Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was back in court this week as he seeks to overturn a jury’s verdict that found him guilty on prostitution-related charges.
According to a report by ABC, the hip-hop mogul appeared in US District Judge Arun Subramanian’s courtroom in Manhattan with a smile, hugging his lawyers and waving at family members present in the audience.
During the hearing, both prosecutors and defence attorneys were allotted 20 minutes each to make their case.
Diddy’s legal team argued that his conviction should be vacated, claiming the federal statute that criminalizes transportation for the purposes of prostitution should “only be applied to pimping” and that Combs “was only an alleged consumer”.
Federal prosecutors countered, urging Judge Subramanian to uphold the conviction. They asserted that Diddy’s ’ conduct warranted punishment, noting that even “as a voyeur, Combs was violent.”
Combs is currently awaiting sentencing, scheduled for October 3, if the conviction stands. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, though his lawyers have argued in a recent filing for a significantly reduced 14-month term, which could see him released soon after crediting time already served.
Judge Subramanian did not issue an immediate ruling on whether to acquit Diddy or grant a retrial but assured both parties that a decision would be delivered shortly.
