Cassie begs judge not to release ‘dangerous’ Diddy on bail: Live updates

Diddy’s lawyers submitted a letter to the judge asking that he be allowed to await his sentencing at home in Miami after he only convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.

They said Combs has missed some big moments in the lives of his children while behind bars since his September arrest.

They said he has missed the high school graduation of his twin daughters, who didn’t have a parent with them because their mother, Kim Porter, died in 2018. And they said he’s been separated from his 2-year-old daughter and ‘needs and wants to be with — and remain with — his family.’

Prosecutors, on their part, submitted a letter by Cassie Ventura’s lawyer and her friend Deonte Nash, who testified against Diddy.

Both witnesses expressed fear of the mogul’s release.

‘Ms. Ventura believes that Mr. Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community,’ her attorney Doug Wigdor wrote to the judge.

Nash, meanwhile, said releasing the mogul on bail would send a message to those who have claimed to be victims of Diddy.

The stylist wrote: ‘Mr. Combs has a long, well-documented history of violent, coercive, and retaliatory behavior. Over the years, he has repeatedly escaped meaningful accountability, and each time this has only reinforced his sense of impunity. If he is released now, I have no doubt he will see it as yet another license to continue intimidating, threatening, and harming people who challenge or expose him.’

To hear all the explosive testimony from singer Cassie Ventura and the other witnesses in Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs’ trial, tune in to Daily Mail’s hit podcast The Trial.

From sworn testimony to video evidence and the rapper’s every subtle move, our team of journalists take you inside the courtroom of the world’s biggest celebrity case.

Daily Mail has been following Diddy’s downfall from the very beginning. Join us as we hear from experts involved in the case, and members of the rapper’s inside circle.

Judge Arun Subramanian will issue his decision on whether Diddy is released on bail at 5pm EST.

It comes after prosecutors and defense attorneys submitted letters arguing their case.

The defense has asked that Diddy be released on $1million bond so he can await sentencing in his Miami home.

Prosecutors fought back the request with a letter from witness Deonte Nash, who expressed fear that Diddy would retaliate against accusers.

The bombshell trial of Sean ‘Diddy‘ Comb revealed a trove shocking evidence in seven weeks.

The 55-year-old music mogul was found not guilty of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy – the top charge that could have seen him face life in prison.

He was convicted of transportation for prostitution, which carries a top sentence of 20 years in prison.

Attorney Mitchell Epner, a former federal prosecutor in New York, says the technical maximum is 10 years for each prostitution-related count Combs was convicted of, but federal sentencing guidelines suggest a sentence ‘measured in months, not years.’

He says the guidelines give the judge a starting point of 15 to 21 months. Epner predicts the defense will argue that the nine months Combs spent in the Metropolitan Detention Center were so horrific that Combs deserves to be sentenced to time-served and freed on bail.

Prosecutors, he predicts, will argue that the prostitution convictions involved coercion and merit a lengthy sentence.

Epner’s best guess is a sentence of 24 to 30 months, nothing like 10 or 20 years.

A millennial attorney whose father made his name defending celebrity defendants won a stunning victory as Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs was found not guilty of the most serious charges against him.

Teny Geragos, 34, was one of Combs’ ‘dream team’ attorneys who convinced a jury to find him not guilty on Wednesday on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, which could have seen him imprisoned for life.

Combs held Geragos’ hand as he was found guilty on the lesser charge of transportation to engage in prostitution, which carries a maximum of 20 years behind bars.

Diddy‘s ecstatic children privately celebrated their father’s stunning courtroom victory today, telling Daily Mail how they couldn’t wait to hug him.

Diddy’s sons Justin and Christian said they had ‘hoped’ he would beat the most serious charges – which he did – and were eager now for their father, 55, to return home.

Throughout the seven-week trial, his former girlfriend and main accuser, Cassie Ventura, delivered graphic testimonies alleging that the music mogul physically and psychologically abused her over more than a decade from 2007-2018.

Diddy’s ex-assistant Capricorn Clark exposed the mogul’s list of celebrities enemies and many other A-listers have come up in testimony.

The trial has even inspired deep fake videos that use AI-generated images to falsely claim that certain celebrities, such as Oprah and Jennifer Lawrence, have been mentioned in the mogul’s sex-trafficking case.

Here is a list of all the celebrities mentioned in the trial:

‘Today’s split verdict is a disappointment, but the criminal charges are different than the civil claims we filed and have been fighting against Sean Combs,’ wrote Richard’s attorney, Lisa Bloom.

‘We will continue to aggressively fight our case until we obtain full and complete justice for Dawn.’

Richard told Diddy jurors that the mogul threatened to kill her she told anyone that she saw him physically abusing his longtime girlfriend Casandra Ventura.

