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Sean "Diddy" Combs' seven-week-long sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy trial reached a verdict on July 2. The 12-member jury cleared him of the most serious charges, racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, and found him guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Before releasing the jurors from duty, Judge Arun Subramanian thanked them for their "tremendous sacrifice" over the course of the trial, per CNN.
"I want to thank all of you for your hard work and dedication. I know you’ve given a lot to be here over the last 10 weeks. It’s taken a tremendous amount of sacrifice. I want you to know it’s inspiring to all of us. You did so with no reward, other than the reward of answering the call of public service," Judge Subramanian said.
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The rapper was accused of five charges: one count of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking, and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
Judge Subramanian also told the jurors that while it's important to maintain the confidentiality of their deliberations, ultimately, they have the right to choose whether to speak to others about the case and their personal views.
"There is an important reason to respect the privacy of your deliberations. That being said, the choice of whether to speak to others about the case and your personal views is up to you," Judge Subramanian added.
However, he instructed them not to discuss the opinions of other jurors or how they discussed the case during the deliberations.
Judge Arun Subramanian asked Diddy if he wanted to go back to prison
After the verdict was reached, the defense requested that Judge Arun Subramanian release Combs from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he has been held since his arrest in September 2024.
In response, Judge Subramanian announced a break until 1 p.m. local time to let both sides prepare a legal argument regarding whether Diddy should be released while he awaits sentencing.
"Mr. Combs, you don’t want to go back to the MDC?" Judge Subramanian asked Diddy.
In response, the rapper nodded at him multiple times and raised his hand in a prayer-like gesture towards the judge.
After Sean Combs was acquitted of the racketeering conspiracy charge, he placed his hands on his head and made a subtle fist pump when he was found not guilty of two counts of sex trafficking.
He also knelt in front of his chair and bowed down before being escorted out of the courtroom by the marshals. Then, he turned to the gallery and began clapping, encouraging them to cheer and clap in return.
He then turned his face to his family, expressing his love to his mother, Janice Combs, 85, who was present in the courtroom.
"Thank you. Love you mom. I love you. I love you. I love you," Diddy said.
Sean "Diddy" Combs faces a maximum of 20 years in prison after he was found guilty of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He could have faced life in prison if he had been convicted on the other three charges.
