Featured Image Credit: Bryan Steffy/Getty
Topics: Cassie Ventura, Crime, Diddy, Music, US News
Britt Jones
Topics: Cassie Ventura, Crime, Diddy, Music, US News
Warning: This article contains allegations of sexual harassment which some readers may find distressing.
The trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs has come to an end after the jury returned a not guilty verdict on three of his five charges.
The music mogul, who had been standing trial against a slew of charges, was found not guilty of the most serious offences, including racketeering and sex trafficking following the eight week in the New York’s courtroom.
The US rapper was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy and transportation to engage in prostitution, with witnesses testifying against him and sharing their alleged experiences.
Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy - Not guilty
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Count 2: Sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura - Not guilty
Count 3: Transportation for prostitution of Ventura and others - Guilty
Count 4: Sex trafficking of woman known as 'Jane': Not guilty
Count 5: Transportation for prostitution of 'Jane' and others: Guilty
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However, Diddy has long maintained his innocence and showed little emotion when evidence was being given against him throughout the trial.
Diddy's former partners - including Cassie Ventura - fellow rapper Kid Cudi and a male escort who is tied to the 'Freak Off' parties took to the stands, with more and more shocking details coming to light.
After a partial verdict was reached yesterday (1 July), the jury were asked by the judge to continue deliberating and returned today (2 July) to reach a full verdict, ultimately finding him not guilty of racketeering conspiracy.
So, what happens next?
Diddy was also found not guilty of the sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura or his former girlfriend, ‘Jane’, and he was found guilty verdict on two counts of transportation for prostitution of both women.
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As Combs is no longer charged with sex trafficking, Diddy’s lawyer, Marc Agnifilo asked the judge that he be released on conditions to his home in Miami and offered a $1 million bond.
His lawyer said that Combs had ‘been given his life by this jury’ because of their partial not guilty verdict, and that: "He would be nothing short of a fool to do anything that would violate any condition.”
However, it’s not known whether the judge will go through with this.
After the verdict was read against Combs, his lawyers argued that he should be free and post bail.
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“A considerable change in his conditions is warranted,” Agnifilo said, bringing to light that this is his first charge.
However, prosecutors immediately fought this with Maureen Comey accusing Agnifilo of ‘downplaying’ how serious his guilty charges are, stating that he committed a ‘litany of crimes’, which also included violence toward women as well as drug trafficking.
She said he ‘does pose a danger’ and will ‘flagrantly disregard’ court conditions if he was released.
As of right now, the judge is considering whether to send Combs back to the New York Metropolitan Detention Center, where he has been locked up since September 2024. However, the BBC reported that the music mogul indicated to the judge that he does not wish to return.
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If his lawyers are successful in posting bail, it could mean that he will be able to return to his home, which was previously ransacked by the FBI when they were combing for evidence against Diddy as charges were being placed upon him.
The judge said to the court today: "I know Mr Combs does not want to go back to the MDC."
Even though the racketeering conspiracy carried a minimum life sentence, and Diddy was spared the charge, he could still spend a significant period behind bars after the two guilty verdicts were returned against him.
The maximum sentence for the transportation for prostitution is 10 years in prison, but it could take some time before the rapper is officially sentenced, particularly if the defence team succeeds in their plea for Diddy to be bailed out and returned to his home.
All in all, federal prosecutors said they would seek the maximum of 20 years in total for the two charges he was found guilty of.