The judge in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial has set a sentencing date, just days after the music mogul was convicted of prostitution-related offenses and acquitted of two more serious charges.
Judge Arun Subramanian ordered the rapper’s sentencing date to be October 3. The move comes after Diddy’s defense attorneys argued they wanted a sentencing date as soon as possible after the verdict was dealt. However, both prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed to the October 3 date, and Diddy’s team dropped their request for expedited sentencing.
He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.
After eight weeks of listening to explosive allegations, the jury last week acquitted Diddy of two counts of sex trafficking and one count of racketeering conspiracy, while it convicted him of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. After the verdict was read, defense attorney Marc Antony Agnifilo said his client wanted an expedited sentencing.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey said she was “happy to work with” Agnifilo to speed up the process - however, those plans now appear to have been dropped.
The defense had suggested their client serve between 21 to 27 months behind bars while the prosecution suggested he serve between 51 to 63 months.
After the verdict was read in the courtroom, Diddy turned around to face his family in the pews, dropped to his knees, and prayed. Agnifilo then filed a bail application, asking for him to be able to walk out of the courtroom.
He argued that his client fell under “exceptional circumstances” under the Mann Act. Agnifilo also said his client is trying to reform himself: “He’s a man in the process of working on himself.” The defense attorney noted that he attended batterers program meetings before his arrest last September.
Comey slammed the only thing exceptional about Diddy was “his wealth, his violence and his brazenness.” She said he’s shown “no remorse” to victims.
Subramanaian denied the bail application, noting that the defense "conceded the defendant’s violence” throughout the trial. Agnifilo “full-throatedly” argued that his team “owned domestic violence” in his closing arguments.
The judge said the defense did not show that Diddy was not a “danger to any person and his community.” The music mogul remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
