Jen Thomas
A former federal prosecutor has shared why he thinks Sean 'Diddy' Combs was found not guilty for 3 out of 5 counts in the verdict which was announced today, July 2.
Diddy has been on trial for almost two months, before the jury returned their verdict this afternoon.
He was found not guilty for three of the counts, including racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 2 ('Jane').
The charges and verdicts against Diddy are as follows:
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Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy - Not guilty
Count 2: Sex trafficking of Cassie Ventura - Not guilty
Count 3: Transportation for prostitution of Ventura and others - Guilty
Count 4: Sex trafficking of woman known as 'Jane': Not guilty
Count 5: Transportation for prostitution of 'Jane' and others: Guilty
Now, former federal prosecutor Robert Mintz, who focused on organised crime, has told the BBC why the verdict wasn't a 'total shock' based on the evidence that was put forward in court.
Mintz has also shared why he believes Diddy was found not guilty for the three charges.
He said: "It was always going to be difficult for prosecutors to prove their case, which basically required them to show that these acts were not consensual."
The former prosecutor said evidence such as text messages have made it difficult to convict.
“Because the defence had a fair number of examples of text messages and other communications where the victims seemingly agreed to participate in these sex acts, it made it difficult for the jury to conclude that the victims were unwilling participants,” he explained.
“The burden of proof is always with the prosecution – beyond a reasonable doubt. And I think at the end of the day, jurors felt likely that the prosecution hadn't met its burden."
He said the verdict is as good as the defense could have wished for, adding: "There's no other way to characterise this as but a win for the defense and a stinging defeat for prosecutors".
Diddy could have faced up to life in prison with the racketeering charges, but now he will face a maximum of up to 10 years on each of the two charges.
Mintz believes it is more likely that the sentences will run concurrently: "The judge more or less has complete discretion in terms of what the sentence will be. I think we’re going to see a sentence more in the five-to-10-year range."
However, prosecutor Maurene Comey has made it clear she wants the rapper to serve the full 20 years, with the sentences one after the other: "It is clear that the defendant does pose a danger."
In the run up to the court case, Diddy has been held at the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center. He has made it clear to the judge that he does not wish to return there.
His legal team expressed a wish for him to be released on bail, with his defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo arguing Diddy has 'been given his life by this jury'.
"He would be nothing short of a fool to do anything that would violate any condition," Agnifilo said.