Sean “Diddy” Combs has recently finished an eight-week trial facing serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.
According to his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, Combs received a standing ovation from fellow inmates when he returned to jail after being acquitted of charges that could have led to a life sentence. His lawyer suggests this moment might have been one of the most meaningful experiences he could have had for Black incarcerated men in America.
“They all said: ‘We never get to see anyone who beats the government,’” Agnifilo told The Associated Press. I’ll say it again — he was not fully cleared. He was found guilty on two charges.
The prosecution presented a case alleging that Combs utilized his considerable influence in the music industry, backed by violence and financial resources, to coerce girlfriends into sexual acts, sometimes involving male sex workers, over nearly two decades.
These encounters, referred to as “freak-offs” and “hotel nights,” reportedly involved Combs observing, directing, and at times recording his girlfriends engaging in sexual activity with other men.
Throughout the trial, jurors were presented with extensive evidence by the prosecution, including a video of Combs assaulting his then-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie. Federal agents also testified about finding paraphernalia related to the alleged “freak-offs,” along with firearms and ammunition, during raids on Combs’ properties.
The defense opted for a strategy of challenging the prosecution’s witnesses through cross-examination, aiming to undermine the portrayal of Combs as a violent and controlling figure.
Interestingly, Combs’ defense lawyer, Agnifilo, has a history of utilizing racketeering laws in his past career as a federal prosecutor, using them to combat organized crime. In this trial, however, his approach involved a mostly gentle yet firm cross-examination of the prosecution’s witnesses without calling any witnesses for the defense, nor did Combs testify himself.