Sean “Diddy” Combs found guilty on the more minor charges
You may or may not have noticed that I haven’t covered the Sean Combs trial. I’ve left that to others because I just don’t happen to be all that interested – I’m not a fan, and it’s clear he’s a sleazebag although whether he’s guilty of actual crimes isn’t something I especially wanted to follow.
But the verdict is in:
A Manhattan jury has found Sean “Diddy” Combs not guilty of racketeering conspiracy, the most serious of the charges he was facing, and the one that could have put him behind bars for life. This charge, which falls under the RICO Act, “alleged that Combs participated in a criminal enterprise. Prosecutors claimed he used his business empire to facilitate illegal activities,” according to NBC News.
He was also acquitted on two counts of sex trafficking, by force, fraud, or coercion. This charge relates to “allegations that Combs coerced individuals into engaging in commercial sexual activity,” as per NBC. If he had been convicted, he would have faced 10 years to life in prison for each count.
Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. “This charge alleges that Combs knowingly transported individuals across state lines or internationally with the intent that they would engage in prostitution.”
From what I’ve read of his offenses – which isn’t much – a life sentence seems excessive. So perhaps this is the correct verdict. As for his fans, I’m not sure whether the trial disgraced him or enhanced his status.
Enhanced, I fear.
PD hangs with a rough and tough crowd.
Did everyone read what Denzel Washington said to another man on leaving the party early?
Simething like “Best not to be there when
The Devil arrives.” Denzel is a good judge of character.
“As for his fans, I’m not sure whether the trial disgraced him or enhanced his status.”
I’m sure. . . . . . [see 1:46 pm comment directly above]
Like Neo, I haven’t closely followed the trial, but I suspect that the jurors weren’t sure if some of the sleazy stuff wasn’t in actual fact voluntary. Of course people can be terrified or psychologically manipulated into invalid consent, but (and this is just a hunch on my part) the jurors might have harbored reasonable doubt on the point.
Combes has a residence in Miami and one in Los Angeles. The notorious security videotape of him beating one of his girlfriends was taken at a hotel in Los Angeles. Investigating his crimes and prosecuting him was the business of officials in Los Angeles County and Dade County. He was prosecuted by a U.S. Attorney under a law meant to be used to suppress the Sicilianate mafia. That law has been abused before (contra Operation Rescue) and is properly modified or junked. Combes is a wealthy degenerate who hits women; he’s not a mafia don. The federal offense of which he was convicted was recruiting prostitutes from out of state. In New York, prostitution is a petty misdemeanor; in Indiana, a middling state, unadorned prostitution offenses are high misdemeanors. The posited federal offence is auxillary to what is a high misdemeanor in Indiana. Taking Indiana’s code as a point of reference, importing a prostitute from out of state should carry a sentence of up to 75 days. Combes has been cooling his heels in jail for ten months..
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We would benefit from scraping the barnacles off the federal penal code and re-calibrate the sentencing formulae used. That’s productive activity in the public interest, so Congress will do nothing.
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Sorting through Combes affairs and prosecuting him for identifiable crimes was something the locals in Los Angeles and Miami could have done but did not do. Because slatterns for whom favoritism is second nature. (See the case of Andrew Gillum in Miami).
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NB, Combes could indulge his essential grossness because of vast wealth. He was vastly wealthy because there is a market for the horrible anti-music he promotes. Those of you who make this refuse a salable commodity, what’s your excuse?
Denzel is a good judge of character.
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Supposedly married once and has four children (all from that marriage). Rather atypical among Hollywood royalty. (I would ask why he associated with Combes at all).
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NB, you get past a certain age, you should be at gatherings, not parties. They should be attended by friends and family. On some occasions, you might attend neighborhood gatherings or those associated with some sort of voluntary association of which you’re a member. Sometimes, professional drinks and chatter. Sometimes (if you’re prominent) fundraisers. Parties are for adolescents and post-adolescents.
but I suspect that the jurors weren’t sure if some of the sleazy stuff wasn’t in actual fact voluntary
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General police power (including the suppression of vice) belongs to the states. The feds should be handling drug trafficking, fraud, espionage, and illegal immigration.
Who did Combs run afoul of in the Power Structure, that he was prosecuted at all?
he was no longer useful for the ‘vote or die’ scam, perhaps he got over his skies, the fact they dialed to eleventy, going after him like Frank Lucas,* or his later film depiction Nino Brown, suggested overkill’
*lucas had an altercation with combs senior
Thanks, mc. I didn’t care enough to follow the story (like Neo) and don’t know any of the “players” in that realm.