Sean “Diddy” Combs sentencing live updates as hearing for prostitution-related charges is underway

The listening to is in a lunch break till 2 p.m. ET. After the break, a number of others are slated to talk, together with attorneys Brian Metal, Xavier Donaldson and Marc Agnifilo.

The protection can also be asking that Dr. Rev. Gary Johnson converse on the listening to. 

Combs’ protection workforce performed an almost 12-minute video throughout his sentencing listening to. The video included brief clips of Combs taking part in along with his youngsters, taking part in group actions and interesting in his varied companies. It additionally confirmed others praising Combs as a constructive affect, position mannequin and group member.

Combs had his head in his palms and was hunched to the aspect whereas the video performed in court docket.

The video was submitted as “Exhibit 84” on Thursday. 

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen

A few of Combs’ youngsters spoke at his sentencing listening to. His oldest son, Quincy Brown, stated that Combs has realized a serious lesson and is “fully reworked.”

Justin Combs, his second son, requested that his father be given a second probability. Combs has modified for the higher, Justin Combs stated, and has discovered his objective once more.

His third son, Christian Combs, referred to as his father his superhero and stated Combs had taught him to deal with ladies with respect. Christian Combs stated his father is extra affected person, extra relaxed and extra understanding than he was earlier than.

Combs watched his youngsters whereas they spoke. His daughters may very well be seen dabbing their eyes. Jessie, one in every of Combs’ 18-year-old twin daughters, cried whereas talking. She stated that she and her siblings want him to be current of their lives. 

A member of Combs’ protection workforce stated that he has taught a enterprise abilities class to different inmates at MDC Brooklyn. Employees on the facility monitored this system and praised it, the protection stated.

The category was talked about in MDC’s analysis of Combs, the protection stated. Individuals incarcerated on the facility submitted a letter on Combs’ behalf. An inmate’s mom additionally submitted a letter.

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen  

The protection argued for a shorter sentence for Combs, saying he didn’t earn money off his Mann Act violations and that counting on sentencing pointers may create sentence disparities in comparison with different circumstances.

The protection additionally highlighted Combs’ success within the music and trend industries and stated he had a constructive affect on the lives of different artists. 

The protection is searching for a sentence of not more than 14 months in jail. Since he has been in custody since September of final yr, that might quantity to time served. 

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen

Choose Subramanian stated that advisory pointers recommend a sentencing of 70-87 months in jail. Combs might also face fines.

The decide stated he didn’t see a foundation for departure from sentencing pointers, and stated he’ll be certain that to impose a sentence that’s enough however not larger than these suggestions.  

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen

The prosecution requested that Combs be sentenced to greater than 11 years, or not less than 135 months, in jail.

The sentencing is about accountability and justice for the general public and individuals who have been immediately impacted by Combs, a member of the prosecution stated.

The prosecution additionally stated Combs doesn’t respect the gravity of his conduct and has not absolutely grappled along with his actions.

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen  

The decide referred to Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and “Jane,” one other girl who testified beneath a pseudonym, as victims whereas going over Combs’ pre-sentence studies.

Combs and his protection workforce had objected to Ventura and Jane being referred to as victims within the report, however have been overruled by the decide. Subramanian stated proof proven on the trial and the pre-sentence report established proof that the ladies “have been victims.”

Combs additionally objected to the outline of escorts as victims, which the decide overruled.

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen   

A few of Combs’ youngsters will converse at his sentencing. The protection stated two or three of Combs’ youngsters will stand subsequent to one another and a few of them will converse.

Combs’ pastor will even make a quick assertion.

The prosecution accused Combs’ authorized workforce of making an attempt to drown out the voices of victims in favor of character witnesses.      

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen 

A girl who testified under the pseudonym Mia will now not converse at Combs’ sentencing listening to, the prosecution stated. 

Prosecutors stated Mia now not needs to talk due partly to a letter submitted by the protection workforce.  

