Diddy Sentenced To Prison Is Enough, Lawyers Argue
Lawyers for music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs are arguing for his immediate release, telling a federal judge that their client should face a maximum sentence of just 14 months. The defense submitted their arguments on Monday to Judge Arun Subramanian, who will determine if Diddy sentenced to prison is enough, or if he requires more time. Combs faces sentencing on October 3 after a Manhattan jury convicted him on two prostitution-related charges. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The jury, however, exonerated him on more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Those crimes would have carried a minimum sentence of 15 years. Prosecutors will submit their own recommendations soon. Yet, they have already indicated they will push for a sentence substantially longer than the four to five years they originally thought was appropriate. Defense lawyers, on the other hand, wrote in their submission that prosecutors “have lost all perspective.”
The defense submission detailed Combs’s life behind bars. They noted that life in prison has been harrowing at times, but he became sober for the first time in 25 years. On one occasion, a fellow inmate approached Combs with a shiv over a dispute about a chair. The music mogul defused the situation and calmed the man down. Furthermore, his lawyers said he has been under constant suicide watch, meaning a guard awakens him every two hours to ensure he is well.
He also has limited access to clean water and must sleep within two feet of other inmates. His attorneys wrote, “Mr. Combs has not breathed fresh air in nearly 13 months, or felt sunlight on his skin.” He has also suffered a painful knee injury that requires surgery, and the food has sometimes contained maggots. The defense believes he has served enough time already. They wrote, “It is time for Mr. Combs to go home to his family.”
Combs’s lawyers stressed that their client’s career and reputation are ruined. He has let go of over 100 employees from his businesses. Many of these former employees have been unable to find new work due to their association with him. In addition, his seven children have suffered “devastating consequences.” They lost business opportunities in acting, television, and fashion. Some of them have even been included in the nearly 100 civil lawsuits filed against Combs and planned Hulu show about the family was also canceled.
Furthermore, Combs was removed from the boards of three charter schools he founded and was stripped of an honorary doctorate from Howard University. His lawyers argue that these losses prove a severe punishment has already taken place. This is why the defense is fighting for no more time behind bars. They say a sober Combs now looks to a new future. They also note that he has started teaching other inmates essential skills like business management and entrepreneurship. He hopes to expand this program once released.
Attribution: Source: The Associated Press (Story by Michael R. Sisak and Larry Neumeister)
