Lawyers for hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs have launched a fierce legal battle, demanding a federal appeals court order his immediate release from prison. The appeal, filed late Tuesday, argues his conviction on pr0stitution-related charges should be overturned or his four-year sentence significantly reduced.
Grounds for the Appeal: A "Thirteenth Juror" and Acquitted Charges
In documents submitted to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, Combs' legal team contends that Judge Arun Subramanian acted improperly during the October sentencing. They accuse the judge of behaving like a "thirteenth juror" by allowing evidence from charges Combs was acquitted of to influence the punishment.
Combs, 56, was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and s£x trafficking in a trial that concluded in July. However, he was convicted under the Mann Act for transporting individuals across state lines for sexual activity. His lawyers emphasize that the two counts he was convicted of were lesser pr0stitution offenses that did not involve findings of force, fraud, or coercion by the jury.
"Defendants typically get sentenced to less than 15 months for these offenses — even when coercion, which the jury didn’t find here, is involved," the filing states. They argue that Judge Subramanian effectively overruled the jury's verdict by finding Combs guilty of coercion and exploitation, leading to what they call "the highest sentence ever imposed for any remotely similar defendant."
The Prosecution's Case and Judge's Remarks
The sentencing was heavily influenced by the testimonies of two of Combs' former girlfriends. Cassandra 'Cassie' Ventura testified that during their decade-long relationship, which ended in 2018, Combs forced her into having s£x with strangers hundreds of times. Jurors were shown a disturbing video of Combs physically assaulting Ventura in a Los Angeles hotel hallway.
A second woman, who testified under the pseudonym "Jane," described being pressured into sexual encounters with male workers during what Combs termed "hotel nights." These drug-fueled events allegedly occurred from 2021 to 2024.
At sentencing, Judge Subramanian forcefully rejected the defense's portrayal of events. "I reject the defense’s attempt to characterize what happened here as merely intimate, consensual experiences, or just a sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll story," he said. The judge stated Combs had "abused the power and control" he had over the women, exploiting them physically, emotionally, and psychologically to facilitate the "freak-offs and hotel nights."
What Happens Next?
Combs is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in New Jersey with a scheduled release date in May 2028. His legal team has asked the appeals court, which has not yet scheduled oral arguments, for one of three outcomes:
- An outright acquittal.
- An order for his immediate release from prison.
- A directive for Judge Subramanian to reduce the sentence.
The appeal now rests with the federal appeals court, which will review whether legal errors during the sentencing process warrant a change in Combs' fate. The case continues to draw significant attention to the legal boundaries of sentencing and the influence of acquitted conduct on judicial decisions.
