As Sean “Diddy” Combs awaits sentencing in the aftermath of his sex-trafficking trial, there are those still questioning whether he’ll receive a pardon. Members of Combs’ legal team have spoken out on the matter, with one saying that clemency is being pursued while another saying they weren’t involved in such efforts. Of course, if such action is taken, there’s the matter of what that would even look like. Now, some legal experts are providing information on that.
The 58-year-old rapper and business mogul was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and was acquitted of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. U.S. President Donald Trump has already said he likely wouldn’t pardon Diddy, whom he’s crossed paths with over the years. At this point, college professor and clemency lawyer Mark Osler tells Billboard that one way Diddy can appeal to POTUS is through their personal values. Osler says that in Trump’s case, those values would be “loyalty and celebrity.”
Fellow clemency attorney and professor JaneAnne Murray also says Sean Combs’ legal team could argue that his conviction of crimes under the Mann Act was unfair. That particular law – which was established as the White-Slave Act in 1910 – prevents the transportation of people across state lines and foreign territories for prostitution-related reasons. Also, given Combs acquittal on the sex-trafficking and racketeering charges (which were the most severe of the bunch), his team could contend that he never should’ve never been charged.
However, Mark Osler also made another point as he stated that political factors could play into President Trump’s decision on whether to pardon Diddy. That would more specifically refer to the optics of Trump deciding to present clemency to a person who’s been at the center of stories related to abuse. So the implication here would be that White House officials may not be keen on being linked to such a pardon.
The “Bad Boy for Life” performer’s trial saw various individuals – including his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura – provide testimony in regard to the alleged sex acts he took part in. In the case of Ventura, an ex-prostitute also backed up her claims. Much of the discussion around Diddy’s supposed exploits have to do with his Freak Offs, parties for which women were hired or coerced into committing sexual acts.
Amid the legal proceedings, attorney Tony Buzbee – who’s overseeing a slew of lawsuits against Diddy – commented on the mogul possibly receiving a pardon. Buzbee opined that clemency wouldn’t happen, and those comments came even before President Trump said he likely wouldn’t grant a pardon. Another possible obstacle for Diddy comes in the form of fellow rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who’s been trolling him. Months ago, Jackson vowed he’d do everything in his power to stop Diddy from being pardoned.
The president ultimately has the final say, though, and the public will just have to wait and see if Sean Combs is pardoned like Todd and Julie Chrisley and others. As the questions persist, Combs’ sentencing hearing is set to take place on October 3.
