Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ entire family burst into applause to celebrate the outcome of the verdict in the mogul’s federal racketeering and sex trafficking case, as the man at the center of the case appeared to mouth “Thank you” towards the jury.
Shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday (July 2), the jury sent a note to judge Arun Subramanian saying they’d reached a verdict. About twenty five minutes later, the twelve jurors, who appeared hopelessly deadlocked at the end of Tuesday, came out and the foreperson announced their decision.
There was surprise in the room when the not guilty verdict on the racketeering conspiracy count was announced. But when count two, sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura, came back not guilty as well, there was an audible gasp.
While the verdict was being read, Combs nodded to his family, and his longtime attorney Teny Geragos was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue.
Once all five counts were announced and it became clear that he was only being found guilty on the two Mann Act violations, Combs appeared to mouth “Thank you” to the jurors while making prayer hands. Attorney Anna Estevao was in tears, and all of the mogul’s seven attorneys who were present took turns hugging each other.
In the immediate aftermath of the verdict, Combs’ lead attorney Marc Agnifilo asked for his client to be freed on a $1 million bond. Lead prosecutor Maureen Comey strenuously objected, citing Combs’ domestic abuse and narcotics use. She said that prosecutors would seek the maximum sentence of 20 years.
She pointed out that even while Combs knew he was under investigation by federal authorities, he continued to have freak offs and use drugs, showing that he has “no respect for the law.” She said that in his hotel room in New York, while he was readying to turn himself in last year, he still had drugs and supplies for the now-notorious sexual encounters.
As Combs headed back to a private room to await a decision on his bond, his family and supporters in the courtroom burst into applause. Then, after he left the courtroom, they again erupted in a round of applause.
A decision about Combs’ bail will be made on Wednesday afternoon, after both sides submit letters arguing their cases.
