A judge denied rap mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs request for bail after he was found guilty Wednesday on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, despite Combs being acquitted of the most serious charges against him in his federal criminal trial.
The judge ordered the music mogul to remain in custody while awaiting sentencing.
The jury reached its verdict after more than 12 hours of deliberations across three days. On Tuesday afternoon, jurors said they had reached an agreement on four of the five counts but were unable to reach a verdict on the racketeering conspiracy charge. An hour into Wednesday’s deliberations, the jury sent a note announcing it had reached a verdict on all five counts.
Judge Arun Subramanian read the verdicts at 9:52 a.m. ET. Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, the most serious charges that could have resulted in a life sentence. He was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each carrying a maximum 10-year sentence.
After the verdict was read and before being led out of the courtroom by marshals, Combs faced the gallery and clapped, prompting his supporters to clap and cheer.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo called the verdict “a great victory” outside the courthouse, saying it was “a great day.”
“One thing stands between all of us and a prison, and that is a jury of 12 citizens. And we had a wonderful jury, they listened to every word. And they got the situation right, or certainly right enough,” Agnifilo said.
Agnifilo touted the jury’s acquittal on the sex trafficking and racketeering charges, calling Combs innocent.
Teny Geragos, another defense attorney, maintained that Combs “has not sexually assaulted anybody” after the verdict.
“He has not sexually assaulted anybody, certainly hasn’t sex trafficked anybody and the jury found that today,” she said.
At a bail hearing later Wednesday, Agnifilo asked for his client to be released on a $1 million bond while awaiting sentencing. Under the proposal, Combs would be restricted to traveling only in Florida, California, and New York, would surrender his passport, and be subjected to regular drug testing.
Judge Subramanian denied the bail request, citing Combs’ history of violence and the defense’s own admissions during the trial.
“You full-throatedly in your closing argument told the jury that there was violence here. And domestic violence is violence. And you said this is a case that did involve violence,” Subramanian told Agnifilo.
The judge said Combs’ attorneys failed to demonstrate that he poses “no danger to any person.”
“This highlights a disregard for the rule of law and a propensity of violence,” Subramanian said.
Prosecutor Maurene Comey also argued against bail, calling Combs “an extremely violent man with an extraordinarily dangerous temper who has shown no remorse and no regret for his multiple victims.”
“What’s exceptional about Combs is his wealth, his violence, and his brazenness,” Comey said.
When the judge denied bail, Combs’ mouth dropped and his eyes widened. Following the hearing, Combs faced his family and told them: “We’re gonna make it through this.”
He blew kisses to the two rows in the courtroom filled with his family and friends, saying: “I love you all. Be strong.”
Despite the conclusion of the criminal trial, Combs still faces several civil suits accusing him of sexual misconduct. He has consistently denied wrongdoing.