Sean “Diddy” Combs and his legal team returned to federal court in New York on Thursday, asking a judge to either throw out his prostitution convictions or grant him a new trial.
Judge Arun Subramanian adjourned the hearing without issuing an immediate ruling.
Combs, accused of operating a large-scale sex trafficking scheme, has been in custody since his arrest in September 2024. In July, he was found guilty on two counts of prostitution but acquitted of more serious racketeering and sex trafficking charges linked to his ex-partner Casandra Ventura and another woman identified as “Jane.”
The 55-year-old producer faces up to 10 years in prison on each count when sentenced on October 3. His attorneys, however, argue that the convictions represent a misuse of the Mann Act, a federal law aimed at combating human trafficking. They claim the statute was applied in an “unprecedented” way, contending that prostitution laws should apply only when money is exchanged for sex — not when, as they argue, Combs merely watched.
Defense lawyer Alexandra Shapiro told the court Combs was a voyeur who liked filming and watching amateur pornography, insisting he had “no commercial motive.” She criticized prosecutors for pushing for an “excessive” sentence that she said is “wildly out of proportion.”
His attorneys have suggested a maximum sentence of 14 months, noting that Combs has already spent more than a year in custody, which would effectively satisfy the punishment. Prosecutors, however, are seeking a significantly longer term.
In a court filing, the defense maintained that Combs has already suffered immense personal and professional losses, writing that his career and reputation have been “systematically dismantled” and that his seven children “desperately await his return.”
During Thursday’s proceedings, Combs waved to supporters in the courtroom. His lawyers further argued that, if the convictions are not vacated, a new trial is warranted due to “severe spillover prejudice” caused by inflammatory evidence presented during his earlier case.
Prosecutors alleged at trial that Combs arranged paid sexual encounters between male sex workers and his girlfriends, some of whom testified about physical abuse, including being beaten, kicked, and choked.
Combs has pleaded not guilty to all charges, but the judge has previously denied him bail twice.
Source: BBC
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