An attorney who represents over 100 alleged Diddy victims reacted to is acquittal for sex trafficking and racketeering, saying the mogul ‘dodged a big bullet today/’

Tony Buzbee told DailyMail.com: ‘Diddy dodged a big bullet today. But that doesn’t end the saga. The thrust of the prosecution’s case was focused solely on two alleged victims, Cassie and Jane, with whom Sean Combs had long-term relationships. The jury found that he violated federal law with regard to the transportation to engage in prostitution but cleared him on the most three most serious charges.

‘Perhaps because of the nature of his relationship with those women and the length of those two relationships, I think the jury struggled with the difficult issue of consent and more broadly whether Mr. Combs’ conduct appropriately fit within the RICO statute.

‘Our clients were not the focus of the prosecution’s case. And those issues are not present in our cases. Our cases instead focus on discrete wrongful conduct allegedly committed by Mr. Combs that would be considered state law crimes if proven. Now that this spectacle is over, we look forward to aggressively pursuing these civil cases to obtain justice for these alleged victims.’

A beaming man was seen outside the courthouse waving around small bottles of baby oil – similar to the ones shown in evidence photos during the trial. 

That same person was seen spraying the oil on a shirtless man as the excited crowd celebrated the verdict Wednesday.

Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, shows issues hit the Meta-owned platform around 1pm ET.

The court has not released identifying information about the jurors, who were discreetly ushered into and out of the courthouse each day so that the media had no access to them.

Trial observers had to remain in the courtroom for about 10 minutes until the jurors were all taken down in a freight elevator, likely to the courthouse garage.

Before dismissing them, the judge spoke to the jury, guiding them on whether and how to speak about the case to the media. He told them not to speak about other jurors’ deliberations.

Sharing a photo of himself with a huge smile he wrote, ‘Diddy beat the Feds that boy a bad man beat the Rico, he the Gay John Gotti @50centaction’

50 Cent has long made it clear how he feels about his rap nemesis, and he’s never missed a chance to troll Diddy online.

But lately, he’s taken things to a whole new level, unleashing a wave of wild, AI-generated images mocking the Bad Boy mogul and the explosive allegations tied to his trial.

‘Sex crimes deeply scar victims, and the disturbing reality is that sex crimes are all too present in many aspects of our society. Victims endure gut-wrenching physical and mental abuse, leading to lasting trauma. New Yorkers and all Americans want this scourge stopped and perpetrators brought to justice,’ says the statement by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and Ricky Patel, who runs New York’s field office for Homeland Security Investigations.

‘Prosecuting sex crimes requires brave victims to come forward and tell their harrowing stories. We and our law enforcement partners recognize the hardships victims endure and have prioritized a victim-centered approach to investigating and prosecuting these cases,’ said the statement, which also praises law enforcement offices ‘for their assistance in this matter.’

Diddy was convicted of flying people around the country, including his girlfriends and paid male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters in violation of the federal Mann Act.

The 1910 law originally prohibited the interstate or foreign commerce transport of a woman or girl ‘for prostitution, debauchery or for any other immoral purpose.’

A 1986 update made the law gender-neutral and effectively ended the Act’s role in trying to legislate morality by changing ‘debauchery’ and ‘immoral purpose’ to ‘any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.’

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ die-hard fans were seen rejoicing outside the courthouse and heard chanting ‘let Puffy go’ after the disgraced rapper was found not guilty of some of the most serious charges against him.

After nearly two months, Diddy’s supporters, many of whom have camped outside the courthouse, did not hide their excitement after finding out he was found not guilty on some of the charges.

Several fans, both male and female, were seen holding up shirts that said: ‘A FREAKO IS NOT A R.I.C.O’ while others donned shirts that said ‘Sean John’ on them Diddy’s fashion brand.

‘Basically, today the jury decided that a freako is not a R.I.C.O,’ one female supporter told Daily Mail.

Diddy will remain in custody as the judge considers the defense’s argument that the hip-hop mogul should be granted bail and released until his sentencing.

As Combs turned toward his family as he left the courtroom, he smiled as they applauded and said: ‘I’ll be home soon.’

He added: ‘I love you, baby’ and, ‘I love you, Mom.’

Diddy will remain in custody as the judge considers the defense’s argument that the hip-hop mogul should be granted bail and released until his sentencing.

Overall, the jury deliberated for about 13 and a half hours over the course of three days.

It’s been almost two months since jury selection began on May 5.

The verdict came as the jury faced the prospect of coming into court Thursday, while the courthouse is otherwise closed, or waiting until after the long Independence Day weekend to resume deliberating if they didn’t have a decision Wednesday.

Cassie Ventura’s lawyer Doug Wigdor said on Wednesday ‘we’re pleased that he’s finally been held responsible for two federal crimes.’

