On Monday, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers asked a New York federal judge to sentence Combs early to 14 months, facilitating his immediate release.
Combs’ attorneys wrote that Combs had to fire 100 employees from his businesses, and that many of them have had trouble finding new jobs due to their ties to him. His lawyers said Combs has been on suicide watch — meaning he is required to show guards his identification every two hours and is woken up by a guard to ensure he is alive, according to CBS.
“Mr. Combs’s career and reputation have been destroyed. His life outside of jail has been systematically dismantled,” his lawyers also wrote.
Combs’ attorneys also cited an instance in which an inmate approached Combs with a makeshift shiv, accusing him of sitting in a chair the inmate wanted. Combs reportedly calmed down the inmate and got him to put down the weapon.
Combs, who has spent nearly 13 months in jail, was convicted in July of transportation to engage in prostitution. Immediately upon Combs’ conviction, his lawyers sought to have him released on a $1 million bond.
Judge Arun Subramanian denied that request, citing their own words about Combs’ violent behavior towards his former girlfriends. He also noted that Combs’ violence and illegal activity continued even as a federal investigation ensued.
During the trial, jurors heard testimony from three women who accused Combs of physical or sexual abuse. Cassie Ventura, who dated Combs from 2007 to 2018, testified that Combs “stifled” her music career while forcing her to participate in “freak offs,” which often entailed her having sex with other men in Combs’ presence.
Ventura said the drug-fueled ordeals left her sleep-deprived and dehydrated, as they would last for days on end.
Another victim, who used the alias “Mia,” worked as Combs’ assistant for eight years. She accused Combs of forcing her to perform oral sex and sneaking into her bed to penetrate her without her consent. She also claimed Combs hurled objects at her and threw her against a wall.
A third woman, who used the pseudonym “Jane,” dated Combs from 2021 to 2024. She testified about “hotel nights,” which allegedly were sexual rendezvous arranged by Combs. Combs reportedly watched these encounters, which Jane said she had to be under the influence of drugs to participate.
The defense did not call a single witness to testify. Instead, they presented texts between Combs and the alleged victims, which they believe proved the sex encounters were consensual and non-coercive.
They compared Combs and Ventura to “swingers” — and claimed the issues in their relationship stemmed from Combs dating other women, not from the alleged “freak offs.”
Combs’ sentencing is scheduled for October 3. It is unclear when the judge will rule on Combs’ latest motion.
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[Feature Photo: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File]
