The Latest: Diddy convicted of prostitution offenses, not guilty of sex trafficking and racketeering
The mixed result came on the third day of deliberations. It could still send Combs, 55, to prison for as long as a decade, and is likely to end his career as a hitmaking music executive, fashion entrepreneur, brand ambassador and reality TV star.
The Latest:
1. 'Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man!' — rapper 50 Cent, on Instagram.
2. 'I'm tired of seeing us Black moguls get took down like that. ... And I'm tired of seeing us Black people go against us Black moguls like that.' — rapper Boosie Badazz, in an Instagram video. 'I'm glad he free ... The courts spoke.'
3. 'Oh, this makes me physically ill. Cassie probably feels so horrible. I'm gonna vomit.' — singer Aubrey O'Day, formerly of the girl group Danity Kane, on her Instagram story.
4. 'I guess a jury just never wants to believe that a woman stays because of power and coercion, wow.' — actor Rosie O'Donnell on Instagram.
What is the Mann Act, which Combs was convicted of violating?
Combs was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters in violation of the federal Mann Act.
The 1910 law originally prohibited the interstate or foreign commerce transport of a woman or girl 'for prostitution, debauchery or for any other immoral purpose.' A 1986 update made the law gender-neutral and effectively ended the Act's role in trying to legislate morality by changing 'debauchery' and 'immoral purpose' to 'any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.'
Federal officials: All Americans want 'scourge' of sex crimes stopped
The statement by federal officials on the verdict in U.S. v. Sean Combs doesn't mention the verdict, or Combs.
'Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice,' says the statement by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Ricky Patel, who runs New York's field office for Homeland Security Investigations.
'Prosecuting sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these cases,' said the statement, which also praises law enforcement offices 'for their assistance in this matter.'
Cassie's lawyer says she 'paved the way'
A lawyer for the R&B singer, who previously dated Combs and testified that he beat and raped her, lauded her courage despite the verdict.
'Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution,' Douglas H. Wigdor said in a written statement.
'By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.'
How long did the jury deliberate for?
Overall, the jury deliberated for about 13 and a half hours over the course of three days.
It's been almost two months since jury selection began on May 5.
The verdict came as the jury faced the prospect of coming into court Thursday, while the courthouse is otherwise closed, or waiting until after the long Independence Day weekend to resume deliberating if they didn't have a decision Wednesday.
What Combs said to his family as he left the courtroom
As Combs turned toward his family as he left the courtroom, he smiled as they applauded and said: 'I'll be home soon.'
He added: 'I love you, baby' and, 'I love you, Mom.'
U.S. Marshals then ushered him out. Combs will remain in custody as the judge considers the defense's argument that the hip-hop mogul should be granted bail and released until his sentencing.
Combs seems overwhelmed, his friends and family overjoyed
Combs' family stood and applauded as Diddy faced them before being led out by authorities. The family also cheered for the hip-hop mogul's lawyers as the defense attorneys hugged one another.
Combs wiped his face, turned and kneeled at his chair, his head bowed in prayer, as court adjourned. The judge said he'll reconvene later Wednesday to discuss whether to grant Combs bail.
Prosecutors say they will seek to have Combs incarcerated
The charges Combs was convicted of carry a maximum of 10 years behind bars, Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey notes.
'Mr. Agnifilo tried to downplay the significance' of the charges Combs was convicted of, 'but the record says otherwise,' the prosecutor says.
She said the court has heard testimony of years of illegal conduct, transporting sex workers, drug use and attempting to intimidate witnesses.
Comey argued there's a 'real risk that he will flagrantly disregard orders from this court, that he will commit new crimes and that he will attempt to flee justice.'
Combs' defense attorney asks the judge to release his client on bail
'In light of the fact that Mr. Combs is no longer charged with sex trafficking ... he should be released,' Marc Agnifilo said.
Agnifilo wants Combs to be released today and allowed to return to his Florida home.
He says the acquittal on the serious charges demands a change in Combs' conditions of release.
Prosecutors oppose Combs being released on bail.
Combs reacts to verdict
Combs pumped his right fist subtly, seemingly satisfied that he was acquitted on the most serious charges. And he nodded his head in agreement as the judge thanked the jury for its hard work over the last eight weeks.
As the verdicts were read, he held up his hands in a prayer motion. Then he was hugging his defense lawyer Teny Geragos.
Here's how the jury decided on all charges
5. COUNT ONE — Racketeering Conspiracy — NOT GUILTY
6. COUNT TWO — Sex Trafficking of Casandra Ventura — NOT GUILTY
7. COUNT THREE — Transportation to engage in prostitution — Casandra Ventura — GUILTY
8. COUNT FOUR — Sex Trafficking of Jane — NOT GUILTY
9. COUNT FIVE — Transportation to engage in prostitution – Jane — GUILTY
The jury has reached a verdict on all charges in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial
The jury has reached a verdict Wednesday in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City on the third day of deliberations.
