It’s been nearly three months since Sean “Diddy” Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Although he was acquitted of a more serious racketeering charge, prosecutors are asking a judge to impose a lengthy prison sentence.
Many legal experts originally expected Combs to receive a lighter punishment, possibly without any jail time. However, prosecutors are now pushing for an 11-year sentence ahead of his court date Friday in New York.
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Prosecutors’ request for lengthy sentence
In a presentencing submission, prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to put Combs behind bars for more than a decade, according to CBS News.
“His crimes of conviction are serious and have warranted sentences over ten years in multiple cases for defendants who, like Sean Combs, engaged in violence and put others in fear,” prosecutors wrote in the filing.
Billboard reports prosecutors also cited a letter from one of their star witnesses — Combs’ ex, Cassie Ventura — who called him a “cruel, power-hungry, manipulative man.”
“I know that who he was to me — the manipulator, the aggressor, the abuser, the trafficker — is who he is as a human,” Ventura wrote.
This request from prosecutors escalates from a filing made at the end of July. At that time, prosecutors said they expected a prison sentence “substantially higher” than the four to five years they initially anticipated.
Around the same time, Subramanian denied Combs’ request to be released on a $50 million bail while he awaited sentencing.
Defense pushes for 14 months
Combs’ legal team is asking for just 14 months.
His defense attorneys argued last week that the judge should not consider testimony from former girlfriends who alleged abuse. Since Combs was acquitted of coercing them into sex, his team said, their claims should not influence the sentencing.
If the judge accepts the defense request, Combs would be credited for time already served. That could mean release by the end of the year.
Last week, several character letters on behalf of Combs were submitted. The list included his family as well as celebrities like his ex, Caresha “Yung Miami” Brownlee.
“For three of those years, I was in a public relationship with Sean, and during that time, I witnessed — and came to know — a different person than the one often portrayed,” Brownlee wrote. “Behind the scenes, he was loving, genuine, supportive and always encouraging. He motivated me, believed in me and helped me grow both personally and professionally.”
Combs’ mom wrote, “I am writing this letter to implore your honor to please have mercy on my son.”
In addition to the prison sentence, prosecutors are also asking the judge to impose a fine of $500,000, according to Reuters.
