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Diddy may have gotten off on the most serious charges — but he was found guilty of prostitution charges at the conclusion of his high-profile federal trial on Wednesday. So the question quickly became… should he get bail? It’s just prostitution charges, after all?
Of course, as we’ve been reporting, Sean Combs was found guilty of federal charges related to prostitution but acquitted of several more serious charges including racketeering and sex trafficking. In the aftermath, his lawyers have been pushing the judge to let him out of jail while he awaits sentencing on the guilty charges. But now, the decision has come in: the music mogul will remain behind bars.
Related: Danity Kane’s Aubrey O’Day & Dawn Richard React To Diddy Verdict
Arun Subramanian, the federal judge overseeing the case, decided on Wednesday afternoon to deny bail to Diddy. According to CNN and others, Judge Subramanian said he originally chose to deny bail to Diddy ahead of the trial itself, and that he “sees no reason to reach the opposite conclusion now” that the guilty verdict has been reached on several charges. Even though he was acquitted??
Well, the judge highlighted an alleged act of violence Diddy is said to have committed against a woman last June — after the rapper was already being investigated on the charges that landed him in federal court for this saga — as proof that the A-lister ought not be allowed to roam free prior to his sentencing hearing later this year. The judge said of the attack:
“This highlights a disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence.”
The defense may have convinced the jury the sex acts were all consensual, but they kind of punted when it came to the violence against women. Makes sense, considering there was video… But now it does make him technically still dangerous.
The sentencing hearing, BTW, is set for the morning of October 3. So, that’s quite a long time — three more full months in jail — before Diddy can learn his fate. (For what it’s worth, the judge did also say on Wednesday that he might be willing to move the hearing up to a closer date at the defense’s request. So, we’ll see.)
Related: 50 Cent Trolls Diddy After Trial Verdict
Of note, the no-bail decision follows immediately after Diddy’s ex Cassie Ventura‘s lawyer asked Judge Subrmanian to deny the embattled mogul’s bail and keep the convict behind bars until sentencing.
After the conviction was handed down earlier on Wednesday, Ventura’s lawyer Douglas Wigdor wrote a letter to the judge explaining that Cassie was concerned her ex-boyfriend could be a danger to her and other people.
According to People, the letter stated in part:
“Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community.”
Oof…
Of course, Cassie was the prosecution’s star witness throughout this entire trial. Wigdor noted as much in his reaction to the conviction, too:
“By coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice. We must repeat — with no reservation — that we believe and support our client who showed exemplary courage throughout this trial.”
BTW, for their part, Diddy’s legal team — led by defense attorney Marc Agnifilo — had been pushing the judge to release Combs from custody on a $1 million bond co-signed by several family members including his mother.
Had they gotten their way, Diddy would have been restricted to traveling exclusively between Florida, California, and New York, and he would have agreed to surrender his passport and submit to regular drug testing. Per People, Agnifilo argued in his letter that Diddy was not a flight risk, but instead has demonstrated “trustworthiness and cooperation” throughout the prosecution.
Obviously, the judge saw it differently. So, Diddy will stay in jail until his sentencing hearing in October — or earlier, if that aforementioned change ever comes to pass.
Reactions, y’all? Drop ’em (below).
For more information on violence against women, go to https://www.justice.gov/ovw/resources-for-survivors.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via MEGA/Lexi Jones/WENN]
