In a significant legal move, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has initiated an appeal against his conviction in a high-profile sex-trafficking trial, asserting that the charges against him are unconstitutional.
Sean Combs Launches Appeal Against Prostitution Convictions in Sex-Trafficking Trial
Seeking an acquittal or a new trial, incarcerated Sean “Diddy” Combs has initiated an appeal regarding his conviction on lesser charges in the sex-trafficking trial, even before his sentencing.
Defense Claims Conviction is Unconstitutional
“Sean Combs is imprisoned based on evidence that he paid male escorts and entertainers who engaged in consensual sexual activities with his former girlfriends, which he recorded and later viewed with them,” argues the defense team in a detailed 62-page memorandum filed in federal court. “This is not prostitution, and if it is, his conviction is unconstitutional.”
Jury’s Verdict and Implications
After an extensive eight-week trial, the jury found Combs guilty of only two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, notably sparing him from a life sentence by acquitting him of the more serious charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
The defense contends that had Combs been charged solely with the Mann Act prostitution counts, the trial would have been significantly different, focusing only on the escorts and entertainers involved, none of whom testified.
Artistic Defense for Alleged Activities
The defense further argues that the allegedly drug-fueled sexual encounters Combs had are artistic expressions. “The evidence presented shows that Mr. Combs’s amateur recordings, like many adult films, were creative and intricate,” states attorney Alexandra Shapiro, asserting that these videos have expressive content protected by the First Amendment.
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Request for New Trial
The filing concludes with a request for a new trial focused solely on the charges of prostitution, free from inflammatory evidence that the defense deems inadmissible.
Ongoing Legal Battles
Following the verdict, Combs’ legal team has sought his release on a $50 million bond, having been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest last September. The defense’s recent memo was filed just before a deadline set by Judge Arun Subramanian, indicating ongoing legal maneuvering amidst a politically charged environment.
As discussions of a potential presidential pardon from Donald Trump unfold, the prosecution has until July 31 to respond to the defense’s motion for release pending sentencing.
