Throw out verdicts or grant me new trial: 'Diddy' Combs
"This conviction stands alone, but it shouldn't stand at all," the Wednesday filing said.
Combs' lawyers argue that his two felony convictions were a unique misapplication of the federal Mann Act, which bars interstate commerce related to prostitution,
"To our knowledge, Mr. Combs is the only person ever convicted of violating the statute for conduct anything like this," a Wednesday filing from Combs legal team said.
Combs, 55, was convicted in a New York federal court of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, for sexual encounters, while he was acquitted of more serious charges. He could get up to a decade in prison at his sentencing set for October 3.
His lawyers argued that none of the elements normally used for Mann Act convictions, including profiting from sex work or coercion, were present here.
"It is undisputed that he had no commercial motive and that all involved were adults," the filing said.
"The men chose to travel and engage in the activity voluntarily. The verdict confirms the women were not vulnerable or exploited or trafficked or sexually assaulted."
The lawyers said Combs, "at most, paid to engage in voyeurism as part of a 'swingers' lifestyle" and argued that "does not constitute 'prostitution' under a properly limited definition of the statutory term".
Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, charges could have put one of hip-hop's celebrated figures in prison for life.
The new motion asks Judge Arun Subramanian to vacate the jury's verdict, or to order a new trial whose evidence is limited to matters related to the Mann Act counts, because of "severe spillover prejudice from reams of inflammatory evidence" related to the more serious counts.
Prosecutors insisted during the eight-week trial that Combs had coerced, threatened and sometimes viciously forced two ex-girlfriends to have sex with male sex workers to satisfy his sexual urges. They cited multiple acts of violence he carried out against them as proof that they had no say.
A day earlier, Combs' team asked the judge to free him on a $US50 million ($A78 million) bond while he awaits sentencing in October after a jury found him not guilty of the most serious federal charges he faced earlier in July.
His lawyer argued that conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn are dangerous, noting that others convicted of similar prostitution-related offences were typically released before sentencing.
Subramanian previously denied a request that Combs be released on bail while he awaits sentencing, citing a now-infamous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and photographs showing injuries to another ex-girlfriend.
The judge has not yet ruled on either of this week's motions.
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The Advertiser
6 hours ago
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Judge denies Diddy's pre-sentencing release from jail
Sean "Diddy" Combs has lost his bid to be released from jail ahead of his October 3 sentencing, despite a jury having found the hip-hop mogul not guilty of the most serious charges at his sex crimes trial. Combs' lawyers had asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian on July 29 to release Combs on $US50 million ($A77 million) bond, saying conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were dangerous and other defendants convicted of prostitution-related charges similar to Combs' were usually released before sentencing. In a written ruling on Monday, the judge said Combs' arguments "might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three". Subramanian said his decision did not foreshadow what sentence he might impose against Combs, who has been jailed at the MDC since his September 2024 arrest. Combs' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office in an August 1 filing said staffing, medical services and conditions at the MDC had improved since Combs' arrest, and evidence of Combs' physical violence presented at trial showed he remained a danger to the community. Combs, 55, was found not guilty on July 2 of three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors alleged Combs forced two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Defence lawyers said the women were willing participants. Each prostitution charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but prosecutors have acknowledged that federal sentencing guidelines appear to recommend a sentence of at most five years and three months total. