After a period of hearing, the jury returned a verdict for Diddy.

On July 2 (US time), Diddy’s trial continued to deliver important verdicts. According to reporters, Diddy entered the courtroom looking a little more relaxed than yesterday. The tycoon spent some time praying with his family. Outside the court, a growing crowd of YouTubers, bloggers, reporters, and the public gathered.

The jury returned their verdicts: “Count 1, Conspiracy to Extort: ​​NOT GUILTY”, “Count 2, Sex Trafficking of Casandra Ventura: NOT GUILTY”, “Count 3, Transporting to Engage in Prostitution, Involving Casandra Ventura: GUILTY”, “Count 4, Sex Trafficking of ‘Jane’: NOT GUILTY”, “Count 5, Transporting to Engage in Prostitution, Involving ‘Jane’: GUILTY”. Thus, Diddy was acquitted of the two most serious charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to extort, and was only convicted of lesser charges.

Diddy’s lead attorney, Marc Agnifilo, continued to ask for his client to be released today, now that the mogul no longer faces the most serious charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit extortion. Marc Agnifilo said Diddy is not a flight risk because he does not have a passport or a plane. “This is Diddy’s first conviction and it was for prostitution, so he should be released with appropriate conditions,” the attorney asked the court to allow Diddy to return home to Miami Beach, Florida. The defense asked for $ 1 million bail . However, the government strongly opposed Diddy’s release. Lead prosecutor Maurene Comey said the defense had downplayed the severity of the sentence, and urged the judge to keep Diddy in custody. The prosecutor said there was “a real risk that he will ignore the court’s order,” citing drugs found in Diddy’s hotel room before his arrest last September. The judge said he needed time to consider the law before deciding whether Diddy could leave the courthouse today. The tycoon has been in custody since September 2024.

Prosecutors said Diddy faces up to 20 years in prison; each Mann Act charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. But the judge will decide how long the kingpin will serve. With a hint of relief, the judge said he didn’t think Diddy would want to go back to a Brooklyn prison. Diddy shook his head vigorously and clasped his hands in prayer.

Diddy’s lead attorney responded: “Diddy was given life by the jury. He would be a fool to violate the court’s order. He will not violate anything the court imposes.” The court will take a recess for several hours while the judge considers arguments from attorneys and prosecutors on whether Diddy should be released.

Diddy’s body language was completely different from yesterday, when he appeared dejected and sad after the jury announced its verdict on four of the five counts. Now, having been acquitted of the most serious charges, Diddy appeared energetic and relieved.

As he heard the verdict, Diddy turned to his family and clasped his hands in prayer. He nodded each time the jury confirmed their verdict. After the verdict was announced, Diddy clasped his hands in prayer and whispered “thank you, thank you” to the jury, smiling and shaking hands with one of his lawyers as he turned to look at his family. As the jury filed out of the courthouse, Diddy clasped his hands in thanks, then covered his face with his hands and let out a sigh.

Diddy’s supporters and family applauded and whistled for the legal team, who hugged each other. Diddy’s lawyers were absolutely delighted. This was the best outcome for Diddy other than a complete acquittal.

The defense’s biggest victory here was convincing the jury that Diddy’s two ex-girlfriends (Casandra Ventura and ‘Jane’) were not coerced into “wild parties” and “hotel nights” that involved sex with male escorts over several years. Through thorough cross-examination of witnesses, Diddy’s attorneys pointed to text messages in which the women expressed enthusiasm for the sexual encounters.

The women testified that they told Diddy what they knew he wanted to hear, and that they were trapped in manipulative and controlling relationships. In short: The jury did not consider Diddy’s treatment of his girlfriends to be sex trafficking.

Outside court, Douglas Wigdor, Casandra Ventura’s attorney, said he was “pleased” that Mr. Combs “was held accountable for something.” “He’s finally been held accountable for two federal crimes, something he’s never faced in his life,” Wigdor said.

Women’s rights organization UltraViolet immediately issued a statement in response to the Diddy verdict: “This is a defining moment for our justice system, one that threatens to undermine the sacrifices of the brave survivors who came forward to share their stories in this trial, as well as all those who were abused by Diddy but were unable to do so.”

“Today’s verdict is not only a stain on a criminal justice system that has failed for decades to hold abusers like Diddy accountable, but it is also an indictment of a culture where sexual assault and victimization of women is still commonplace,” said Arisha Hatch, the organization’s interim executive director. “We will continue to stand with the brave women and men who took great risks to expose Diddy for who he really was.”