Diddy was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution but acquitted of the most serious charges, sex trafficking and racketeering.

Wigdor added that ‘this case proved that change is long overdue and we will continue to fight on behalf of survivors.’

The lawyer said Cassie ‘paved the way’ for the convictions.

‘Although the jury did not find Combs guilty of sex trafficking Cassie beyond a reasonable doubt, she paved the way for a jury to find him guilty of transportation to engage in prostitution.

Wigdor told CNN the verdict ‘is not a loss’ and that Diddy is now a convicted criminal.

He said Cassie ‘felt comfort’ that she shined a light on Diddy’s behavior.

The one-time music titan, 55, was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion — despite harrowing testimony about alleged sexual abuse, forced drug binges, and so-called ‘freak offs.’

Diddy faced a sentence of up to life in prison if convicted of racketeering.

He faced up to 15 years for each count of sex trafficking.

The mogul was acquitted of all three of the top charges.

He was convicted of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The judge would decide the sentencing and whether they run concurrently.

Prosecutors said they will ask for 20 years in prison for Diddy.

Diddy reacts after he was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life.

Prosecutor Maurene Comey told the court the state will ask for a 20 year sentence for Diddy over his transportation for prostitution conviction.

It is the top possible sentence for the crime.

The defense asked for Diddy to be released on a $1million bond, and the judge said he would decide after two hours.

The music mogul smiled as he thanked the jurors for their verdict on Wednesday.

Diddy kept smiling as he shook his lawyers’ hands and looked at his family in the gallery.

The defense has asked the judge to release Diddy today on a $1million bond after he was convicted of transportation for prostitution but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering.

Lead defense attorney Marc Agnifilo asked that Diddy be allowed to return to his Miami home as he awaits sentencing.

Prosecutors are arguing he should not be released as he remains at flight risk.

Diddy’s lawyers say he is not at risk of fleeing as his private plane is chartered and being used by others in Hawaii.

‘I want you to know that it is inspiring to all of us,’ judge Arun Subramanian told the jury after they reached a verdict Wednesday.

‘You listened, you worked together, you were here every day, rain or shine. You did so with no reward, other than the reward that comes from answering the call of public service. That should give all of us hope.’

He asked the media to not contact the jurors.

Diddy has been found not guilty of the most serious charge against him – racketeering conspiracy.

He has also been aquitted of sex trafficking of his ex-girlfriends Cassie Ventura and ‘Jane.’

Diddy was convicted of transportation for prostitution, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years.

The verdict in Diddy’s trial will be read to the court any minute now as the jury has been brought back to the courtroom.

Diddy is surrounded by his lawyers and his family has all come back to the courtroom as they await to hear his fate.

The jury has sent a note saying they have reached a verdict in Diddy’s trial.

Diddy’s mother and sister are in the courtroom.

His six children had left the courthouse moments before the jury sent a note saying they have reached a decision.

Diddy is back in the courtoom and so are his children.

He walked in with his hands in a praying position.

Microphones are set up outside the U.S. federal court.

Diddy’s girlfriend and the mother of his youngest chilld, Dana Tran, is in court today.

She brought their baby named Love, born in 2023, to court on Wednesday as a verdict is expected.

Diddy’s first baby mama Misa Hylton is also in court supporting their son Justin.

Hylton is a stylist who has worked for celebrities like Mary J. Blige and Lil’ Kim.

Chasnce’s mother Sarah Chapman is also in court Wednesday.

Dana Tran, the mother of Love, two.

Diddy pictured with his youngest daughter

Chance’s mom Sarah Chapman in court on Wednesday

Evidence in Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs’ trial unearthed text messages between an escort and the rapper’s associate, giving him detailed instructions on how to get to and from one of the marathon freak-offs.

It’s not known who the Diddy associate is, as the screenshots of the text conversation only identifies the person as ‘device owner.’

In messages dated on August 26, 2009, ‘device owner’ asked Jules if he wanted to fly from Los Angeles to New York City for the freak-off.

As he left the courtroom to wait in a holding cell, Diddy, wearing a yellow sweater, said to his family: ‘Stay strong.’

Diddy bowed his head in praying motion and his children did the same.

All six of his children are in the courtroom on Wednesday, including his youngest, Love.

‘God, please watch over my family,’ he said.

Diddy then dramatically turned to the public gallery and asked: ‘Say a prayer for my family.’

There was applause in the courtroom. 

Diddy’s children left the courthouse after he was led into the holding cell. They are expected to return for a verdict.

Chance Combs, right, Quincy Brown, second right, and Justin Dior, second left, daughter and son of Sean “Diddy” Combs.

