"The hip-hop mogul was convicted in July of flying people around the country for sexual encounters, including his girlfriends and male sex workers, in violation of the federal Mann Act. A jury acquitted Combs, 55, of more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges that could have put him away for life. Prosecutors say he should spend more than 11 years in prison for his conviction on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution."
"Combs' lawyers want him freed now, saying the long sentence sought by prosecutors is "wildly out of proportion" to the crime. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian, who will decide the sentence, has signaled that Combs is unlikely to be freed soon. He twice rejected bail for the rapper, who has been jailed at a federal detention center in Brooklyn since his arrest a year ago."
"The sentencing comes after a nearly two-month trial featuring testimony from women who described being beaten, threatened, sexually assaulted and blackmailed by Combs. A former girlfriend, R&B singer Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, said Combs ordered her to have "disgusting" sex with strangers hundreds of times during their decade-long relationship. The jury was repeatedly shown video clips of Combs dragging and beating Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway after one of those multiday sexual marathons, which she referred to as "freak-offs" during her four days of testimony."
"A woman who testified under the pseudonym "Jane" told jurors she too was subjected to violence and felt obligated to perform sexually with male sex workers at drug-fueled "hotel nights" while Combs watched and sometimes filmed. To support their racketeering case, prosecutors also brought on witnesses who testified about other violent acts. A former personal assistant testified that Combs raped her."
Sean "Diddy" Combs was convicted in July under the federal Mann Act for flying people around the country for sexual encounters and faces sentencing on transportation-to-engage-in-prostitution counts. The jury acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. Prosecutors seek more than 11 years in prison while defense attorneys call the requested sentence wildly out of proportion. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian twice denied bail and has indicated Combs is unlikely to be released before sentencing. The nearly two-month trial included testimony and video evidence of beatings, threats, sexual assaults, blackmail and coerced sex with others.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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