Sean Combs sentenced to over 4 years in jail for prostitution-related fees : NPR

On Friday, Sean Combs was sentenced by a federal decide to 50 months in jail. The 55-year-old music mogul was convicted in July on two counts of transportation for prostitution, however acquitted on extra severe fees of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

After a daylong listening to that culminated in Combs himself addressing the decide, talking at size for the primary time in the course of the trial, Decide Arun Subramanian mentioned {that a} important sentence was required to “ship a message to abusers and victims alike that exploitation and violence towards ladies is met with actual accountability.”

Subramanian made his resolution after listening to arguments from federal prosecutors, Combs’ protection attorneys and Combs himself. His protection attorneys had argued that their consumer ought to obtain not more than 14 months behind bars. With time already served, that may have meant he’d be launched by the tip of the yr. Federal prosecutors, then again, requested that Subramanian sentence Combs to a minimum of 11 years and three months in jail. The utmost sentence for the 2 fees is 20 years.

The listening to was a tense and severe affair, the end result of a generally circus-like, eight-week trial outlined by emotionally-charged testimony, movie star appearances and a buzzing courthouse full of hordes of Combs’ supporters, social media influencers and reporters. Federal prosecutors spent six weeks presenting an elaborate, generally meandering case that accused Combs of working a felony group that enabled and hid intercourse crimes for many years. Their two essential witnesses, the singer Cassie Ventura and a lady who testified utilizing the pseudonym “Jane,” instructed the court docket that Combs lured them into romantic relationships after which managed most points of their lives, repeatedly forcing them into drug-fueled intercourse marathons with male escorts.

Combs didn’t testify in the course of the trial itself, however he made his case for leniency on to Decide Subramanian on the finish of the day-long sentencing listening to. In a 10-minute handle, he apologized to Ventura and Jane in addition to to all home violence survivors who might have been triggered by the CNN video.

“My actions have been disgusting, shameful and sick,” Combs mentioned. “I’ve been humbled and damaged all the way down to my core. I hate myself proper now.”

There was a brief break after Combs spoke, earlier than Decide Subramanian returned to ship the sentence. In his remarks, he centered first on the witnesses who testified about abuse at Combs’ arms. He quoted Jane’s testimony and skim instantly from a sufferer influence assertion Ventura submitted. Then addressed these witnesses instantly, applauding their bravery for talking out. “What you taught us right here by coming ahead is even for those who have been a sufferer, you do not at all times need to be,” he mentioned.

Talking to Combs, Decide Subrmanian mentioned that “abuse will not be one thing you’ll be able to wash away.” When the decide introduced the sentence, Combs remained stoic.

In a assertion following the listening to, Ventura’s attorneys Douglas Wigdor and Meredith Firetog mentioned, “Whereas nothing can undo the trauma brought on by Combs, the sentence imposed as we speak acknowledges the influence of the intense offenses he dedicated. We’re assured that with the assist of her household and pals, Ms. Ventura will proceed therapeutic understanding that her bravery and fortitude have been an inspiration to so many.”

Combs has been held in a Brooklyn jail since his arrest final September. With the time he has already served and a lowered sentence for good habits, he may very well be launched in as little as two and a half years, primarily based on federal pointers. His sentence additionally features a $500,000 advantageous, the utmost allowable for his conviction, in addition to 5 years of supervised launch.

Combs’ protection crew spent a lot of the trial preventing fees of intercourse trafficking by working to discredit the testimony of girls who alleged that Combs had abused them. A lot of this technique relied on introduced textual content message proof through which Ventura and Jane every seemed to be agreeing to the encounters and serving to to plan them throughout confrontational cross-examination. After the prosecution introduced greater than two dozen witnesses — together with Combs’ former workers, federal brokers and pals of the alleged victims — the protection known as none, and rested its case in beneath half-hour. Finally, a jury acquitted Combs of intercourse trafficking and racketeering conspiracy, however discovered him responsible of transporting Jane and Ventura throughout state strains to have interaction in business intercourse.

Regardless of Combs’ acquittal on essentially the most severe fees, no person — not even his personal attorneys — denied that he triggered hurt. A key piece of proof within the case was a 2016 surveillance video of Combs beating Ventura in a lodge hallway. All through the trial, Combs’ protection attorneys conceded that their consumer had a historical past of home violence, however argued the federal government was not charging him for these crimes.

Throughout Friday’s sentencing listening to, a number of of Combs’ protection attorneys spoke on his behalf, detailing his self-made journey to changing into a file producer, rapper and entrepreneur, and underscoring what he represents to the Black group as a profitable businessman who broke limitations in music, vogue and media. One in all his attorneys broke down in tears as she addressed the decide, explaining his significance to the Black group, and to her personally. The protection contended that Combs had reformed whereas in jail, getting sober and changing into a mentor to many inmates round him. Additionally they argued that he wants ongoing remedy for psychological well being and substance abuse challenges.

Halfway via the arguments by Combs’ attorneys, Six of the rapper’s kids approached the rostrum collectively and made emotional pleas to the decide. Combs’ twin daughters mentioned how onerous it was to lose their mom — referring to the 2018 loss of life of Combs’ ex-girlfriend Kim Porter — and requested the decide not to remove their father, as nicely. When Combs spoke later, he instructed his children he was very happy with them for talking up.

Prosecutors pointed to Combs’ violent habits as a justification for an extended sentence. Subramanian echoed that argument in his handle to Combs as he delivered the sentence. Talking concerning the abuse suffered by Ventura and Jane, he requested, “Why did it occur so lengthy? Since you had the ability and sources to maintain it going, and since you did not get caught.”

Throughout his handle, Combs mentioned that if launched, he hoped to work with and educate different incarcerated males. “I am sorry to my group. I let y’all down,” he mentioned.

Whereas delivering his sentence, Decide Subramanian counseled Combs for his charity work and devotion to his household, in addition to his dedication to uplifting communities of shade. And he acknowledged that the sentence was longer than Combs might need anticipated, however implored him to think about the distinction he may make after serving his time.

“You and your loved ones, you’ll get via this,” he mentioned. “There’s a mild on the finish of this tunnel.”

This text consists of reporting by Juliana Kim.