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Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in court Friday, months after he was convicted on federal prostitution charges.
Diddy is expected to speak in open court before his sentence is handed down. Judge Arun Subramanian approved the disgraced music mogul’s request to wear non-prison clothing for the somber occasion.
Diddy could spend a maximum of 20 years behind bars, 10 years for each count he was convicted of. The prosecution recommended 135 months (just over 11 years) for his sentencing.
Diddy’s family arrived in court ahead of the sentencing. The rapper’s mom, Janice Combs, arrived first around 9:00am ET. His kids Quincy, the twins Jesse and D’Lila, Christian and Justin all arrived around 9:45am.
Ahead of court Friday, Diddy’s legal team released a video to be played in court. The over 11-minute video features the rapper’s family as he pleads for release from prison.
A jury convicted Diddy on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution on July 2. The “I’ll Be Missing You” rapper was acquitted of his most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking.
The prosecution claimed Diddy deserves a “substantial” prison sentence because the rapper is “unrepentant” in the sentencing recommendation filed Tuesday.
“Incredibly, while the defendant conceded his acts of violence and abuse throughout trial, he now argues that his victims should shoulder the blame,” the filing read.
In the disgraced music mogul’s demand for prison release, Diddy’s lawyers claimed he has faced “inhumane” living conditions at MDC Brooklyn. His legal team proposed a 14-month sentence ahead of his Oct. 3 hearing for federal charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. The “I Need A Girl” rapper has already spent 13 months behind bars.
Diddy has been behind bars since his arrest on Sept. 16, 2024. He has requested bail and been denied multiple times.
According to his lawyers, Diddy has been subjected to “constant suicide watch” while behind bars. Other instances of the alleged “inhumane” conditions the rapper has been subjected to include limited access to clean water, food with maggots in it, no physical therapy, lack of physical exercise and no functioning washing machine or dryer.
Days before Diddy was set to appear in court for his sentencing, Judge Subramanian rejected the rapper’s last-ditch request for a new trial and demand for a full acquittal. The federal judge said the prosecution provided “overwhelming evidence” of Diddy’s guilt on the charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
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