The Music Executive Sean “Diddy” combs was declared guilty of Wednesday of two federal positions to transport individuals for prostitution, but was eliminated from the most severe positions of conspiracy of sex trafficking and exhaijos, after an eight -week trial in Manhattan, reports the New York Times.
A federal jury of eight men and four women returned the verdict divided after more than 13 hours of deliberation.
Combs, 55, was convicted under the Mann Law for transporting two women, identified in court as “Jane” and Casandra Ventura, for prostitution purposes.
Each position has a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Although prosecutors had painted combs as the head of a criminal company that “used power, violence and fear to obtain what I wanted,” including the orchestration of sexual acts coerced with male prostitutes while observing and recorded, the jury acquitted him for the most serious charges of sex trafficking and crollo conspiracy.
The partial verdict represents a legal setback for the magnate of entertainment, but also a relief of what could have been a life imprisonment if it had been convicted of all aspects.
In the Court, combs seemed visibly emotional when the verdicts were announced. He cut his hands in a gesture of prayer, took his mouth “thank you” towards the jury and briefly covered his face before exhaling.
Later he smiled and exchanged handshakes with his legal team, then acknowledged his family with an assent.
His lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, acknowledged the history of drug use and domestic problems of combs, but argued that prosecutors had exaggerated the nature of the case.
“This is his first conviction, and it is a crime of prostitution,” Agnifilo said. “It is not a risk of escape,” he added, asking the Court to allow combs to return home in Miami Beach before sentenced.
A sentence date has not yet been scheduled.
Also read the main stories of Nigerian Tribune