Mia is a former worker of Combs who testified that he sexually assaulted her quite a lot of instances. There have been heated filings about whether or not she would be capable to converse, with Combs’ lawyer calling her testimony “a present” the place “nearly the whole lot that got here out of her mouth was a lie.” The prosecution beforehand referred to as the letter “offensive, unprofessional” and “a blatant try to smear a sufferer who bravely testified.” 

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen 

Choose Arun Subramanian stated “lots” of fabric has been submitted as a part of the sentencing listening to. The fabric consists of letters in addition to studies from medical doctors and the power the place Combs was held.

Combs’ protection workforce stated it might be submitting a report from MDC Brooklyn, the correction facility the place Combs has been held earlier than his sentencing. The prosecution has not seen the doc.

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen   

Combs entered the courtroom in New York at 10:10 a.m. ET. He was carrying a sweater and a collared shirt, and hugged his protection attorneys.

Combs’ household was additionally seen within the courtroom.   

—Alice Gainer, Kerry Breen

Video that Combs’ authorized workforce submitted to the court docket reveals clips of him taking part in with youngsters, being lively in group occasions and mourning Kim Porter, who had youngsters with Combs.

The video, which runs almost 12 minutes lengthy, seems to be geared toward exhibiting Combs as a household man, an lively group member and a job mannequin. It consists of clips of others praising him as a constructive affect.

Combs’ legal professionals referred to as the video “Exhibit 84.” It seems to be the video that his authorized workforce beforehand stated could be proven in court docket.  

Combs wrote a letter to Choose Subramanian asking for “one other probability to be a greater father, one other probability to be a greater son, one other probability to be a greater chief in my group, and one other probability to reside a greater life.”

“Initially, I need to apologize and say how sincerely sorry I’m for the entire damage and ache that I’ve triggered others by my conduct,” he wrote. “I take full duty and accountability for my previous wrongs.”

Combs stated within the three-and-a-half-page letter, dated Thursday, that the “outdated me died in jail and a brand new model of me was reborn,” vowing to not make the identical errors once more. 

He additionally talked about Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and one other girl who testified in opposition to him at his trial beneath the pseudonym “Jane.” 

“The scene and pictures of me assaulting Cassie play again and again in my head every day,” he wrote, seemingly referring to a 2016 security video that confirmed him hitting and kicking Ventura in a Los Angeles lodge hallway. “I actually misplaced my thoughts. I used to be useless improper for placing my palms on the girl that I liked.”

He additionally stated: “I believed I used to be offering for Jane regarding her and her youngster, however after listening to her testimony, I noticed that I damage her.”

A former stylist for Combs says he was frightened all through his roughly decade-long expertise working for the music magnate. Deonte’ Nash is suing Combs for alleged sexual abuse and violence — allegations that Combs has denied, along with his authorized workforce calling them “falsehoods.”

In an unique interview with “CBS Mornings,” Nash accused Combs of sexually, bodily and emotionally abusing him after he began working for Combs and his label, Unhealthy Boy Leisure. He is searching for basic and compensatory damages in addition to punitive damages within the case, though he wouldn’t give a particular greenback quantity.

Combs’ lawyer Erica Wolff slammed Nash’s 37-page complaint in opposition to Combs, suggesting he is “one other opportunist searching for revenue off of his proximity to movie star.” However Nash says his lawsuit is “completely not” about cash.

Nash testified in opposition to Combs at his federal prison trial earlier this yr.

Read more here.

Combs plans to talk on the sentencing listening to Friday, his lawyer stated in a letter to Choose Subramanian.

“The sentencing continuing holds vital significance for Mr. Combs. He needs to seem earlier than the Court docket, tackle Your Honor, and allocute in essentially the most dignified and respectful trend doable,” lawyer Teny Garagos wrote within the letter, dated Sept. 26.

