Attorneys for Sean “Diddy” Combs have filed a notice of appeal, requesting their client’s “immediate release” from federal prison and to “either grant a judgment of acquittal or vacate and remand for resentencing,” reports Rolling Stone.
In the notice, attorney Alexandra Shapiro accused Judge Arun Subramanian of acting “as a thirteenth juror” during sentencing, adding, “The judge defied the jury’s verdict and found Combs ‘coerced,’ ‘exploited,’ and ‘forced’ his girlfriends to have sex and led a criminal conspiracy. These judicial findings trumped the verdict and led to the highest sentence ever imposed for any remotely similar defendant—even though most others, unlike Combs, ran prostitution businesses that exploited poor or undocumented women or minors.” The current appeal follows an unsuccessful bid in September where Combs asked Judge Subramanian to consider an acquittal or new trial.
In October, Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison and ordered to pay a fine of $500,000 after being found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. “A substantial sentence must be given to send a message to abusers and victims alike that exploitation and violence against women is met with real accountability,” Judge Subramanian said at the time. Combs had initially been acquitted on the more serious of charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, which carried the possibility of life in prison. The music mogul still faces numerous civil lawsuits accusing him of various sex crimes. In November, the L.A. Sheriff’s office announced it was investigating Combs for sexual battery.
Pitchfork has requested further comment from Combs’ attorneys and the U.S. Southern District of New York.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault or domestic abuse, we encourage you to reach out for support:
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
https://www.rainn.org
1 800 656 HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Line
SMS: Text “HELLO” or “HOLA” to 741-741
The National Domestic Violence Hotline
https://thehotline.org
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
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