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial lasted seven weeks. Subramanian denied Combs' initial request for release immediately after the verdict, citing the ample evidence presented at trial of violent acts he committed. Sean "Diddy" Combs has lost his bid to be released from jail ahead of his October 3 sentencing, despite a jury having found the hip-hop mogul not guilty of the most serious charges at his sex crimes trial. Combs' lawyers had asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian on July 29 to release Combs on $US50 million ($A77 million) bond, saying conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were dangerous and other defendants convicted of prostitution-related charges similar to Combs' were usually released before sentencing. In a written ruling on Monday, the judge said Combs' arguments "might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three". Subramanian said his decision did not foreshadow what sentence he might impose against Combs, who has been jailed at the MDC since his September 2024 arrest. Combs' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office in an August 1 filing said staffing, medical services and conditions at the MDC had improved since Combs' arrest, and evidence of Combs' physical violence presented at trial showed he remained a danger to the community. Combs, 55, was found not guilty on July 2 of three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors alleged Combs forced two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Defence lawyers said the women were willing participants. Each prostitution charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but prosecutors have acknowledged that federal sentencing guidelines appear to recommend a sentence of at most five years and three months total. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial lasted seven weeks. Subramanian denied Combs' initial request for release immediately after the verdict, citing the ample evidence presented at trial of violent acts he committed. Sean "Diddy" Combs has lost his bid to be released from jail ahead of his October 3 sentencing, despite a jury having found the hip-hop mogul not guilty of the most serious charges at his sex crimes trial. Combs' lawyers had asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian on July 29 to release Combs on $US50 million ($A77 million) bond, saying conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were dangerous and other defendants convicted of prostitution-related charges similar to Combs' were usually released before sentencing. In a written ruling on Monday, the judge said Combs' arguments "might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three". Subramanian said his decision did not foreshadow what sentence he might impose against Combs, who has been jailed at the MDC since his September 2024 arrest. Combs' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office in an August 1 filing said staffing, medical services and conditions at the MDC had improved since Combs' arrest, and evidence of Combs' physical violence presented at trial showed he remained a danger to the community. Combs, 55, was found not guilty on July 2 of three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors alleged Combs forced two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Defence lawyers said the women were willing participants. Each prostitution charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but prosecutors have acknowledged that federal sentencing guidelines appear to recommend a sentence of at most five years and three months total. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial lasted seven weeks. Subramanian denied Combs' initial request for release immediately after the verdict, citing the ample evidence presented at trial of violent acts he committed. Sean "Diddy" Combs has lost his bid to be released from jail ahead of his October 3 sentencing, despite a jury having found the hip-hop mogul not guilty of the most serious charges at his sex crimes trial. Combs' lawyers had asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian on July 29 to release Combs on $US50 million ($A77 million) bond, saying conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were dangerous and other defendants convicted of prostitution-related charges similar to Combs' were usually released before sentencing. In a written ruling on Monday, the judge said Combs' arguments "might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three". Subramanian said his decision did not foreshadow what sentence he might impose against Combs, who has been jailed at the MDC since his September 2024 arrest. Combs' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office in an August 1 filing said staffing, medical services and conditions at the MDC had improved since Combs' arrest, and evidence of Combs' physical violence presented at trial showed he remained a danger to the community. Combs, 55, was found not guilty on July 2 of three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors alleged Combs forced two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Defence lawyers said the women were willing participants. Each prostitution charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but prosecutors have acknowledged that federal sentencing guidelines appear to recommend a sentence of at most five years and three months total. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial lasted seven weeks. Subramanian denied Combs' initial request for release immediately after the verdict, citing the ample evidence presented at trial of violent acts he committed.
