Diddy celebrated the jury's verdict as a victory, but his legal woes are far from over
By Dannielle Maguire
A relieved Sean Combs claps his hands in court and tells his family he will be home soon, but the matter is not over yet.
Maurene Comey, a prosecutor, said that the #law holds that someone convicted of the #MannAct should be detained. The only thing exceptional about him. Ms. Comey said, are “his #wealth, his #violence & his brazenness.”
“There is nothing exceptional about this case except for his continued #criminality,” she added.
“He is a man who’s in the process of working on himself,” said Marc Agnifilo of his client. He also called Sean Combs a “model prisoner,” saying, “I just think we should trust him. He’s not going to flee.”
[Oh sure trust the abusive rapist.]
The defense told the jury that last year, #SeanCombs went to meetings at a “batterers' program” called the Urban Resource Institute before he was arrested.
A familiar sight from the trial: Sean Combs just passed a sticky note to his lawyer Marc Agnifilo. This time, it came while Agnifilo is talking about how Combs tried to get into the “batterers’ program” before his arrest.
In response to the comments from #SeanCombs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo, the judge reiterates that the defense admitted at trial that Combs had a history of #violence.
“You full-throatedly in your closing argument told the jury that there was violence here,” Judge Subramanian told the defense.
In arguing for a lower sentence for #SeanCombs, his lawyer Marc Agnifilo made a comparison to #EliotSpitzer, the disgraced former governor of New York — like Combs, Agnifilo said, Spitzer made use of #prostitution services, but did not face federal charges under the #MannAct for it.
Marc Agnifilo, #SeanCombs’ lead lawyer, said his team had been reviewing prior convictions on the #MannAct & that the cases typically involve someone who is making money through prostitution or underage victims. This case involves neither. Because of that, Agnifilo said, the defense believes Combs is entitled to a lesser sentence. “There’s nothing remotely similar to this,” he said of his client’s case.
The defense seems to be pushing for a sentencing as soon as possible. Judge Subramanian pumped the brakes a bit, noting that there is a wide divide between the government & defense regarding their views on #sentencing.
Having just learned that he will have to remain in jail until his sentencing, #SeanCombs’ demeanor has finally darkened a bit. More appropriate given the seriousness of his crimes.
The judge proposed a sentencing for October, but he indicated that he would be open to other suggestions.
He noted that #SeanCombs has already served nearly 10 months in jail, & that time will go toward his ultimate sentence.
The defense asked for a much more expedited schedule on sentencing.
One of the defense’s key strategies at trial has now come back to bite them during the bail hearing: admitting #SeanCombs’ #DomesticViolence.
The judge noted that one of the incidents of violence against a fmr girlfriend was in June 2024, after Combs knew he was under investigation.
The judge says that Combs and his lawyers have not met their burden to show that the mogul poses “no danger to any person.”
The judge noted that at trial, “the defense conceded” #SeanCombs’ #violence in his personal relationships. “We own it,” Marc Agnifilo, Mr. Combs’s lead lawyer, said in his closing statemnet.
“If he was charged with domestic violence we wouldn’t all be here having a trial because he would have pled guilty — because he did that,” Marc Agnifilo, Sean Combs’s lead lawyer, had said.
Judge Arun Subramanian has denied #SeanCombs bail. The judge says the government was correct that detention is “mandatory” for a #MannAct conviction. The judge said that the limited exception to mandatory #detention was not met. Sean Combs pointed to his duties as a father & a son, but that does not rise to the level of an appropriate exception, the judge said.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs found guilty on two counts, escapes prison for life http://newsfeed.facilit8.network/TLhjqX #SeanCombs #Diddy #HipHop #Justice #Prostitution
The hearing on whether #SeanCombs will be released on bond is expected to start at 5 PM The defense is pushing for his release, saying he was acquitted of the most serious charges against him, but the government is adamant that he remain detained.