The verdict has yet to be announced in court.
In addition to sex trafficking, Combs is charged with racketeering conspiracy and transporting sex workers across state lines.
FILE - This courtroom sketch depicts Sean 'Diddy' Combs sitting at the defense table during his bail hearing in New York on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Elizabeth Williams via AP, File)
Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers acknowledge he could be violent and may have been a bad boyfriend. But they deny that he's done anything to warrant the charges against him.
If convicted, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
10:06 AM EDT
By The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Condé Nast raises eyebrows with barebones post for Anna Wintour's Vogue job on LinkedIn: ‘Hiring a head of editorial'
It's now been a week since legendary American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour shockingly announced that she was stepping down and seeking a replacement to fill her Manolo Blahnik snakeskin boots. While Wintour has noted that she will remain as Chief Content Officer for Condé Nast and Global Editorial Director of Vogue, speculation has run wild over who will take over her day-to-day duties at the U.S. publication. Remarkably, as the names of potential successors continue to be debated, the company has also publicly announced the listing for a new Head of Editorial Content at American Vogue on the job-hunting social media site LinkedIn. 'Condé Nast is hiring a Head of Editorial Content for U.S Vogue,' the bare-bones LinkedIn post, which was first listed earlier this week, reads. 'If you are interested, please reach out by email with your resume to condenast@ Though it is now a generally accepted practice for media companies to post their openings – even for top editorial positions – on LinkedIn, the fact that Condé Nast is doing that to find a replacement for Wintour seems noteworthy, at least on the surface. It may also suggest that the fashion giant may not have actually whittled down the list of candidates to fill that position and is now casting a wider net. At the same time, the company hasn't made an official job listing on LinkedIn; instead, it has merely noted that the position is open and provided an email address to express interest. Still, Conde's method for looking to replace the driving force behind the Met Gala has led to eyebrows being raised. 'Applying for Anna Wintour's old job through LinkedIn is so based,' one LinkedIn user noted, while another snarked: 'crying this was posted on LinkedIn.' Meanwhile, despite the LinkedIn listing, a bevy of names at both Conde Nast and abroad have been tossed around as the next face of the magazine that Wintour turned into a fashion powerhouse. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the betting favorite to land the job is Architectural Design editor Amy Astley. 'Simply put, she's been killing it at AD, showcasing the homes of Hollywood A-listers, a list that recently includes Kendall Jenner, Michael Shannon and Lenny Kravitz,' THR noted, adding: 'The job feels like Astley's if she wants it.' Others who have been floated as taking the mantle are Vogue fashion director Tonne Goodman, British Vogue head of editorial content Chioma Nnadi, The Cut's editor-in-chief Lindsay Peoples Wagner, and Instagram director of fashion partnerships Eva Chen. The stunning revelation from Wintour, meanwhile, left many of her employees in a state of shock last week. After the 75-year-old – who was the inspiration for the diabolical lead character of The Devil Wears Prada – shared the news in a staff meeting, one employee told The Daily Mail: It was like finding out that God is stepping down from being God.
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
7-11 worker, 26, dies after 'manager sat on top of her and cut off air supply'
A 7-11 worker died after her female manager allegedly suffocated her by sitting on top of her in a violent attack. Jessica McLaughlin, 26, died Wednesday morning, days after her family say she was violently assaulted by her boss in a convenience store in Hollywood, California. She suffered traumatic brain injuries after allegedly being set upon by her boss when they got into a heated argument at the end of a shift, her family told KTLA. They said the manager, who has not been named, threw a bottle at McLaughlin, pinned her to the ground then, 'sat on top of her, and didn't let her breathe.' In a GoFundMe set up by her brother, her family claimed that when her coworkers tried to step in and stop it, they were also attacked by the manager. 'When she finally got free, she collapsed. She wasn't breathing,' the fundraiser read. The manager then 'ran to the back room to try and delete the security footage', McLaughlin's family claimed, before fleeing the scene on her bike. The Los Angeles Police Department said they have identified the suspect, but have yet to make an arrest as of Thursday. The manager had already fled by the time they arrived at the scene. The LAPD did not immediately respond to a request for an update on the investigation. McLaughlin suffered brain damage due to a lack of oxygen during the ordea, and was hospitalized for several days before she passed away Wednesday. Her heartbroken family wrote in their fundraiser that they stayed by her side throughout her time in hospital, 'praying for some kind of miracle.' 'But the damage from the lack of oxygen was too much. Her brain had stopped functioning,' they wrote. On Wednesday they made the heart wrenching decision to switch off her life support machine. 'After getting second opinions and doing everything we could, we have to make the impossible decision to let her go,' the family explained. Her father Clancey told KTLA that his daughter was bullied while working at the 7-11, specifically by the manager who is accused of causing her death. A 7-11 spokesperson told the outlet that the company is fully cooperating with the police investigation, and said the suspect was fired. 'Our hearts are with those impacted during this difficult time,' the company said in a statement. McLaughlin's family described her as someone who, 'had a way of making people feel safe, accepted, and loved'. 'You could come to her with anything and know you wouldn't be judged,' their statement read. 'She was the kind of person who rooted for the underdog, who lifted people up when they were down, and who truly saw the good in everyone. 'She had such a beautiful soul and deserved so much better than the way her life was taken from her.' In an update on Wednesday after McLaughlin's family decided to take her off life support, her brother Sean wrote that her family's 'hearts are shattered'.
