Sean “Diddy” Combs has been sentenced to greater than 4 years in jail over prostitution fees regarding his former girlfriends and male intercourse staff.
Decide Arun Subramanian handed down his 50-month sentence – together with a $500,000 high quality – on the finish of a protracted and emotional full-day listening to, which noticed the hip-hop mogul communicate out for the primary time in courtroom.
Combs, 55, admitted his previous behaviour was “disgusting, shameful and sick”, and apologised personally to Cassie Ventura and “Jane”, one other former girlfriend who testified anonymously in the course of the trial.
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Sean Diddy Combs broke down and cried at one level in the course of the sentencing listening to. Pic: AP/ Elizabeth Williams
However regardless of his plea for “mercy” and expressions of regret, the decide instructed him he had abused his “power and control” with ladies he professed to like – and rejected the defence’s characterisation that “freak off” sexual encounters have been consensual experiences, that his was only a “sex, drugs and rock’n’roll story”.
Addressing Cassie and “the other brave survivors who came forward”, the decide mentioned. “We heard you… I can solely say your households are pleased with you and your youngsters can be pleased with you.
“You weren’t just talking to the jury you were talking to the women who feel powerless – you gave them a voice, you stood up to power, it’s not easy.”
Combs confirmed no seen change of emotion as his sentence was delivered, trying straight forward because the decide spoke. Afterwards, he appeared subdued – with no signal of the passion or feeling confirmed earlier within the day.
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Six of Combs’s youngsters, together with Likelihood, proper, and twins Jessie and D’Lila Star, addressed the decide in help of their father. Pic: AP/Richard Drew
Forward of his personal speech, the courtroom heard from six of his seven youngsters – inflicting the rapper to interrupt down in tears as they spoke about how a lot they cherished him, how he has modified, and the way a lot they and their youthful two-year-old sister want him.
The sentencing brings to an finish a sordid case that featured harrowing testimony – not simply from Cassie and Jane, but additionally from former workers and associates of Combs.
He was convicted in July of flying individuals across the US and overseas for sexual encounters, together with his then girlfriends and male intercourse staff, in violation of prostitution legal guidelines.
Nevertheless, he was cleared of extra critical fees of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking that would have put him in jail for all times.
‘I hate myself proper now’
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Diddy cried as his youngsters learn affect statements. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
On the eve of his sentencing, Combs submitted a letter to the decide pleading for “mercy” and apologising for the “hurt and pain” he has induced others.
He expanded on this in courtroom, saying he needed to “personally apologise” to Cassie for “any harm” he induced her “emotionally or physically”, and to Jane – and all victims of home violence.
He instructed the courtroom he bought “lost in my excess and lost in my ego”, however since his time in jail he has been “humbled and broken to my core”.
Combs continued: “I hate myself right now… I am truly sorry for it all.”
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Janice Combs supported her son in courtroom. Pic: AP Photograph/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez
As soon as probably the most influential hip-hop producers of the Nineties and 2000s – the founding father of Unhealthy Boy Data and a Grammy-winning artist in his personal proper – he has led a really totally different life since his high-profile arrest.
He was going through a most of 20 years in jail for the prostitution-related fees, so the sentence is in direction of the decrease finish of the size.
Prosecutors had argued he ought to spend no less than 11 years behind bars, whereas Combs’s legal professionals have been calling for him to be freed virtually instantly attributable to time already served since his arrest simply over a 12 months in the past.
Christy Slavik, for the prosecution, instructed the decide sparing the rapper critical jail time would excuse years of violence.
‘Benefit from that second probability’
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Decide Arun Subramanian instructed Combs he’ll nonetheless have a life after jail if he takes his second probability. Pic: Elizabeth Williams through AP
The decide, who had rejected bail for the rapper a number of instances earlier than sentencing, instructed him that he would get by means of his time in jail. It is going to be arduous, he mentioned, however he’ll nonetheless “have a life afterwards”.
Combs has “a chance for renewal and redemption”, he added. “What went wrong can be made right… I am counting on you to make the most of that second chance.”
Exterior the courthouse, journalists and onlookers swarmed the pavements as TV crews stood in a protracted row throughout the road, echoing scenes from the two-month high-profile trial.
It included 4 days of testimony from Cassie, now Cassie Ventura Wonderful, who instructed the courtroom she was coerced and generally blackmailed into sexual encounters with male intercourse staff, known as “freak offs”.
Cassie responds
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Diddy and Cassie on the premiere for a movie she starred in, simply days after the 2016 resort incident. Pic: zz/Galaxy/STAR MAX/IPx/ AP
Jurors have been additionally proven video clips of Combs dragging and beating her in a Los Angeles resort hallway after a kind of periods in 2016.
Combs referred to this in courtroom, saying it was a “heavy burden” that he’ll endlessly carry, and that he was “sick from drugs” and “out of control” on the time, “lost in my excess and lost in my ego”.
Forward of the sentencing, Cassie additionally submitted a letter to the decide, calling Combs a “manipulator” and saying she would worry for her security ought to he be instantly launched.
Responding to the sentence, her legal professionals Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog (Wigdor LLP), mentioned: “While nothing can undo the trauma caused by Combs, the sentence imposed today recognises the impact of the serious offences he committed.
“We’re assured that with the help of her household and pals, Ms Ventura will proceed therapeutic understanding that her bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many.”
