Sean “Diddy” Combs returned to a Manhattan courtroom on Friday to be sentenced on two counts of transportation for the needs of prostitution.
Federal prosecutors argue Combs deserves at the least 11 years in jail.
Combs’ attorneys have requested for a sentence of not more than 14 months. Combs has already spent 12 months on the Metropolitan Detention Heart in Brooklyn, so a 14-month sentence would enable his launch in December.
Newest Developments
Oct 3, 12:48 PM
Protection makes tearful speech about Combs’ success, neighborhood affect
In a tearful speech, protection legal professional Nicole Westmoreland made an emotional enchantment to the choose about Sean Combs’ enterprise success and affect on the Black neighborhood.
“Our neighborhood lastly had a seat on the desk. A voice — an actual voice. After Mr. Combs found out transfer inside that business, he moved on to assist others,” Westmoreland stated, as her voice sometimes cracked.
In comparison with the protection legal professional Jason Driscoll’s legalistic speech — which provided a breakdown of what the protection crew says are comparable felony instances to argue for a lighter sentence — Westmoreland targeted solely on Combs’ character and affect.
“I wish to converse with the court docket about how he used his success to assist others,” she stated. “Mr. Combs touched many extra lives than the court docket has heard about this final 12 months.”
Westmoreland argued that Combs’ success as a musician and report label government confirmed others what they’ll accomplish “it doesn’t matter what race you’re.”
“By Mr. Combs sporting all of these hats and pouring himself into that label like he did, it despatched a message. It despatched a message that you are able to do it. You don’t should be signed to the label, you might be the label,” she stated. “If Mr. Combs may do it, they might do it, too.”
She additionally spoke at size about Combs’ clothes line and his work serving to assist constitution faculties in New York.
“Mr. Combs has touched the lives of so many,” Westmoreland stated. “He has given alternative to inside metropolis people who by no means had actual company alternatives.”
“He has actually impressed a neighborhood,” she stated. “Mr. Combs has impressed generations and generations to comply with.”
Oct 3, 12:32 PM
Protection makes an attempt to make case for a lightweight sentence for Combs
Protection attorneys started their push for a lightweight sentence by underscoring that Sean Combs lacked a monetary motive for transporting male escorts throughout state strains.
Combs employed escorts to have intercourse with girlfriends so he may watch, usually whereas masturbating, and movie.
“For 75 years, lengthy earlier than Sean Combs was even born, the Division of Justice has stated, ‘As a basic rule prosecution shouldn’t be instituted in non-commercial instances,’” protection legal professional Jason Driscoll stated. “Revenue motive is crucial.”
Driscoll argued the legislation Combs was convicted of violating, the Mann Act, most frequently includes brothels, intercourse trafficking rings, pimps and susceptible victims like minors or undocumented immigrants.
“They’re attempting to equate Sean Combs to a pimp. He isn’t,” Driscoll stated. “He didn’t commit this Mann Act offense conduct in any means for any kind of private acquire.”
As a substitute, the protection in contrast Combs to a John and argued purchasers of prostitutes usually obtain minimal sentences.
Driscoll is the primary of 4 protection attorneys anticipated to talk on Combs’ behalf. Nicole Westmoreland is up subsequent.
Oct 3, 11:57 AM
Prosecutors argue ‘public have to be defended’ from Combs’ violence
Prosecutors accused Sean Combs of downplaying his alleged violence, regardless of his attorneys overtly conceding throughout trial that he was violent with two of his exes.
“He owned that violence solely insofar because it benefited him,” prosecutor Christy Slavik stated.
“The violence on this case was uncontested,” Slavik stated. “The proof of what the defendant did was overwhelming.”
Slavik emphasised what she stated was “life-altering” violence that Combs’ girlfriends Cassie Ventura and a lady who testified below the pseudonym “Jane” testified at trial, in addition to Combs’ allegedly abusive habits in direction of his workers.
“He hit her, he kicked her, he threw her into partitions, he stomped on her face, he dragged her by the hair,” Slavik stated of Ventura, who she stated was “handled like an animal.”
“As soon as is dangerous sufficient,” she stated. “Dozens and dozens of occasions is one thing the general public have to be defended from.”
“This isn’t an individual who has accepted duty,” she stated.
