dozen lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct, which he has consistently denied.
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