A U.S. judge has denied Sean “Diddy” Combs’ request for either a new trial or an acquittal, just days before his sentencing scheduled for Friday.
The music mogul was convicted in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, though he was acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Judge Arun Subramanian stated that prosecutors had presented “overwhelming evidence of Combs’s guilt” during trial proceedings. He dismissed claims by Diddy’s legal team that the jury was unfairly influenced by the racketeering and sex trafficking counts.
“The government proved its case many times over. That by itself might be enough to dispose of Combs’s challenge. Had the prejudice indeed been so great, one would expect a jury to convict on the most relevant counts before it could spill over and infect the others. A new trial is not warranted,” the judge wrote, according to Variety.
The ruling comes shortly after prosecutors filed a sentencing recommendation of 11 years in prison, while Diddy’s defence team had pushed for 14 months.
Adding weight to the case, Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, a key witness, filed a victim impact statementexpressing fear for her safety should he be released.
“I am so scared that if he walks free, his first actions will be swift retribution towards me and others who spoke up about his abuse at trial. As much progress as I have made in recovering from his abuse, I remain very much afraid of what he is capable of and the malice he undoubtedly harbors towards me for having the bravery to tell the truth,” she wrote.
Diddy now awaits his sentencing on Friday, a decision that could determine whether he faces a lengthy prison term.