Slavik additionally pushed again in opposition to the protection argument that Combs’ relationships with “Jane” and Ventura have been mutually dangerous.
“The court docket heard Cassie participating in a ‘freak-off’ whereas he was overdosing on medicine. What’s mutual about that?” Slavik stated. “There’s nothing mutual about that.”
Even when the choose eliminated the alleged violence, Slavik argued {that a} vital sentence would nonetheless be justified. Prosecutors argued that essentially the most comparable case for Combs’ conduct is a 2023 conviction of a film producer who ran a global prostitution enterprise. The defendant in that case acquired a five-year jail sentence.
“Even prostitution instances that don’t contain violence get vital sentences on this district,” she stated.
Oct 3, 11:46 AM
Prosecutor urges harsh sentence for Combs, says he did ‘horrible issues’
A federal prosecutor urged Decide Arun Subramanian to impose a harsh sentence to punish Sean Combs not just for transporting male escorts throughout state strains for prostitution but additionally for “staggering” violence.
“The protection has tried to show this right into a minor violation in a intercourse, medicine and rock and roll life-style,” the prosecutor, Christy Slavik, stated. “It’s clear: This isn’t only a case about ‘freak offs’ or resort nights. It’s not only a case about intercourse. It’s a case about actual victims who suffered actual hurt by the hands of the defendant.”
Slavik stated Combs “did horrible issues” to Cassie Ventura and to “Jane” who have been in “abusive” relationships with him.
“This isn’t only a case about transportation for prostitution. It’s a case about transportation for prostitution and violence,” Slavik stated.
Slavik solid doubt on Combs’ sincerity when he wrote to the choose that he accepted “duty and accountability” for his actions, noting a personality letter acquired that stated Combs has booked talking engagements in Miami for subsequent week.
“That’s the reverse of demonstrating respect for the legislation,” Slavik stated.
Prosecutors have urged the choose to impose a sentence of 11 years in jail. Decide Subramanian famous sentencing tips referred to as for a sentence between 5 and seven years. The choose retains discretion to differ the sentence up or down.
Oct 3, 11:25 AM
Decide says Combs isn’t remorseful for prostitution-related conduct
Decide Arun Subramanian stated he doesn’t imagine Sean Combs is taking full duty for his prostitution-related conduct.
“Combs has challenged his factual guilt full-throatedly,” Subramanian stated. He stated the music mogul has not demonstrated regret for the crimes for which he was convicted.
Combs was discovered responsible of transportation to have interaction in prostitution in connection along with his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, and responsible of transportation to have interaction in prostitution in reference to one other ex-girlfriend, who testified below the pseudonym “Jane.”
Subramanian additionally stated he’ll think about a number of the conduct for which Combs was acquitted when he imposes his sentence.
Combs was discovered not responsible of racketeering conspiracy, essentially the most critical cost. He was additionally discovered not responsible of each fees of intercourse trafficking by power, fraud, or coercion.
“The court docket can think about acquitted conduct for any cause apart from altering the rules vary,” the choose stated.
Whereas the acquitted counts can’t be thought of to find out Combs’ doable sentencing vary, Subramanian stated the testimony and proof associated to these counts are related context to reveal the power Combs used to hold out the prostitution-related crimes.
“There isn’t a doubt that this proof counts as coercion,” he added. “There have been threats of bodily hurt on this case.”
Subramanian additionally stated that he plans to contemplate as victims on this case the seven escorts who Combs stated he paid for leisure. The choose stated Combs was clearly the organizer of “freak-offs” and resort nights and paid for the escorts, and needs to be accountable for the conduct.
“The definition of sufferer is expansive,” he stated.
Earlier within the listening to, prosecutors sought to push again on protection attorneys’ try to have a number of individuals testify about Combs’ character in the course of the sentencing, arguing it distracts from the victims within the case.
“The protection is attempting to drown out the voice of victims in favor of character witnesses,” a prosecutor argued.
Subramanian will enable Combs’ kids and pastor to talk.
Oct 3, 10:43 AM
Combs sentencing listening to begins, ‘Mia’ is not going to give an announcement
Sean Combs entered the courtroom for his sentencing listening to Friday sporting darkish pants and a light-colored sweater over a white button-down. He shook fingers with a few of his attorneys, hugged others and gestured towards his household crammed into the second and third rows of the gallery.
