By Larry Neumeister and Michael R. Sisak, Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP)After probation officials denied the defense and prosecution’s proposal to move the sentencing date ahead by roughly two weeks, a court said on Tuesday that Sean Diddy Combs will be sentenced in his federal criminal case on October 3.
Combs, who is still in jail following last week’s split verdict, had a brief conversation with his attorney Marc Agnifilo during a two-minute virtual hearing on the scheduling matter. He urged the lawyer to switch on his camera so they could see each other’s faces at one point.
After jurors found the hip-hop entrepreneur not guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking last week but found him guilty of two charges linked to prostitution, his attorneys had been pleading with Judge Arun Subramanian to sentence him as soon as possible.
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Combs, 55, is facing two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each carrying a maximum sentence of ten years in jail, for transporting individuals across the nation for sex, including his girlfriends and male prostitutes. He might have faced life in jail if convicted of sex trafficking or racketeering conspiracy.
In a joint letter submitted before Tuesday’s court, Combs’ attorneys and prosecutors suggested a Sept. 22 sentence date, contingent upon the U.S. Probation Office’s approval. Shortly after, they submitted a second letter confirming that everyone, including the probation office, agreed with the date that Subramanian had initially suggested—October 3.
When Combs returned to jail following the verdict last week, he received a standing ovation from his fellow convicts, according to Agnifilo. After Subramanian denied his bail plea last week, the founder of Bad Boy Records will stay in the federal prison in Brooklyn, where he has been detained since his arrest in September.
The judge made it clear that he intends to hold Combs responsible for the years of violence and bullying conduct that were revealed during his eight-week trial by referencing a now-famous video of Combs beating a former girlfriend and pictures of another ex-girlfriend’s injuries.
Combs’ attorneys estimate that the sentencing standards recommend 21 to 27 months in prison, but they want less. The rules, according to the prosecution, require Combs to serve at least four to five years in jail when appropriately computed to account for his violent past and actions.
The judge will have a great deal of discretion in deciding on Combs’ penalty, which is solely Subramanian’s decision. Although they are not required, judges frequently follow the federal judiciary’s formulaic standards, which are intended to avoid disparities in punishments for the same crimes.
Combs is required to interview probation officers for a pre-sentence investigation report as part of the sentencing procedure. This report will help the judge decide on the appropriate punishment.
