Sean 'Diddy' Combs requests urgent release from prison in appeal argument

Sean "Diddy" Combs' legal team has filed a petition for his immediate release from prison, challenging his conviction and sentence. They argue the judge improperly influenced the ruling using acquitted charges and imposed an overly harsh punishment. Combs' sentence is currently set to end in May 2028.

NEW YORK - On Tuesday evening, legal representatives for hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs filed a petition to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York, seeking his immediate release from prison. They also requested the reversal of his conviction on prostitution-related charges or, alternatively, a reduction of his sentence, which was four years.

In a formal filing with the appeals court in Manhattan, Combs' legal team argued that the federal judge who sentenced him was excessively harsh. They contended that the judge improperly considered evidence from charges Combs had been acquitted of, which had a detrimental effect on the final sentence. The attorneys asserted that this influence from the acquitted charges resulted in an unjust punishment.

At 56 years old, Combs is currently incarcerated in a federal prison in New Jersey, with a release date scheduled for May 2028. Despite being acquitted in July of charges related to racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, Combs was still convicted under the Mann Act, which prohibits the transportation of individuals across state lines for sexual exploitation or any sexual offense.

Combs' defense team heavily criticized Judge Arun Subramanian's actions during sentencing. They accused the judge of acting as a "thirteenth juror" when he allowed evidence from the acquitted charges to influence the sentencing decision. The attorneys highlighted that Combs was convicted on two lesser charges related to prostitution, which did not involve coercion, fraud, or force, as the jury had not found those elements to be present in his case.

The defense emphasized that in similar cases, defendants typically receive sentences of less than 15 months, even when coercion is involved. Therefore, they argued, the sentence imposed on Combs was excessively harsh. In their filing, the legal team requested that the appeals court either acquit Combs entirely, order his immediate release, or direct Judge Subramanian to reconsider and reduce his sentence.

Additionally, the defense team criticized Judge Subramanian for disregarding the jury's verdict and for finding Combs guilty of coercing, exploiting, and forcing his girlfriends to participate in sexual acts. They pointed out that this led to what they described as the highest sentence ever imposed in a case of this nature.

During sentencing, Judge Subramanian explained that he had considered testimony from two former girlfriends of Combs, who claimed they had been physically abused by him. These women alleged that Combs coerced them into engaging in sex with male sex workers while he observed and filmed the encounters. Some of these situations even involved Combs masturbating during the acts.

One of the former girlfriends, Casandra "Cassie" Ventura, testified that throughout their decade-long relationship, which ended in 2018, Combs instructed her to perform degrading sexual acts with strangers. The jury was shown a video of an alleged incident where Combs dragged and beat her in a hotel hallway following one of these "freak-off" sessions.

The second woman, referred to by the pseudonym Jane, also testified that she had been pressured by Combs into engaging in sex with male sex workers during "hotel nights" that were characterized by drug-fueled sexual encounters between 2021 and 2024. These sessions, which could last several days, were reportedly orchestrated by Combs.

At the time of sentencing, Judge Subramanian rejected the defense's efforts to downplay the severity of the allegations, telling Combs, "You abused the power and control that you had over the lives of women you professed to love dearly. You abused them physically, emotionally, and psychologically. And you used that abuse to get your way, especially when it came to 'freak-offs' and hotel nights."

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• Sean 'Diddy' Combs seeks immediate release from prison in appeals argument