9 News
8 hours ago
- 9 News
Sean 'Diddy' Combs is denied release on bond to await sentencing
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Sean 'Diddy' Combs can't go home from jail to await sentencing on his prostitution-related conviction, a judge said Monday, denying the rap and style mogul's latest bid for bail. Combs has been behind bars since his September arrest. He faced federal charges of coercing girlfriends into having drug-fueled sex marathons with male sex workers while he watched and filmed them. He was acquitted last month of the top charges — racketeering and sex trafficking — while being convicted of two counts of a prostitution-related offence. In this courtroom sketch, Sean "Diddy" Combs reacts after he was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life, Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Manhattan federal court in New York. (Elizabeth Williams via AP) (AP) In denying Combs' $USD50 million bond proposal, Judge Arun Subramanian said the hip hop impresario had failed to prove that he did not pose a risk of flight or danger, adding that the record did not show an 'exceptional circumstance' that would justify his release after a conviction that otherwise requires detention. Combs' arguments 'might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion, or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three,' the judge wrote. Messages seeking comment were sent to prosecutors and one of Combs' lawyers. The conviction carries the potential for up to 10 years in prison. But there are complicated federal guidelines for calculating sentences in any given case, and prosecutors and Combs' lawyers disagree substantially on how the guidelines come out for his case. Cassie Ventura, left, and Sean "Diddy" Combs appear at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) The guidelines aren't mandatory, and Subramanian will have wide latitude in deciding Combs' punishment. The Bad Boy Records founder, now 55, was for decades a protean figure in pop culture. A Grammy-winning hip hop artist and entrepreneur with a flair for finding and launching big talents, he presided over a business empire that ranged from fashion to reality TV. Prosecutors claimed he used his fame, wealth and violence to force and manipulate two now-ex-girlfriends into days-long, drugged-up sexual performances he called 'freak-offs' or 'hotel nights.' His lawyers argued that the government tried to criminalise consensual, if unconventional, sexual tastes that played out in complicated relationships. The defence acknowledged that Combs had violent outbursts but said nothing he did amounted to the crimes with which he was charged. Sean "Diddy" Combs, pictured in 2017, was accused of sexual battery by a woman who claims that in September 2016 the music producer dangled her from a 17-story balcony as others were on site, including his former girlfriend Cassie Ventura. (Lucas Jackson/Reuters/File via CNN Newsource) Since the verdict, his lawyers have repeatedly renewed their efforts to get him out on bail until his sentencing, set for October. They have argued that the acquittals undercut the rationale for holding him, and they have pointed to other people who were released before sentencing on similar convictions. Defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo suggested in a court filing that Combs was the United States' 'only person in jail for hiring adult male escorts for him and his girlfriend.' The defense's most recent proposal included the $50 million bond, plus travel restrictions, and expressed openness to adding on house arrest at his Miami home, electronic monitoring, private security guards and other requirements. Prosecutors opposed releasing Combs. They wrote that his 'extensive history of violence — and his continued attempt to minimise his recent violent conduct — demonstrates his dangerousness and that he is not amenable to supervision.' Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox. World celebrity entertainment Sean Diddy Combs CONTACT US
Perth Now
8 hours ago
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Judge denies Diddy's pre-sentencing release from jail
Sean "Diddy" Combs has lost his bid to be released from jail ahead of his October 3 sentencing, despite a jury having found the hip-hop mogul not guilty of the most serious charges at his sex crimes trial. Combs' lawyers had asked US District Judge Arun Subramanian on July 29 to release Combs on $US50 million ($A77 million) bond, saying conditions at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn were dangerous and other defendants convicted of prostitution-related charges similar to Combs' were usually released before sentencing. In a written ruling on Monday, the judge said Combs' arguments "might have traction in a case that didn't involve evidence of violence, coercion or subjugation in connection with the acts of prostitution at issue, but the record here contains evidence of all three". Subramanian said his decision did not foreshadow what sentence he might impose against Combs, who has been jailed at the MDC since his September 2024 arrest. Combs' lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors with the Manhattan US Attorney's office in an August 1 filing said staffing, medical services and conditions at the MDC had improved since Combs' arrest, and evidence of Combs' physical violence presented at trial showed he remained a danger to the community. Combs, 55, was found not guilty on July 2 of three counts of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, and convicted on two lesser charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Prosecutors alleged Combs forced two former girlfriends to participate in days-long, drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers sometimes called "freak-offs." Defence lawyers said the women were willing participants. Each prostitution charge carries a maximum 10-year sentence, but prosecutors have acknowledged that federal sentencing guidelines appear to recommend a sentence of at most five years and three months total. Combs, the founder of Bad Boy Records, pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial lasted seven weeks. Subramanian denied Combs' initial request for release immediately after the verdict, citing the ample evidence presented at trial of violent acts he committed.