At the very least 4 members of Combs’ protection workforce additionally plan to handle the court docket, and a video will probably be performed, in line with a court docket submitting from Combs’ authorized workforce. 

—Katrina Kaufman, Alice Gainer

A girl who testified under the pseudonym Mia at Combs’ trial submitted a sufferer affect assertion, and the prosecution requested that she be allowed to talk for about 5 minutes on Friday. 

Mia is Combs’ former worker who expressed being traumatized by Combs and stated he sexually assaulted her a number of instances.

There have been heated filings forwards and backwards about whether or not she could be allowed to talk. The protection wrote a scathing response, alleging that Mia assumed a “pretend identification” on the stand “full with a made up voice and demeanor” and that “nearly the whole lot that got here out of her mouth was a lie.”

“This was a present for her. She bought to lie, she bought to testify with a false identification, she bought to check out her pretend voice for a jury of savvy New Yorkers,” wrote Combs’ lawyer Marc Agnifilo. “However, she additionally noticed the results of mendacity to a jury: they do not imagine you. So, now that the jurors have returned to their lives, and she will testify with out scrutiny, she needs to come back again, nonetheless beneath a pretend identify, nonetheless with the false narrative to additional sully these proceedings.”

The prosecution referred to as the protection’s letter: “offensive, unprofessional, and on its face nothing greater than a blatant try to smear a sufferer who bravely testified about years of traumatic occasions she skilled on the defendant’s palms. This rhetoric has no place on this Court docket or throughout these civilized proceedings.” 

Together with their presentencing submission, prosecutors filed a letter that singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura wrote to the court docket during which she expressed her worry of retaliation if Combs “walks free.” She requested Choose Subramanian to impose a sentence that “thought-about the various lives that Sean Combs has upended along with his abuse and management.” 

“My worries that Sean Combs or his associates will come after me and my household is my actuality,” Ventura’s letter learn partly. “As a lot progress as I’ve made in recovering from his abuse, I stay very a lot afraid of what he’s able to and the malice he undoubtedly harbors in direction of me for having the bravery to inform the reality.”

Combs, 55, confronted 5 costs at his high-profile trial over the summer time. He was finally convicted of two counts of transportation to interact in prostitution. He was acquitted on costs of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, which have been the extra severe costs in opposition to him.

Combs selected to not take the stand and pleaded not guilty to the entire costs, which have been:

• Rely 1: Racketeering conspiracy – Combs was discovered NOT GUILTY.
• Rely 2: Intercourse trafficking by power, fraud or coercion (Casandra Ventura) – Combs was discovered NOT GUILTY.
• Rely 3: Transportation to interact in prostitution (Casandra Ventura) – Combs was discovered GUILTY.
• Rely 4: Intercourse trafficking by power, fraud or coercion (“Jane”) – Combs was discovered NOT GUILTY.
• Rely 5: Transportation to interact in prostitution (“Jane”) – Combs was discovered GUILTY.

Combs’ two convictions carry most sentences of 10 years in jail every. The convictions have been based mostly on the Mann Act, a regulation that makes it a federal crime to move somebody throughout state traces for prostitution.

Jurors discovered Combs responsible of arranging interstate journey for industrial intercourse employees and his former girlfriends, the singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, and one other girl who testified for the prosecution at his trial as “Jane,” with the intent that they interact in prostitution. 

Each ladies testified that Combs habitually orchestrated “freak offs” — extended, drug-fueled sexual encounters with employed members during which he compelled every of them to partake, generally for days. Ventura also accused Combs of repeated abuse all through their relationship, together with rape, and described lasting psychological penalties she suffered because of this.

The jury reached its verdict after almost two months of emotional testimony from Ventura and others who described him as controlling, manipulative and violent.

His attorneys acknowledged Combs’ home violence file however denied accusations by Ventura and “Jane” that the Grammy winner wielded his standing within the music business to topic them to in depth emotional and bodily abuse.