“Good morning choose,” Combs stated when greeted by Decide Arun Subramanian.
Subramanian stated he obtain “rather a lot” of supplies forward of time, together with the letter from Combs himself, the video the protection intends to play and an analysis of the 6-week course Combs taught to fellow inmates at MDC-Brooklyn.
There can be no sufferer affect statements after a former Combs assistant who testified below the pseudonym “Mia” bowed out.
“This morning the federal government discovered ‘Mia’ not needs to handle the court docket right here at present,” prosecutor Christy Slavik stated, including {that a} “bullying” letter from the protection was a part of her reasoning.
“The tone of the protection’s letter was inappropriate,” Subramanian stated. “That shouldn’t be accomplished once more.”
Along with Combs, two or three of his kids and a pastor intend to talk forward of the imposition of the sentence. Medical doctors who evaluated Combs are ready to talk if vital, protection legal professional Brian Metal stated.
Oct 3, 8:31 AM
Combs to talk in court docket
Sean Combs plans to talk in court docket within the “most dignified and respectful style doable,” based on a court docket submitting from his attorneys.
In a letter submitted to the choose on Thursday, Combs apologized for his actions and argued he was reformed in jail, turning into sober for the primary time.
“I’ve been placing within the work and dealing diligently to turn out to be the most effective model of myself to make sure that I by no means make the identical errors once more,” Combs wrote.
The letter additionally said: “I wish to apologize and say how sincerely sorry I’m for all the harm and ache that I’ve induced others by my conduct. I take full duty and accountability for my previous wrongs.”
Oct 3, 6:39 AM
Combs asks for video to be performed at sentencing
Sean Combs has requested to play a 15-minute video throughout Friday’s sentencing listening to.
The video reveals Combs enjoying along with his kids, mourning Kim Porter and giving motivational speeches at fundraisers in New York.
It’s a selective compilation of a public determine who has been unceasingly photographed and videotaped at dwelling and in skilled settings and is supposed to assist persuade the choose that Combs deserves imminent launch.
The choose has seen different video that casts Combs within the reddish hue of a “freak off” or below the fluorescent hallway lights of a Los Angeles resort punching and kicking Cassie Ventura.
-ABC Information’ Aaron Katersky
Oct 3, 6:23 AM
Prosecutors push for 11 years in jail
Federal prosecutors say Sean Combs was violent, abusive and left victims in worry, so despite the fact that he was acquitted of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy fees, they are saying he nonetheless deserves at the least 11 years in jail.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters – PHOTO: Sean “Diddy” Combs listens as lawyer Alexandra Shapiro argues throughout a listening to over his bid to overturn his conviction on fees of transportation to have interaction in prostitution, at a courtroom in New York Metropolis, September 25, 2025.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs deserves at the least 11 years in jail, prosecutors say
Prosecutors argued Combs held all the ability over the individuals he transported, significantly ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, who ended up “bloodied and busied,” as depicted on resort safety digital camera video.
Prosecutors stated the sentence ought to mirror Combs’ “a long time of unchecked violence” and “a long time of psychological, emotional and bodily harm he has inflicted.”
Oct 3, 6:21 AM
Protection asks for time served
Sean Combs’ protection is arguing for him to be sentenced to time served.
Protection attorneys referred to as Combs — who has been in custody since September 2024 — “a rare one that has made monumental skilled and private contributions all through his 55 years” and who needs to be along with his household.
Jane Rosenberg/Reuters – PHOTO: Sean “Diddy” Combs, subsequent to his lawyer Teny Geragos, reacts after studying he is not going to be launched on bail, throughout his intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial in New York Metropolis, New York Metropolis, July 2, 2025.
“He misplaced many family members, together with his father, his greatest good friend, Christopher Wallace — professionally often called Infamous B.I.G. — in addition to the love of his life and mom of 4 of his kids, Kim Porter, and most lately, his mentor, Andre Harrell,” the submitting stated. “These occasions have been devastating, and for many years Mr. Combs struggled with critical substance abuse points, anger and nervousness, and different flaws that he didn’t correctly or professionally deal with till his incarceration final 12 months.”
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