A federal appeals court panel in Manhattan questioned the severity of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ four-year prison sentence for prostitution-related charges during oral arguments on Thursday. The judges, including Circuit Judge William J. Nardini, expressed uncertainty over whether the sentence was excessive, considering acquitted charges in the sentencing decision.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik defended the sentence, stating that it was below federal guidelines and consistent with similar cases in the 2nd Circuit. Combs, who is currently serving his sentence in a New Jersey prison, is appealing his conviction and the length of his imprisonment.
Judge Arun Subramanian, who sentenced Combs in October, clarified that the sentence was based on the convicted charges and not those for which he was acquitted. Combs’ legal team is advocating for a reversal of the conviction or a reduced sentence.
The court proceedings did not address Combs’ lawyers’ argument that his activities were protected under the First Amendment as they involved consensual sexual encounters filmed as “amateur pornography.” However, there was discussion about the lawyers’ contention that evidence of fraud and coercion, which the jury rejected in the serious charges, should not have been considered in the sentencing.
Combs’ trial revealed details of his personal life, including allegations of violence, drug use, and explicit sexual activities referred to as “freak-offs” or “hotel nights.” Although Combs did not testify during the trial, his defense team acknowledged his past violent behavior but contended that prosecutors were stretching to criminalize his personal conduct.