D’lila Combs and Jessie Combs

Diddy fans have been waiting outside the federal courthouse as they expect a verdict.

Some fans were seen hawking baby oil and selling t-shirts that read ‘a freak-o is not a rico.’

According to the BBC, one woman was seen running outside the courthouse in her underwear.

The disgraced mogul arrived in the courtroom Wednesday morning and spoke to his lead attorney Marc Agnifilo as four of his other lawyers stood nearby.

Prosecutors had not arrived to the courtroom as of 9.20am EST.

The jury in Diddy’s trial was deliberating for 12 hours before they sent a note saying they were stuck on count one – racketeering conspiracy.

They started delibarations on Monday morning after closing arguments last week.

On Wednesday, the jury headed straight for the deliberations room as instructed by the judge.

They did not stop in the court room before.

As the world is gripped by Sean Diddy Combs’ criminal trial and wonders what could have possibly led him into such depths of depravity, one man is notably absent.

Every day, the rapper, 55, who is currently standing trial in New York on sex trafficking charges, is supported at court by his loyal mother Janice.

Even most of his seven children attended the opening statements as a group, with some of his sons in regular attendance.

Yet if there is one man who haunts the trial, it is his late father, Melvin Combs – who may even explain how Diddy came to land in such hot water.

Melvin was the original ‘bad boy’, a gangster affiliated with the notorious New York mobster Frank Lucas, who was famously portrayed by Denzel Washington in the movie American Gangster.

He died when Diddy was just three, but his ‘hustler’ mentality inspired the music mogul’s pursuit of stardom.

DEEP DIVE delves into Diddy’s 30-year reign of excess and debauchery in unprecedented detail, starting with his ‘crazy’ fits of rage as a student in the 1980s that earned him the disturbing ‘Puff’ nickname.

Contained within hundreds of pages of civil court documents are the horrifying details of his tempestuous relationship with Cassie Ventura – which ultimately led to the floodgates opening.

Among the many allegations contained within the papers are claims that Diddy filmed fellow A-list celebrities taking drugs and having sex with prostitutes. In many cases, the name of the celebrities involved have been kept anonymous by court order.

On Tuesday, the jury asked the court for the transcript of male escort Daniel Phillip’s testimony.

Phillip, 41, took to the stand for an hour as the prosecution’s second witness.

He told the court Combs paid him up to $6,000 each time to take part in orchestrated sexual relations with R&B singer Casandra ‘Cassie’ Ventura.

Diddy would often direct their encounters, forcing them to engage in awkward ‘role play’ before giving Mr Phillip specific instructions on when and where to orgasm, the male escort alleged.

On Tuesday, as he was led away from the court room, Diddy told his mom: ‘I’ll be all right, love you.’

The 85-year-old has been present for most of the music mogul’s trial in Manhattan.

Diddy’s comment to his mother came after the jury said they were stuck on count one – racketeering conspiracy.

The jury wil continue deliberating on Wednesday after the judge asked them to try to reach a conclusion on count one.

Janice Combs is seen arriving in court on Wednesday morning.

U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian ordered the jury to continue its closed-door discussions for a third day after the panel of eight men and four women said Tuesday that it was unable to reach consensus on the top count: racketeering conspiracy.

The judge agreed with prosecutors and Combs’ defense team that less than 13 hours of deliberations was too soon to give up on reaching a verdict on all counts.

The jury’s decision on the other charges — two counts of sex trafficking and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution — remains under wraps for now.

• Count 1: Racketeering conspiracy – up to life in prison.
• Count 2: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) – minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison.
• Count 3: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura) and commercial sex workers – up to 10 years in prison.
• Count 4: Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 2 (“Jane”) – minimum of 15 years to a maximum of life in prison.
• Count 5: Transportation to engage in prostitution – pertains to Victim 2 (“Jane”) and commercial sex workers – up to 10 years in prison.

The prosecution and defense have both asked judge Arun Subramanian to tell the jury to continue deliberating after they said they can’t agree on count 1- racketeering conspiracy.

The judge said there are three paths to take.

The first is to tell the jury to keep going.

The second is an Allen charge – a supplemental intruction from the court encouraging them to re-evaluate their positions and strive for a unanimous verdict.

The judge the third one will come ‘at some point,’ – when ‘the court should advise the jury of the ability to return a partial verdict.’

The judge said ‘but we are not there yet.’

The jury in Diddy’s trial said they have reached a verdict on all but one of the charges against him after about 12 hours of delibaration on Tuesday.

They say they are unable to reach a verdict on the racketeering charge.

‘We are unable to reach a verdict on count 1 as we have jurors with unpersuadable opinions on both sides,’ the note read.

The announcement came as Diddy was seated surrounded by his eight lawyers, who were talking to him with serious expressions.