Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs: A Juror Called the Public Response to the Verdict ‘Highly Insulting and Belittling’
A juror in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ trial has not liked the public reaction to the verdict. After weeks of testimony, jurors found Combs guilty of only two of the five charges against him. They are less severe charges, meaning that he will spend significantly less time in prison than was initially possible. Many people expressed anger at the verdict, a reaction one juror found quite insulting.
The verdict in the mogul’s trial sparked significant public outcry
The jury in Combs’ trial found him guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. They determined he was not guilty on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering, however. These were the more significant charges, and they carried minimum sentences. If the jury found him guilty on these charges, Combs could have spent the rest of his life behind bars.
Instead, he may now only spend a handful of years in prison. Many people have spoken out against this decision.
“The verdict for Diddy is a message to all women that they are not believed,” wrote one person on X (formerly Twitter). “Sorry to the women out there. The victims especially, they deserved better.”
“The Diddy verdict is going to set a nasty precedent and trend for what people (especially those with wealth & power) believe they can get away with, when it comes to sex, domestic violence, & abuse crimes,” another person wrote. “And that’s honestly, the most terrifying part of this entire case.”
Some celebrities have also spoken out about the verdict.
A juror in the Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs trial spoke out against the reaction to the verdict
The jurors have seen the public reaction to their decision, and at least one of them is not happy with it. They anonymously told ABC News that they found the public backlash insulting. They said that the notion that Combs’ celebrity status played any role in their verdict was “highly insulting and belittling to the jury and the deliberation process.”
They said they treated Combs like they would have any other defendant. They based their decision on the evidence presented to them by the defense and prosecution.
“We spent over two days deliberating. Our decision was based solely on the evidence presented and how the law is stated,” said the juror. “We would have treated any defendant in the same manner regardless of who they are. I have nothing else to say.”
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ defense team is happy with the jurors’ decision
While many members of the public are not happy with the verdict, Combs’ defense team has celebrated it. Though the jury still found him guilty on two charges, his attorneys see the overall decision as a massive win.
“This is a huge win,” lawyer Anna Estevao said outside court, per NBC News. “He was acquitted of sex trafficking, acquitted of RICO conspiracy. He will be able to sleep well at night knowing that.”
Members of his defense team reportedly wiped away tears of joy after learning of the verdict.