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Flight attendant reveals plane passengers' most 'disgusting' habit - and says men are the main culprits
A flight attendant has revealed the 'disgusting' hygiene habit passengers skip before boarding. Dallas-based air hostess Cher Killough, who has worked in the industry for five years, recently took to TikTok to call out bad in-flight etiquette - and took aim at people who don't shower before early flights in particular. Branding this behavior as 'unacceptable' in her TikTok, Cher revealed she thinks travelers should 'go to prison' for not showering before getting on a plane. In the clip, she said: 'There is zero reason that I should be smelling a stranger's body odour radiating off of their warm body at five o'clock in the morning. 'And it's always men, sometimes it's ladies who are having a lady problem that nobody told them about, but usually it's men. She added: 'Wash yourself! You are going to be shoulder to shoulder with strangers. Show up clean or don't come at all.' Elsewhere Cher revealed another annoying habit is when people play music and other noises out loud on their phones or iPad. She said: 'It's no one else's problem except yours that you didn't charge your earpods or you didn't bring headphones. 'Why are you making it everyone else's problem around you, Jail! I don't care if your kid is going to cry because they can't listen to Cocomelon on full blast that is less annoying than hearing off of their iPad.' People rushed to the comments to leave their own thoughts with some agreeing with the flight attendant. One person said: 'The body odor thing is absolutely, however if they are on this flight because another was cancelled or something and they had to sleep at the airport. maybe hand out body wipes....' Another added: 'Ever had to run twenty minutes to a connecting flight with luggage in tow? You'll sweat, my dear, and there may be an odour.' To which Cher replied: 'Wear deodorant ?? It's pretty simple, it works in a preventative way.' It comes after Cher revealed a further three annoying habits that she believes should be made 'illegal' on plane journeys. According to Cher, the most irritating behavior is 'manspreading' or, more specifically, 'manspreading when you're in a middle seat'. According to the Oxford English dictionary, manspreading refers to the 'the practice whereby a man adopts a sitting position with his legs wide apart, in such a way as to encroach on an adjacent seat' - especially on public transport. Branding this behavior as 'unacceptable' in her TikTok, Cher said: 'I've been a passenger, and had it numerous times, where men will spread their knees all the way into my seat section or the person's on the other side. 'It's just unacceptable. 'It's always the shortest ones that are doing it!' she continued. 'I'm 5ft 8in, so if I'm taking up just my seat section, then you as a little 5ft 6in man can definitely do the same.' Cher also claimed that 'smelling like anything' during a flight was inconsiderate to other passengers. 'It's already an environment where people are prone to getting nauseous, so having an extra fragrance on top of that is just not a good mix. 'But if I had to pick one, I would definitely choose someone's perfume over someone's body odor over because we get that sometimes,' she clarified. Lastly, Cher added, taking off your shoes and walking around the plane barefoot was a big no-no. 'You seriously need to go to jail if you are having your bare toes out when you go to the bathroom,' she continued. 'I see this all the time and it should be against the law and in general I don't want to see your bare feet at all. Wear shoes or wear socks.' The clip, which racked up over 7,000 views, was captioned: 'Don't get mad at the fragrance one in the cabin! Some people are extremely sensitive to smells (I'm people)' Cher's clip sparked a spirited discussion in the comments section, with several people agreeing with her advice. One TikTok user noted: 'When they man spread in the middle i make myself as big as possible 'til they get the hint.' Another added: 'If someone man spreads I just lean my legs against him. He'll move and retract eventually.' Someone else added: 'If he manspreads I'm doing it too and now making things awkward by our legs touching.' A fourth added: 'Thank you for this… I'm a fairly frequent flier with fragrance hypersensitivity. 'I had a woman try to wipe down our shared armrest with a fragranced wet wipe, once.'
