Diddy Back in Court: Defense Calls Prostitution Law ‘An Embarrassment to the U.S.’

Sean “Diddy” Combs returned to tribunal connected Thursday (Sept. 25) to advocator for his grounds to beryllium cleared wholly aft helium was acquitted of sex-trafficking but convicted of lesser prostitution charges.

Combs seemed successful bully spirits erstwhile helium appeared successful the courtroom, smiling and embracing his squad of defence lawyers. It’s not astonishing that the rapper has specified affection for his ineligible team; they won a stunning proceedings victory successful July, convincing jurors to acquit Combs of racketeering and sex-trafficking charges that could person subjected him to beingness successful prison.

The assemblage did convict Combs of transporting Cassie Ventura and different ex-girlfriend referred to arsenic “Jane” crossed authorities lines for “freak-off” enactment parties with antheral escorts. Sentencing connected these lesser counts is scheduled for Oct. 3, but Combs’ lawyers archetypal got the accidental to reason that the condemnation should beryllium wiped altogether.

One of Combs’ attorneys, entreaty specializer Alexandra Shapiro, told Judge Arun Subramanian connected Thursday that national prostitution charges are antiquated and seldom enforced. The Mann Act, primitively titled the White-Slave Traffic Act, has disfigured origins successful criminalizing interracial relationships successful the aboriginal 1900s.

“The full past of the statute is really, I would taxable respectfully, an embarrassment to the United States of America,” Shapiro argued.

Shapiro said it’s Department of Justice argumentation to lone level specified charges erstwhile prostitution is done successful a commercialized discourse oregon tied to enactment trafficking. And since the assemblage determined successful their verdict that Combs’ girlfriends consented to the freak-offs, Shapiro argued, the Mann Act should beryllium disconnected the table.

Prosecutor Christy Slavik, meanwhile, countered that determination is simply a morganatic authorities involvement successful regulating prostitution. Slavick said that adjacent erstwhile prostitution is not strictly defined arsenic enactment trafficking, it tin pb to different crimes similar unit against women and cause use.

“All of those things were contiguous present successful this case,” said Slavik. “Ms. Ventura was getting punched successful the face. Jane was getting deed and kicked. Mr. Combs was providing drugs to each parties.”

The lawyers besides sparred implicit the defense’s creative argument that due to the fact that Combs videotaped the freak-offs, these events constituted amateur pornography shoots protected by the First Amendment.

Shapiro noted that these events were “highly choreographed,” with “mood lighting” and “costumes.” But Slavik said Combs’ videography is wholly irrelevant to the question of whether radical were transported crossed authorities lines for prostitution.  

Judge Subramanian peppered some sides with method ineligible questions passim the proceeding and yet said he’ll contented a determination “very shortly.” He ended the proceeding by declaring that unless the condemnation is wiped, he’ll “see everyone backmost present adjacent Friday&rdquo...